I remember the days where polearm and 2h were on the same tier thanks to polestun.
I remember the days where shielders didn't suck and get assfucked ALL OF THE TIME by thrust glance.
I remember the days where ladders could be thrown and the fun that came with them.
I remember when projectiles did damage.
I remember when 2h wasn't the ONLY class to play.
^
- Polestagger was a garbage mechanic, and even though I abused it every day until it got removed, I still lobbied for its removal and was happy to see the back of it. A completely unnecessary mechanic that made polearms too strong. Maybe polearms didn't receive a good parachute, being small speed/damage increases or other small buffs to compensate the loss of it, but I prefer it over having the overpowered polestagger.
- 2H thrust needs a small wiggle, polearms needs a small wiggle and 1H needs a small wiggle to not bounce. Maybe if you thrust all the time with low pierce weapons (which 1Hs have quite a bit of, true) then you're fucked against really heavy armor, but against lower or medium armor 1H thrust is viable compared to polearm thrust (though the 2h one outshines both the other by quite a margin)
- Ladderpulting was fun. Every round in a map with a roof ending up with 5-10 roof monkeys that destroyed the ladder was a pain. If you tried laddering up yourself, they'd kill the ladder just before you reached the top, for added fall damage on top of the misery of having untouchable ranged units on the other team. I was happy when they removed that garbage.
- While non-loomed ranged weaponry is too weak (I would like looms to only increase draw speed, projectile speed and accuracy, and have the damage of all bows around loomed damage now instead), the fully loomed ones hits like trucks. Even with 23 strength, I had rus bows and throwing axes black baring me in one shot and getting one-shot by arbalests in the latest strat battles. They should hurt, and they do. Problem is, like mentioned, the difference between loomed and non-loomed ranged weaponry.
- All classes are viable, some more than others. I find 1h + shield easier than 2h myself, because of the much lesser range threat, and I'm sure a lot of other people doesn't find 2h the easiest class to play.
Can't really disagree much with your other points.