Great lance cavalry

[Umbra]

I want to try a great lance cav build for fun, before i commit to a build or buying a horse can anyone, who is more experienced with cavalry, give me advice on what horse/build to use?

Also, is it even worth investing into polearm wpf since all i can do is couch.

Thanks in advance

[no_rules_just_play]

no, not worth investing in polearm. the wpf dont do anything for the dmg/angle/whatever. i would say, get some wpf in onehander (maybe 3 wm) and put a shitload of skillpoints into riding (speed bonus and you can make fast turns)
im not an expert, but i made such build once and this is what i was told.

[CrazyCracka420]

Well just a couple thoughts, WPF does increase your damage dealt with a couched lance (such as a great lance), it will also reduce the costs of your upkeep.  However I'd suggest going 1h/shield skill to go along with your great lance, so the upkeep issue will be negated by putting WPF into 1h (all melee weapons get a reduced upkeep based on the highest melee WPF).  Also, Power Strike makes a couched lance do more damage as well.

I would recommend not using a courser because on some maps where you don't have a lot of open/flat ground, by the time you get up to couching speed you're already flying past the area where you could couch.

Some of the slower horses are actually good for this reason, like armored horses.  But the best horse (no surprise) is the arabian because you can stay couched as you are turning at pretty high speeds.  If you don't go arabian then I'd recommend a destrier.

These are the two builds I'd recommend for you (depending on if you want a 5 riding horse or 7 riding):

Arabian build (at level 30):
   
    Strength: 15
    Agility: 21
    Hit points: 50

    Skills to attributes: 2

    Power Strike: 5
    Shield: 5
    Athletics: 5
    Riding: 7
    Weapon Master: 7

    One hand WPF: 163

Destrier build (level 30):

    Strength: 21
    Agility: 15
    Hit points: 60

    Skills to attributes: 2

    Ironflesh: 2
    Power Strike: 7
    Shield: 5
    Athletics: 5
    Riding: 5
    Weapon Master: 5

    One Hand WPF: 146

Now a lot of people would drop some (or most) WM and throw it into IF, however I really like having WPF (especially in 1h).  And it will drastically reduce your upkeep costs on melee weapons.  Also WPF adds damage to your hits, so having only 5 PS is crucial to have as high of WPF as you can, because 5 PS with a 1h is pretty weak without high WPF.  That is something you will have to decide on your own however

[Riddaren]

All you need is powerstrike and riding.
The arabian warhorse is superior to all other horses as a normal lancer.
With a great lance it becomes an even more obvious choice, so get 7 riding atleast:

21/21 7ps 7ri 3if (you should 1 hit most of the time)
18/24
15/27
12/30 4ps 10ri 3if (this will probably be most fun even though you won't 1 hit so much)

[Smoothrich]

If you want to be 0 athletics pure cavalry, do 21/21, 18/24, 15/27, 12/30.

If you want to be infantry hybrid without a shield, do 24/15, 21/18, 18/21, 15/24.

if you want to be infantry hybrid with shield do 21/15, 18/18, 15/21.

Max riding and PS, then Athletics if infantry hybrid.  Then get Shields to at least 4 for Elite Cav if using one.  Then begin pumping up IF especially if shieldless because you will take massive damage from ranged while zipping around.

Cap your riding at your horse of choice (aka dont go past 21 agility) unless you want to be pure cav, then go nuts.  I strongly recommend 18/24 or 15/27 pure cav builds.

[Penitent]

polearm wpf lets you couch more often.

[CrazyCracka420]

polearm wpf lets you couch more often.

I'm going to say I'm skeptical about that, I think it's 8 seconds across the board (if you hit someone/something or if you let it go the full time couched)