I say yes for spears and polearms. We don't need hammers or maces do we? Those are catagorized with heavy weapons, (the fantasy looking axe-like sword icon), right?

Those of us who... have no lives, like myself, know that there where once spear icons in the files of the previous preview events.

"I think so too, if only because just about everything does Normal damage and it'd be nice to have more stuff that does Piercing.

Although I just got a magnus solely to see what the piercing does, and the only thing I noticed is that killing jellies with it is hard. Nothing seems to actually be weak against piercing. I think that's probably a balance issue that needs addressing - why would i pick a piercing weapon over a normal weapon if there's no upside?

Umm, Gremlins and Beasts?

I like the Spear idea, Juances! xD Recently, as I showed the game to a friend (who won't play because of his internet connection D: ) I told him: "This game at highest difficulty sort of feels like Demon's Souls - You get hit a bit and get a lot of damage, and best tactic to fight is shield > attack > shield > attack..." I also like that game, and having a Spear weapon would be what I would need to feel like at that game! xD

And of course, one of the 5* Spears must be called Spartan.

Grab a flourish and remove the handle

This suggestion came even before the BTB- so I suppose that sword was the developers answer to a "piercing spear" idea.

You're kidding? The flourish isn't enough. It's pure peircing, jesus. I don't really care for a spear unless it's got some cool new game mechanic.

"The flourish isn't enough."

I agree.

When I think of a Spear, I think of a weapon that's designed for medium-range combat -- not quite up-close-and-personal sword melee, but not quite ranged bow/gun combat -- and if Spears were to be implemented in Spiral Knights, I'd say have either A) a line of them that splits into three in the style of the Brandish so that each one has a different damage it deals (yes, not all Piercing on these bad boys -- I certainly wouldn't mind a Shadow damage Gae Bulg or Gae Dearg, or an elemental Trident, in the family) . . . or B) a few such lines available in their own dedicated fashions.

And as for how to make it slightly different than the average sword, going back to my 'medium range combat' bit -- a Spear could perhaps have either A) a slightly finicky damage range (it can hit a little ahead of the player, but it won't hit directly in front of them), or B) a short-range knock-back with a thrusting strike as part of their combo (because one of the main things a spearman will do is thrust forward to push their opponent back, though normally it is the opponent who is doing the going-back part) . . . and for a charged shot: either A) have it a considerably long-range stab, like longer than normal, without the knight advancing much, B) have it be thrown forward like a projectile, in the style of the Devilite's attack, or C) have it be thrown in an arc to impact the ground as an AoE hit (if this is implemented, have a little targeting thing at the landing site to show a would-be Spear-thrower where their bad boy is going to land).

Those are just some ideas of mine I'm tossing in to this little endeavor, hope it's a help.

As I think of spears in the mindset of "shield + spear" I think it would make for a good turtle weapon, in fact it could maybe have its own mechanics: countering!

> Spear normal attack would be plunging it forward, one fast hit and one powerfult thrust which would move a lil bit forward (not much) and knockback enemies mid distance away.
> Charging up the spear would give you a similar thrust to the first hit but wider with maybe a big spear hologram, highly damaging attack with knockback but not moving enemies away. No afterlag after this attack so you can follow up with shield/standard attack.
> Countering: If an enemy hit your shield, you could in that frame perform a fast autocharge attack which would have the same effect as the normal charge. Overpower isn't possible as it actually requires your shield to be hit, and shields at tier 3 don't resist that much. You wouldn't also be able to make the counter if that attack broke your shield, as it needs the frame of "shielding" to execute.