The Poleswords Correction Suggestion Post

[Glitch]

This is something I recommended a few times in the MO2 Discord and it concerns poleswords and whenever I bring it up I have people 100% of the time agree with me. The first suggestion is... PoleSwords should be a secondary skill for using Swords and Spears. Unlike right now where using primary skills of Spears and Axes gives the secondary of Poleaxes/ Poleswords.

While it's really good that you can use 4 weapons like spears, axes, poleswords and poleaxes it really just doesn't make sense. I speak from the perspective that there is no coalition between axes and spears when you use a polesword. This also allows players that prefer lower stam weapons like spears and swords to use poleswords as a secondary. This also brings me to the next point....

Poleswords should use A LITTLE BIT less stamina than what it does now. It should also do a little bit more damage as well. We can file this one under the "Well it's a point investment" argument for foot fighters. Let's face it for the most part poleswords do kind of suck. I'm not recommending to make them super op or anything like that but it would be good idea to make them worth using.

 

[Tzone]

yes this

 

[Banespike]

When I was new I was thinking poleswords = spear + sword makes much more sense.

 

[Backyard Employee]

Agreed.

Henrik hates poleswords because he doesn't understand PvP.

 

[ElPerro]

Agreed.

Henrik hates poleswords because he doesn't understand PvP.

This

Henrik is forever traumatized with poleswords being the meta in MO1 and RP kids crying iTs NoT a rEaL mEdIeVaL wApOn.

They will probably remain just a meme weapon for naked duels and only viable with emalj/flake

 

[Tzone]

This

Henrik is forever traumatized with poleswords being the meta in MO1 and RP kids crying iTs NoT a rEaL mEdIeVaL wApOn.

They will probably remain just a meme weapon for naked duels and only viable with emalj/flake

The RPers usually know the least about history. Pole swords existed but limited in europe but we have katanas and some other cental asians stuff in game and the chinese/japabes were huge into poleswords

 

[WolfAchilles]

I love poleswords from a gameplay perspective. I should also admit that conceptually, poleswords are my favorite weapon. The polesword meta of MO1 was the healthiest and most fun meta that could have shaped out. There was room on the battlefield for just about every kind of weapon. Daggers had a place and offered some really cool utility. Spears were probably in the most balanced state we could have gone for. Swords tended to be a hybrid's weapon, but fighters that weren't the 238 runspeed (93 dex in MO1) could pull it off. Hammers and axes had a real place in combat too. The weapon balance of MO1 was really an impressive thing to behold, granted there were some broken aspects: 1h shaft handle with a dagger for dual strike for example.
I think it's pretty clear that of the 2H weapons, poleswords are the weakest class in MO2. The only strength I can think of is the mix up of right swing and stab animations that spears have. Poleswords pierce damage is far lower than poleaxes, and they don't pack as much of a punch on swings either.
In that case, what advantage do they offer? The range is just about identical. The damage is simply worse. The stamina drain on poleswords is the worst in the game, especially when you adjust for weight of the weapon.
A polesword ought to be a more nimble weapon than a poleaxe, at the very least. I hardly think that is reflected in how the weapons play. I have played both, and poleswords did not feel much faster than poleaxes. Comparing weapons made of the same materials, there is a slight difference, but it is completely overshadowed by the damage difference. The delay after a missed swing also negates a large part of whatever speed advantage the polesword might offer.

 

[Glitch]

