I've done test using my Masterworked GLA, a Danish GS, a Heavy Great sword, and a LHSM. I found that even though my GLA has one speed point higher than a Danish, and the fact that i have 138 wpf in polearm and 0 in 2h, i find that i can only complete 56 swings per minute compared to a danish's 52. This is not a significant difference considering the wpf i have in both weapons. Also, the heavy great sword completed 54 swings per minute (roughly, more like 53 but i did it in 30 second intervals) while my LHSM did 58. This is a disturbing fact that i've recently noticed while playing with my GLA: even though my speed rating should allow me to be competitive vs other 2Hs, i routinely find myself being unable to retaliate after an initial block even though the opponent was not in an advantageous situation where he could hit before me.
For example, I was playing in the Seige server and i fought Spookisland. He probably had a 18/21 or a 21/18 build and i noticed how FAST he was able to swing his masterwork danish, so fast that he could hit me twice without me able to retaliate. So i picked up his danish to try it out, and to my horror i was actually faster using that danish than my GLA, even with 0 wpf in it.
So 2h have the reach advantage, the speed advantage, and the lolstab. How are polearms suppose to compete against this? Do we have to be that much better to even compete?
as a note, next gen i will be heirlooming a German Greatsword and going a 2H build, i missed my GLA for a long time because it was easy to get kills, but now, i just don't know anymore.