Weapon modifiers, from best to worst

[Leshma]

I want to hear your opinion.

1 - the best
4 - the worst

1) Crushthrough
2) Knockdown
3) Polestagger
4) Bonus against shields

[Apsod]

I agree with your set up, though a wep with crushthrough needs to be either heavy or you have to have a str build to use it, preferably both.

[Penitent]

1) Crushthrough (its the best modifier, but is only on shit weapons)
2) Bonus against shields (saves a lot of time, so you can get on to other tasks.  Also breaks doors/constructions)
3) Knockdown (triggers often enough to be almost useful)
4) Polestagger  (rare enough to not be noticed)

[WITCHCRAFT]

Crushthrough is the one that feels most like bullshit when it hits you. And on top of that you will probably get knocked down since all the crush weapons are heavy and have knockdown...

Polestun is better on faster weapons. Shortened spear and quarterstaff can really juggle people around. OOF UAGH OOF OOF

edit: I am a dumby. Thanks for the correction. Shortened spear does polestun, quarterstaff does not.

[Slamz]

I agree with the OP's list but don't forget about "unbalanced".

If "crushthrough" is worth +4 points to a weapon's value then "unbalanced" is worth at least -2.

Which is incidentally why you don't see any (sensible) infantry wielding 2H axes.  Unbalanced + shieldbreaker = net negative to the weapon's value.


This is also why a lot of knockdown weapons are more popular than crushthrough weapons.  Knockdown + balanced > crushthrough + unbalanced, unless you can operate with a team so you don't have to parry so much.

[Dezilagel]

polestagger is better on faster weapons. Shortened spear and quarterstaff can really juggle people around. OOF UAGH OOF OOF

Quarterstaff doesn't have the stagger...

[LordBerenger]

I want to hear your opinion.

1 - the best
4 - the worst

1) Crushthrough
2) Knockdown
3) Polestagger
4) Bonus against shields

Add polestun

[Christo]

Quarterstaff doesn't have the stagger...

This.

Blunt weapons have knockdown chance, even if it's minimal.

But no stagger effect.

[Spanish]

Polestagger is best and I would have picked shield breakers next but they're always unbalanced so it's not worth it. Crushthrough for trolling and knockdown goes hand in hand with crushthrough. But by far is the best are balanced weapons cuz doOlz are bestest

[Leshma]

If "crushthrough" is worth +4 points to a weapon's value then "unbalanced" is worth at least -2.

We're discussing here only those modifiers which increase usefulness of a weapon, not those that descrease it (like unsheatable, unbalanced, can't use on horseback etc.)

My opinion on unbalanced is: I don't like to use unbalanced weapons but I also don't think it's a big downside. They usually have positive modifier attached to them which outweights negative sides of a weapon being unbalanced.

Having no modifiers is actually worse than having unbalanced and knockdown, at least in my book.

[Banok]

This.

Blunt weapons have knockdown chance, even if it's minimal.

But no stagger effect.

spears do blunt and still stagger
 
polearms with bonus vs shield have stagger too right? and all crush thru have knockdown. its only polearms with knockdown which don't stagger I think.

[Penitent]

Not all shieldbreakers are unbalanced....

sheesh ya'll act like 1h weapons don't exist....

[Gurnisson]

its only polearms with knockdown which don't stagger I think.

This. That's why spears stagger on blunt swings but quarter staff doesn't

[Vibe]

As long as it looks cool

[Canary]

To truly judge each of the modifiers, you have to think of the way they work with each of the weapon classes individually.

Obviously only polearms get the stagger, and honestly it's the best modifier for them. A close second being bonus against shields, because the weapons that use it are generally quite good. Knockdown eliminates the chance of polestagger, so it's far less useful considering it gives nearly the same result but happens far less often. There's only one crushthrough polearm, so whether this is good depends on how you feel about the long maul. I am not a fan.

For 2handers, their crushthrough weapons can be simply unstoppable in certain circumstances. Their knockdown weapons, while not very popular, are actually quite decent (some of which also have crushthrough!). Their bonus against shield weapons are mostly bad, with few exceptions, and all of them (save the fighting axe's alternate mode) are unbalanced.

1handers have some very good bonus against shield weapons, and a handful of moderately decent knockdown weapons. I'd say it's a tie for them, with bonus against shields possibly edging knockdown out by a smidge.