You're far more biased than Panos.. Okay, maybe exaggerated a bit, you're equally biased.
I do not speak from bias, merely from experience. I used to be a 2hander for a long time until it just got noticeably ridiculous and easy... as I got better 2hand just became an effortless, and therefore fun-lacking class. I only recently switched over to a polearm build.. spent maybe 10 gens 2hand... at most 5 as a polearm. All I meant by saying I primarily use a long axe is that I realize it is one of the fastest and therefore spammiest polearms... yet it is very easily outclassed by mostly any 2hand sword, and is also easily outspammed by any relatively speedy onehander. Not to mention that its reach is WORSE than a longsword or HBS. Lets look at the stats here: longsword/HBS are longer, have a faster base speed stat, hit earlier in the animation, and have a lolstab. Long axe has a slower base speed, longer attack animations, no viable stab, and is shorter. Only advantage it has is the higher damage on swings. Now lets compare it to onehanded swords. A good majority of onehanders are faster, have better animations and therefore a lolstab, and with animations any lengthy onehanders have the same, if not longer reach than the long axe. I am fairly certain that with the NEGATIVE reach "bonus" polearms get for most of their swings, and the POSITIVE reach bonus onehanders get (on the right swing, anwyays... not sure about overhead and left) a long axe is effectively shorter than any high 90s - 100 length onehander. Once again the only plus here is that the long axe has the higher damage.
Also, as someone previously mentioned, polearms tend to catch on people/objects far more often than other weapon types due to their animations. You would think that the shortness of the long axe would help it out here, but it doesnt. One of my clanmates picked up my long axe and started running around with it and while yes he said that thing is pretty darn fast (compared to his poleaxe) all it did was glance. For whatever reason even solid hits with the damn thing will glance occasionally. Maybe if I was a pure str crutch it would glance less, but I wouldnt know.
Polearms are strong as fuck, stabbing polearms already dominate the battlefield... would be stupid to buff them
Why should a 4 directional polearm be as good as a 2h when 2/1 directional polearms are already so damn strong? Polearms strength are their versatility, they can fight like a 2h (poleaxe, hafted blades, long axe etc) use a shield (hoplites) and have access to the strongest group fighting weapons in the game (pikes/2 directional lawlpikes) not to mention being able to stop cav... and now, with all the animation changes, 2 directional polearms are just as good at 1v1s as they are at supporting their teammates.
Polearms are strong enough. No buffs please
Spoken like a true 2hander...
Sure, 2 directionals are great for a support class. So are 1 directionals (hoplites or pikes/longspear). However, what you fail to realize is that anyone flailing around a 2handed sword can just as easily play a support role. Their stab is just as good as any polearms. You just dont see it because they can play any way they want. And who would RATHER play support when they can just as easily be a hero? I've done it plenty of times in siege... when its a moshpit instead of jumping into the fray and helicoptering everyone I would stand behind my allies and poke poke poke with a longsword or danish greatsword. Just as effective as a hoplite.
Also, your argument that they can fight like a 2hand is just bull... sure, they can swing in 4 directions... FIGHT LIKE A 2H? I think not. No polearmer will ever best a 2hander of equal skill in a duel. Therefore, they are in no way "like 2h."
