Back when it had the large dash, its real niche was lying cold and heatless on the ground during every single group I ever saw one, as people vampired heat off the owner.

Now that it doesn't, its niche is being a neat looking 4* calibur with a really awful charge attack.

Gun-blade?

But it fills the best niche in the game.

The fun niche.

The Spur line is a superb skirmish blade. Its movement is its strength. I've used the Winmillion as a primary weapon for about a year now despite the shortcomings, because it is such a different and interesting blade. Striker is similar, but with more focus on damage it is somewhat halting and chaotic where Spur is more fluid and mobile. The whirlwind dervish attack style made it far different than any other weapon until the patch. It required a bit more planning, tactics, timing and patience than other blades, providing a fun and unique challenge.

It is not the highest damage sword, and that's OK. It is the most effective blade for separating a foe from the pack, particularly healers. Rush in with a wide initial strike, knocking the target out of a group and clearing room for further movement, while each successive attack provides more separation from the pack and the ability to corner. Standing toe to toe with an enemy or trying to deal with mobs en masse is typically a bad idea. Using the blade's movement and knockback, one can single out an enemy while darting around attacks or support the heavies in a group by keeping smaller mobs away. The initial lunge was also useful as a purely defensive maneuver as an extra dodge to get out of the range of gremlin bombs or construct projectiles. Even the projectile block/dodge could be a boon if used carefully, locking up knights to shake pursuit or setting them up for a full combo when they drop their shield. It is also good for drawing in T3 wolvers, reducing their attack frequency while they warp into a flurry of strikes.

I'd like to see the first lunge brought back and the arc widened to its old levels again. The charge attack is a good change from a usefulness standpoint, but not especially true to its use as a skirmish blade. Perhaps a lunge with fast 360 attack one can combo out of would be better suited. If it is going to remain without a 5* variant, changing the projectiles so that they do not cause block/dodge may be a good compromise, but would also remove some of the strategy. If we do finally see a 5*, I'd like a normal damage option to remain, but would welcome a shadow variant as well. The other damage types are well represented. Ultimately it needs to remain a fast mobile sword for hit and run attacks.

I agree with those saying that the first dash was a key part of the sword. I remember feeling that way back when I first tried the sword out (it's been a couple months, so I kind of forgot.) But, I know that the first dash was not always welcome. This is especially true against non-moving targets or in rooms that have a lot of floor traps in them. I would not advocate using the old spur line in Fire Storm Citadel, that's for sure. But, that's why you have two weapon slots, and that's why you have arsenal change stations in nearly every floor.

Further, I don't think the spur is going to win much more adoption in it's current form, since now it's 4* form is another cutter that has more range and has no 5* version. (Although I think that removing the backstep from the charge attack was a good idea.) Perhaps they should bring the first dash back, and maybe remove the projectile from the 4* version.

@Novemberalpha

If you are looking for a charge attack for the old spur line, I'd change it into a dash attack that ignores unit collision and hits all opponents along the line. But, the player will still get hit by any projectiles, bombs, attacks arcs, and floor traps they encounter along the way.

I don't think it's garbage now, but it is just like the cutter lines.

Spur looks cool therefore it is worth having its *2 form.

There was absolutely no point in removing the first dash. It's still bad, but at least it was more unique back then. If that was the buff, it was bad. The first step wasn't it's weakness. Sorry for necroing btw. I just wanted to speak out without creating another thread.