Polearm vs. Axe/Mace AND Spear?

[Flyndaran]

When you're strong enough to wield a two handed polearm with multiple types of damage one handed you suddenly need two skills when one sufficed before.
Any ideas on why that is?

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

When you're strong enough to wield a two handed polearm with multiple types of damage one handed you suddenly need two skills when one sufficed before.
Any ideas on why that is?

Because it seemed fair to treat a spear-like weapon used one-handed as a Spear if you stab with it, Axe/Mace if you cut with it, as those are the skills that cover weapons that do that one-handed.

If you disagree, just make a One-Handed Polearm skill or something or just said Axe/Mace covers it and you're fine. It's a judgement call based on something you don't exactly see everyday - people big and strong enough to use 7'+ polearms one-handed - so we went with a best guess of fairness.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

When you're strong enough to wield a two handed polearm with multiple types of damage one handed you suddenly need two skills when one sufficed before.
Any ideas on why that is?

For the same reason you need a different skill to use a bastard sword two handed vs using it one handed: because the skill of using a two handed weapon isn't the same as the skill of using a one handed weapon. You use different grips, move the weapon differently, etc.
EDIT: I may have missed the point of the question, so what Toadkiler_Dog said. one handed spear techniques don't often involve swinging, and axes/maces aren't usually used for stabbing.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by DAlillama

For the same reason you need a different skill to use a bastard sword two handed vs using it one handed: because the skill of using a two handed weapon isn't the same as the skill of using a one handed weapon. You use different grips, move the weapon differently, etc.

But that would also apply to making polearm multiple skills; two handed axe/mace and two handed spear.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Toadkiller_Dog

...

If you disagree, just make a One-Handed Polearm skill or something or just said Axe/Mace covers it and you're fine. It's a judgement call based on something you don't exactly see everyday - people big and strong enough to use 7'+ polearms one-handed - so we went with a best guess of fairness.

I wasn't agreeing or disagreeing. I just thought it odd and wondered if there was some reason I couldn't see.

I might see it going the other way oddly enough. Make polearm skill two handed axe/mace, and spear instead of one skill.

[Gigermann]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

When you're strong enough to wield a two handed polearm with multiple types of damage one handed you suddenly need two skills when one sufficed before.
Any ideas on why that is?

One didn't suffice before—or have you seen it say otherwise?

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Gigermann

One didn't suffice before—or have you seen it say otherwise?

Where does it say that you need two skills to use a polearm? If there is one it is not obvious by a long shot.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Where does it say that you need two skills to use a polearm? If there is one it is not obvious by a long shot.

Where does it say you need one skill to use all one-handed spears and one handed axes?

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Where does it say you need one skill to use all one-handed spears and one handed axes?

All one handed axes is one skill, and all one handed spears is one skill. All polearms is one skill for swinging and poking.
That is my point, unless I am missing something.

[Kromm]

You need two skills to wield a long, two-handed pole in two hands: Staff to swing it and Spear to stab with it. If you wish to use just one skill, get Polearm and deal with the fact that it only works with tip-heavy weapons. Similarly, you need two skills to wield a long, tip-heavy weapon in one hand: Axe/Mace to swing it and Spear to poke with it. If you wish to use just one skill, get Broadsword and deal with the fact that it only works with more-or-less balanced swords. As has been stated, you could always posit some sort of One-Handed Polearm or Stabby Axe skill to cover what you want to cover, but it's such an edge case that mostly there isn't such a thing. The fighter probably would have to learn the two modes of use separately, unless his world is rife with super-strong instructors who use spindly, under-strength weapons.