well i'm a pike using bard, I enjoy the weapon but I'm having two major issues. My first is that with 50 Pikes / 56 Parry / 51 Evasion / 51 MO I have been seeing my short hunting spears breaking over and over hunting Wind Hounds. The next lowest critter, wood trolls, don't get my pike skill over pondering.
I figure this is a product of the weapon's low durability. It seems one of the more durable spears (the only one I've seen) I can get in a shop is the silver-tipped spear from Steelclaw Clan. Do forged spears have a better than average durability?
My next is I up until recently I've not used shield. I'm switching to having a shield on my arm and lowering my parry stance in favor of shield. Will i see any notable defense increase in doing this while wielding my pike?
-=- I like cheese -=-
FROSTR3
DIMINISHEDANGEL
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/10/2008 10:07 PM CST
>>My next is I up until recently I've not used shield. I'm switching to having a shield on my arm and lowering my parry stance in favor of shield. Will i see any notable defense increase in doing this while wielding my pike?
Defense increase? Not really, at least not at melee.
I wouldn't recommend parrying with spears. They're fragile, and that is somewhat realistic.
Keep on trucking. Eventually you will be able to graduate to much sturdier pike weapons that are safely usable for parrying. Using shield sometimes instead of parry will also help that problem a lot.
Unfortunately, at the moment forged pikes are far far too heavy to be used realistically, so they are barely ever forged. Hopefully that will change sometime this year.
Defense increase? Not really, at least not at melee.
I wouldn't recommend parrying with spears. They're fragile, and that is somewhat realistic.
Keep on trucking. Eventually you will be able to graduate to much sturdier pike weapons that are safely usable for parrying. Using shield sometimes instead of parry will also help that problem a lot.
Unfortunately, at the moment forged pikes are far far too heavy to be used realistically, so they are barely ever forged. Hopefully that will change sometime this year.
GABRIELBLACK
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 06:53 AM CST
Picking up the shield was probably your smartest move. Although parry does teach a small amount of weapon skill, it does not balance the need for replacing spears every day. I would suggest you train up your shiled to match and pick up a heavy edge for your parry, or even a QS or SS (being that there are those wonderful swaping pikes).
Alexii points at the Velakan Slaver and shouts, "Another one! Don't let him get away!"
~
Walk with the Wayward Rakash: http://www.geocities.com/alexii_dr
Alexii points at the Velakan Slaver and shouts, "Another one! Don't let him get away!"
~
Walk with the Wayward Rakash: http://www.geocities.com/alexii_dr
BRATONA
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 10:42 AM CST
I also use pikes as my secondary weapon and have been training in that wind hound/reaver area recently as well, though since it doesn't do as much damage as my HE it takes a while to train up to reqs for me. Forged spears are still somewhat flimsy, as far as my limited app skill can tell; I used to parry with it till I learned not to from the boards here, heh. Now I use a parry stick or the sword instead.
I would definitely suggest training shield as well. I took the time to do it (it's actually my "primary armor" now) and it's very much worth it, especially as you can arm-wear at least a small one and still use any of the two-handed pikes.
player of Kyriaca
Third time's the charm!
I would definitely suggest training shield as well. I took the time to do it (it's actually my "primary armor" now) and it's very much worth it, especially as you can arm-wear at least a small one and still use any of the two-handed pikes.
player of Kyriaca
Third time's the charm!
FROSTR3
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 11:50 AM CST
Thank you for the input, my shiel skill is chugging along and hopefully will be on par with my other defensive skills inside a week (I'm not that high circle so backtraining is easier).
Is the best way to set my defense while using a pike to have a higher shield stance than parry and wear my shield on my arm while attacking? Or should I just invest in some javelins to use a shield and pike in hand?
-=- I like cheese -=-
Is the best way to set my defense while using a pike to have a higher shield stance than parry and wear my shield on my arm while attacking? Or should I just invest in some javelins to use a shield and pike in hand?
-=- I like cheese -=-
SAUVA
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 12:38 PM CST
>Is the best way to set my defense while using a pike to have a higher shield stance than parry and wear my shield on my arm while attacking? Or should I just invest in some javelins to use a shield and pike in hand?
Depends on your guild (and therefore what size shield you can wear), but under most cases the arm-worn shield is the best option. If you're looking for a small shield, croc bucklers rock. Medium shields, try the ironwood shield from the crossing trader shop.
I'll second the other poster that suggested training shield while in pike mode and using another weapon (my suggestion is a bastie in 2he mode) to train parry. You're going to need plenty of str/agil eventually to get access to some of the heavier and more damaging pikes so 2he is a good choice because the forged versions can be well constructed and reasonable balanced, both great stats for parry as a defense.
~Hanryu Ves'Shomis
Sword of House Calibanor, Ambassador of the Ilithi Court, Emerald Knight, Keeper of the CEC, ... still a Ranger
http://www.kynevon.info/CombatEquipmentCompendium.xls
Depends on your guild (and therefore what size shield you can wear), but under most cases the arm-worn shield is the best option. If you're looking for a small shield, croc bucklers rock. Medium shields, try the ironwood shield from the crossing trader shop.
I'll second the other poster that suggested training shield while in pike mode and using another weapon (my suggestion is a bastie in 2he mode) to train parry. You're going to need plenty of str/agil eventually to get access to some of the heavier and more damaging pikes so 2he is a good choice because the forged versions can be well constructed and reasonable balanced, both great stats for parry as a defense.
~Hanryu Ves'Shomis
Sword of House Calibanor, Ambassador of the Ilithi Court, Emerald Knight, Keeper of the CEC, ... still a Ranger
http://www.kynevon.info/CombatEquipmentCompendium.xls
GABRIELBLACK
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 01:42 PM CST
Exactly as Hanryu said really.
Adjust the shield so it can be worn on the arm, and have at it. Ive found its best to really go all into shield and the rest into evasion. When you switch to parrying, just pull the points out of sheild and slip it into parry. That way evasion stays static, in order to train both defenses well (shieldxevasion or parryxevasion) its always suggested to get multiple opponants.
Alexii points at the Velakan Slaver and shouts, "Another one! Don't let him get away!"
~
Walk with the Wayward Rakash: http://www.geocities.com/alexii_dr
Adjust the shield so it can be worn on the arm, and have at it. Ive found its best to really go all into shield and the rest into evasion. When you switch to parrying, just pull the points out of sheild and slip it into parry. That way evasion stays static, in order to train both defenses well (shieldxevasion or parryxevasion) its always suggested to get multiple opponants.
Alexii points at the Velakan Slaver and shouts, "Another one! Don't let him get away!"
~
Walk with the Wayward Rakash: http://www.geocities.com/alexii_dr
FROSTR3
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 02:28 PM CST
I appreciate the help, I was ready to give up on my pikes (I use the weapon mainly to be different) due to the frequent breaking, but I think I'll stick with it now and get my shields up. I'll buy myself some sort of bastie for parry and will keep an eye out for a crocskin buckler since as a bard I can only wear small shields on my arm.
Again, thanks everyone for the input.
-=- I like cheese -=-
Again, thanks everyone for the input.
-=- I like cheese -=-
DIMINISHEDANGEL
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/11/2008 08:33 PM CST
No parrying with flimsy weapons of any kind.
Avoiding that should solve your problems.
Avoiding that should solve your problems.
KINGC20
Re: Small issues with pikes
01/13/2008 11:51 AM CST
Another option is to carry spares and appraise your spears regularly while in combat. I'd also suggest highlighting damage messageing so that you know when your weapon or shield gets damaged.
