Adding crosspieces to spears

[Anaraxes]

More polearms for your consideration.

[davidtmoore]

This whole discussion was starting to sound like a page out of D&D 1st edition, yes.

I don't think the partisan is what the OP is after, since the partisan's "ears" do not allow the Hook technique. He wants a straight bar or a backward hook, where the partisan's ears point forward to the target.

The optional bar on the Yari provides exactly what you're after, at a slightly lower cost but a slight increase in weight. Otherwise, the passages you quote would allow the Hook technique (possibly not the Disarm technique) at $25 and no increase in weight. I suggest you choose one of those two.

[Landwalker]

Originally Posted by davidtmoore

He wants a straight bar or a backward hook, where the partisan's ears point forward to the target.

This is indeed what I'm after.

From a slightly munchkiny perspective, I'm also after it in a way that adds as little cost as possible and no weight at all, because my current character is right on the cusp of being able to wield his spear one-handed, and even a +1 ST requirement (which adding even a fraction of a pound causes) would take away his ability to do so. And since it's a fine, balanced, dwarven spear (+10 CF per DF1), adding $25 to the base cost would certainly put a damper on his wallet.

Still, if $25 and neg. weight is what it takes, $25 and neg. weight is what it takes.

Going back to humabout's post, the left-most ranseur illustration looks closest to what I'm after.

[Verjigorm]

What about this?

[vsh]

Normally spear with a hook is a polearm. You should use either Skill Adaptaion (hook technique default to Spear) or Weapon Adaptation (Dueling polearm to Spear).

[Verjigorm]

I think that's rather extreme. The Yari(for instance) is the same thing as a spear, used with the same skill. Boarspears and winged spears(covering a whole bevy of spear like pole-arms) don't use a major swing component, and are almost all about the thrust. I wouldn't consider the lugs and wings on most of these pole-arms to make the more similar to the axe like weapons that make up the majority of the Polearm skill, and which feature powerful swing attacks.

Instead, I'd treat most of them as Long or Heavy Spears, with hooks or lugs that prevent foes from running themselves through, allow the Hook technique and have different familiarity penalties.

You might actually have players running out of spears to be familiar with! Kontos, Spetum, Dory, Boar Spear, Ahlspiess, Ransuer, Pike, hunting spear, javelin, Pilum, and the Yari? That's alot of spears!

[Gudiomen]

A Tip-Slash is a swinging attack for all purposes, except damage which is calculated using thr damage. It says that somewhere in MA, DHMBWM right now...

Hooking with a spear would require the hooks face backwards, I would think, not forward. In doubt, have one side face backwards, and the other face forward... it's not that weird.
You can also add a single, big, curved barb on one side of the head, and it'll function as a hook too, but won't stop overpenetration.

In any case the balance is ruined for throwing.

PS.: what does a dwarven spear do? it's not an unbalanced weapon to begin with...

[davidtmoore]

Originally Posted by Landwalker

my current character is right on the cusp of being able to wield his spear one-handed, and even a +1 ST requirement (which adding even a fraction of a pound causes) would take away his ability to do so.

Can you afford Arm ST +1?

[Humabout]

Originally Posted by Landwalker

This is indeed what I'm after.
Going back to humabout's post, the left-most ranseur illustration looks closest to what I'm after.

I would use the partisan entry as a guide, in this entire instance, as a way to estimate the stats for your "hooked polearm". A partisan and the ranseur you mention have about the same amount of metal in the head, so I'd use the same stats, maybe up the price slightly for utility purposes, and call it a day. It'd be up to you if you'd want to allow it to enable the Disarm technique with any decrease in penalty or not; that'd depend on the exact design you settle on. Again, I'd say that's worth a little more in price, but in all cases, the weight remains the same.

Incidentally, I slap hooks on any weapon, regardless of whether they are normally swung or not. It seems to be more true to historical polearms. That's why you have Fauchard-Guisarmes, Billhooks, Voulge-Guisarmes, Glaive-Guisarmes, Guisarmes, etc. In fact, a straight up guisarme (hook on a stick) was found to be pretty useless in combat but extremely useful when stuck on other pole weapons; they let infantry turn cavalry into infantry with the same weapon that can then inflict stabbity death.

[Landwalker]

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

PS.: what does a dwarven spear do? it's not an unbalanced weapon to begin with...

A heavy spear is, indeed, unbalanced, and that happens to be the character's weapon of choice.

Alas, poor Lurrt cannot currently afford Arm ST +1—he is maxed out in CP and literally has nothing to spare.

If it were up to me, I would also use the partisan entry as the baseline, but alas, I am not the GM, and it is not my decision to make. I was just curious as to what the rules said (not much) and what the general consensus was.