I love poleswords from a gameplay perspective. I should also admit that conceptually, poleswords are my favorite weapon. The polesword meta of MO1 was the healthiest and most fun meta that could have shaped out. There was room on the battlefield for just about every kind of weapon. Daggers had a place and offered some really cool utility. Spears were probably in the most balanced state we could have gone for. Swords tended to be a hybrid's weapon, but fighters that weren't the 238 runspeed (93 dex in MO1) could pull it off. Hammers and axes had a real place in combat too. The weapon balance of MO1 was really an impressive thing to behold, granted there were some broken aspects: 1h shaft handle with a dagger for dual strike for example.
I think it's pretty clear that of the 2H weapons, poleswords are the weakest class in MO2. The only strength I can think of is the mix up of right swing and stab animations that spears have. Poleswords pierce damage is far lower than poleaxes, and they don't pack as much of a punch on swings either.
In that case, what advantage do they offer? The range is just about identical. The damage is simply worse. The stamina drain on poleswords is the worst in the game, especially when you adjust for weight of the weapon.
A polesword ought to be a more nimble weapon than a poleaxe, at the very least. I hardly think that is reflected in how the weapons play. I have played both, and poleswords did not feel much faster than poleaxes. Comparing weapons made of the same materials, there is a slight difference, but it is completely overshadowed by the damage difference. The delay after a missed swing also negates a large part of whatever speed advantage the polesword might offer.

My point exactly. This would even help footfighters go up against mounted on foot too if you really think about it. As long as we equate the fact that double stack horse armors go away.

 

[WolfAchilles]

Henrik is forever traumatized with poleswords being the meta in MO1 and RP kids crying iTs NoT a rEaL mEdIeVaL wApOn.

Polearms were the meta in medieval warfare, and swordstaffs (poleswords) existed even in Europe, not to mention Chinese weapons like the Pudao and the Japanese Naginata. Glaives and voulges were mainstays of warfare too. Never understood why people want swords to be the primary weapon in real battle.
I wouldn't mind poleswords using sword skill instead of axes, as handling wise, they are both relatively nimble and agile weapons so I suppose it makes sense, although the utility of axes (blunt damage) can be pretty nice on a primarily polearm fighter and losing that has to be taken into consideration. If that was the change that would allow poleswords to be viable weapons, I'd take it, but I don't think that really solves any gameplay issues.
Axes are in a better spot than they were in MO1, having a wider range of useful configurations. Axes aren't limited to being super heavy and have a really strong weight to swing speed ratio.
Hammers are in a similar state, except that they are heavier and uglier than in MO1. I don't know whose idea it was to change the flanged mace, but the new one is awful in comparison to the MO1 flanged mace, both in terms of art style, realism, and gameplay. The warhammer is in a decent state, although it has low piercing for a weapon with a spike on the end. Sledges and mauls are in a fine state too.
Swords haven't really changed.
Spear + shield seems to be weaker, but 2h spear seems to be stronger. This might have to do with the shields that are currently in the game, but I'd guess it also has to do with the animation.
The only weapon that got screwed harder than poleswords from MO1->MO2 is daggers. They really need work in the animation and hitbox department. Weakspot daggers provided a really cool utility that I would love to see properly implemented in MO2, but to do that, the weakspot mechanic needs some work.
Poleswords are far weaker than they were in MO1 and I really can't see the reason for it. It's especially noticeable if you compare the polesword heads other than the risar glaive to the 2h swords other than the risar blade. Poleswords are dismally weak. The risar glaive is the only polesword head that feels even okay to use, and even that really does not offer advantage to speak of over the poleaxe options.
I think it's also worth noting that the fact that wood is now so awful for handles hits poleswords harder than any other weapon group. Poleswords, being primarily slashing weapons, don't benefit as much from the weight that the new de facto handle materials tack on. They are the most reliant on speed relative to their adjacent weapon types. Spears don't need speed as much, poleaxes benefit to a much greater degree from the extra blunt, and shorter pole weapons (axes and hammers) also don't lose nearly as much. Swords aren't even worth mentioning in this regard.
It really does seem like poleswords were nerfed just because they were the meta weapon for so much of MO1, not because their power level was actually bad for gameplay.

 

[Glitch]

bump because there's a related topic in this section

 

[[CTX] Contractor]

I think this would actually give builds better diversity. Seeing as Swords and axes are popular. So if I wanted to use poles I could also use Swords.

I like the idea. Glitch is also a good guy.

 

[2Op4Scrubs]

I dont think so, because you dont handle a pole sword like a sword, you handle it like an axe.