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I was just wondering if anyone knew of a feat that would allow you to wield a two-handed weapon, effectively, in one hand. I'm thinking about a spear or longspear, for instance, a la the Spartans in 300. If one does not currently exist might I suggest one be created. I would envision it being fairly similar to that of "Monkey Grip", but with a slight twist of course.
Well, what about Shortspears. Shortspears are onehanded, and can be thrown (20' increment).
Seems like the Spartans were using shortpears, not longspears. A longspear is actually very, very long... like 10-12ft or something ridiculously large. It's meant more for receiving a charge, and in formation, so you create a wall of spikes that doesn't let anyone get close. You want to stop that charging horse before it crashes into the line, not just as it hits the line.
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"Shorspears" are in fact taller than a person normally (over 6' long). They are thinner, lighter and balanced for one-handed use, but still very long compared to a javelin or something similar.
The spartans working in formation would basically be shields up in front, and then "allow passage" for the ones behind to step up and strike and then step back. Maybe best represented with the Spring Attack feat.
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Regarding "martial" versions of the spear...
Martial weapons are basically "one step" better in the balance between damage, crit range, and/or crit multiplier.
So while a standard "blade on the end of a 6' pole" is 1d6 20/x2, with a 20' range increment... a martial version would likely have some kind of better bladed end, giving better damage (1d8). See the Trident for a "martial weapon" version of a spear.
Other martial evolutions of the spear would be the Halberd, Lance, Guisarme and Ranseur. Some of those are based more on the Longspear (reach), while the Halberd seems to be more shortspear-like, except that it's still twohanded.
Honestly, I wouldn't have a problem with a shortened ranseur or something to that effect, being used as a one-handed martial version of a shortspear, and using the Trident damage stats (basically changing the flavour of the Trident, but keeping the in-game stats).
If you were willing to give up the range increment, I'd even go so far as to allow the x3 crit (1d8 20/x3, no range increment), however that is outside of normal rules completely.
If you don't like the "allow passage, spring attack" version of the Spartan spear fighting in formation, you could also just pick up the new Lunge feat.
Lunge (Combat)
You can strike foes that would normally be out of reach.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: You can increase the reach of your melee attacks by 5 feet by taking a –4 penalty to your AC until your next turn. You must decide to use this ability before any attacks are made.
This would let you get the reach with a onehanded shortspear, which is more in flavour of the spartans.
Then go down the Shield master line for better defenses, and maybe even TWF so you can go to town with sheild + spear lashing out with both while you wade through the oncoming mooks.
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I always felt having spears as simple weapons was a bit unfair to the weapon. The spear is probably the most common and arguably the most effective real world melee weapon throughout history. Spears have been in use since the dawn of human tool production, and were used extensively up until the 1700s. D&D does not accurately represent their capabilities, but I suppose it's a small gripe in the big picture.
If a person wants to play a character like a historical hoplite/spartan (think of the movie 300) who used the equivalent of tower shields and longspears the ability to wield a long spear one handed is necessary. This would be a good opportunity for a prestige class. Between the reach, incorporating bonuses to trip, tweaking how attacks of opportunity would work (like being able to make an attack of opportunity when an enemy only takes a 5 ft. step exclusive to the prestige class) kinds of things would make a good addition to the game.
The term "longspear" is tossed around by everyone (on the internet, not here) because it sounds "cooler" than saying "shortspear". The "spartan longspear" blahblah..
The fact is that the D&D longspear rules are meant for the actual historical longspear that was 12-15 feet in length. Hence the reach... you can reach out of your 5' box, through another 5' box, and still hit a person who is anywhere inside his 5' box. That takes more than a 6' spear, even if you hold it right at the tip.
The Spartans used what is effectively a D&D shortspear: 6'-8' in length, balanced for onehanded and can be thrown. How this is anything other than a shortspear is beyond me.
Spartans were awesome with them because they were all 12th level Fighters with Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Spec and +2 Weapon Training, etc, with the spear.
And they didn't use tower shields. A Tower shield was literally a tower, it was taller than a person. The Spartan shields were Heavy Shields at best, considering they could run with them.
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Honestly, going by the way they used tactics in the movie, they would have hated to use a Longspear and Tower Shield combo. It'd be way too heavy and "big".. in the way too much.
They just had superior training, tactics and morale. And used some very basic weapons to their fullest potential.
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Some imagery:
Spartan "Longspear"
Historical picture of a Macedonian holding a longspear.
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First off, thanks for all the replies/comments everyone.
Thanks Xuttah for the reference.
Kaisoku. Thanks for the info. One question though. Where does the "spear" fit into the hierarchy of short spear, spear, long spear? Is it merely a game mechanic blend of the other two? Or does it have a historical basis? Obviously, using the length of the long spear you provided, my example Spartan would not be using the long spear. Besides, the long spear is not able to be thrown, and the movie spears were definitely being thrown. However, the short spear does not scratch my itch, as it were, due to the fact that a short spear (at least in the weapons description in the PFRPG) does not allow the user to set it against a charge like the spear does. And that is my problem. It would seem that the Spartan warriors were using their spears against the charging Persians (quite effectively in the movie ;) one handed and with heavy steel shields. That is what I am trying to re-create in a sense and the only way I see that happening is with a feat.
Just for the record I am not trying to reconcile historical weapons/tactics with movie and fantasy RPG versions. I also have some comments/questions regarding reach weapons, but will post in the proper forum later.
Again, thanks for the input.
PS Have you ever seen a spear thrown two handed? :)
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Here’s an idea. Would a large version of a short spear, taken from an Ogre for instance, give a medium sized creature reach? Would it then be large enough to allow it to be set against a charge? I haven’t found anything to support or contradict this in the rules so far, but it would seem to make sense. This would of course require the medium sized wielder to use the spear two handed as per the rules. However, one could then use the “Monkey Grip” feat to reduce the effort back down to one handed. Does that make sense? The result being a “large” short spear usable one handed, with 10’reach doing 1d8 dmg., x2 crit., able to be thrown with 20’ range increments and also usable versus a charging opponent. Too much? Probably. If you take out the reach and the charge portions, the spear now adheres to the rules completely. So the end result is the equivalent of the “regular” medium spear with one handed use and a lesser crit. multiplier. Or I could just post a new feat suggestion.
“IRON GRIP” [General]
You are able to use two-handed weapons with one hand.
Prerequisite: BAB +6
Benefit: You can use two-handed melee weapons one-handed with a -2 to your attack roll. The weapon must be of your size category (ie. A medium creature could not use a Large Greataxe one-handed with this feat). You cannot use this feat in your off hand or use it with a double weapon.
Normal: You cannot wield two-handed weapons one-handed.
I think I shall re-post this feat in a new thread.