Is there a particular reason that Spears are not playable?

TheShadowScout · June 2019

ghastley wrote: »

Historically, spears have excelled as a phalanx, rather than as an individual combat weapon. Putting them in the game would demand doing multi-player animations that would take the game-play into a completely different direction...

I call bullsh... uhm... manure.

Yes, spears were the weapon of choice for greek hoplites who fought to great effect in a phalanx.

But they were ALSO the weapon of choice for a great many others, including many of the medieval "rank and file" fighters, be it viking raiders or peasant levy, saxon armsmen or town guards. Why? Because they were -cheap- and easy to make!
So... do you -really- think they all fought in a phalanx???

And even more, if we get to talking about hero-level -skilled- spearmen, from Sétanta to Oberyn Martell... I reckon most of us will have seen the "Red Viper vs. The Mountain" fight scene, and those who don't can find it easily enough on the internet... watch that and tell us again how spear is not an "individual combat weapon", willya?

As for animations... well... played a templar, have you? There is at least three animations that could be repusposed there (the charge, the "quick jabs" and the "radial sweep"). The ones from Skywatch/Dead-Water would make for decent light and heavy attacks... that's half the skillline there already! As I keep daydreaming about:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/371862/additional-weapon-skill-ideas-mk-ii/p1

Jeremy · June 2019

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

There are spears in-game as cosmetic items / non-interactable furniture objects, but spears haven't been playable since Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. What happened?

A lot of the staffs look like spears on this game. Plus: many of the Templar abilities look like spear attacks.

So if you want play as a spear-wielding class - I would recommend you try out the Templar.

Tommy_The_Gun · June 2019

Tbh. I have no idea why spears are not in this game. It is the most basic and effective weapon. It was used by all different cultures who "invented" them independently. Here is a good video on this subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o71X08qQppI

LennoxPoodle · June 2019

AhPook_Is_Here wrote: »

It could easily justify 2 weapon skill, a 2h long spear line and a 1h+s short spear line.

ghastley wrote: »

Historically, spears have excelled as a phalanx, rather than as an individual combat weapon. Putting them in the game would demand doing multi-player animations that would take the game-play into a completely different direction. Not directly, maybe, but it's the thin end of a wedge that is better avoided.

I disagree with both, butt when we combine them we get somewhere. A spear used with 2 hands is very strong in open combat (skirmishes, duells and such) as far as I am aware. This is because the ability to quickly change the weapons range/effective length by altering the grip on it and the points high speed because of the lever effects the 2 hands offer. You can basically attack your enemies toe and forehead in unmatched quick succession with little telegraphing, always making the whole body enemy a threatened area. Together with a shield you loose these advantages. It's extremely powerful in a proper formation but disadvantageous in individual combat. The Info's I've come across show that at least the people simulating battles nowadays tend to drop the spear to draw their sidearm in such a situation. Please note that I only posses some second hand knowledge on the matter. So take it with a grain of salt.
The point (

) is that 2 handed spears seem appropriate for ESOs combat situations, 1H + shield ones not.

ghastley wrote: »

And spear in the TES games has often mixed in generic pole-arms that should have very different animations from spears, such as halberds and long-hammers. Again, adding spear alone would just cause demand for the other pole-arms.

I'd make them subtypes anyway. Spears can slash and pretty much all other polearms can poke, so no problem here. Besides, one active changing in animation and effect depending on subtype would be pretty dope. The whole skill line/weapon type could be called polearm with the subtypes being spear, glaive, halberd and poleaxe or something similar.