I love spears, the best and most versatile weapon ever created. I would love to have many spear carrying NPCs in my next campaign, but I'm not overly familiar with all the many Feats in Pathfinder.
Are there some classes, feats, and other things, that would be obvious good choices for characters using spears? Shortspear and shield, spear, or longspear are all fair game (as ar glaives).
I'd like to limit it to CRB and APG, but if there are other really good abilities in other books, I'd still love to hear them. It will also be mostly in the level range from 4th to 12th. Everything above that won't be of much use to me.
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I love spears, the best and most versatile weapon ever created. I would love to have many spear carrying NPCs in my next campaign, but I'm not overly familiar with all the many Feats in Pathfinder.
Are there some classes, feats, and other things, that would be obvious good choices for characters using spears? Shortspear and shield, spear, or longspear are all fair game (as ar glaives).
I'd like to limit it to CRB and APG, but if there are other really good abilities in other books, I'd still love to hear them. It will also be mostly in the level range from 4th to 12th. Everything above that won't be of much use to me.
I am on my phone but off the top of my head... 2 fighter archetypes - phalanx soldier and polearm master specialize in using spears w/ shields and many more options, from the APG.
Feats -
Lunge - extend reach 5ft. For a.-2 on hit.
Combat patrol - increase threatened area by 5ft for every 5 base attack, for AO's. APG
Repositioning strike - on a crit, move your foe with a combat manv check. APG.
The new UC has some impaling feats for piercing weapons. Can't name them off top of my head.
Longspears and aid other for mooks. You can have a big block of troops with reach weapons aiding each other so one of them actually has a chance to hit the PCs AC.
Power Attack with a longspear or polearm is pretty good, and if you are a full BAB class, I would not go without it. A cavalier or paladin of any size also can use this to charge without getting right up on the enemy. (unless they are large or bigger)
One combo that works pretty good, at least in theory, is Pushing Assault and a reach weapon like a spear or glaive. If someone comes right up next to you, you can hit them with armor spikes or a spiked gauntlet, knock them back 5 feet, hit them with the reach weapon, knock them back again, and lunge for a third hit if you have it, and knock them back a third time. You then get an attack of opportunity as they rush you when their turn comes. I was thinking of doing this with a Fauchard, which is like a reverse bladed glaive with the trip feature for added mayhem.
Getting a friend to cast enlarge person on you is fun, because it increases your range even farther. Watch out for soft cover though, people getting between you and your target can make them harder to hit.
The greater cleave feats from UC would be fun because you have so much area that you cover, killing mooks left and right.
The spear and shield combo is probably best made a fighter who have the extra feats. The shield bonus to AC as well as being able to be used as a secondary weapon for Two Weapon Fighting is still a pretty popular option, although people go with swords instead of spears usually. In order to do the spear and shield, you will have to go with the Phalanx Fighter Archetype, who can use a two handed weapon in conjunction with a shield.
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Quick Draw is a valuable feat if you ever plan to be a spear-thrower as well. Being able to throw a spear and pull out another one immediately afterward is valuable, and you can't beat the damage among thrown weapons.
A phalanx soldier with Combat Reflexes is strong. The big bonus to the phalanx soldier is the ability to brace as a free action--it makes brace a useful property. No more will you see the, "I brace!" "Okay, I won't charge!" problem. The second big bonus is being able to wield bracing polearms in one hand--longspear and shield becomes possible.
The punishing assualt idea is awesome, but it doesn't work with the armor spikes.
Punishing Strike has to be done with a Two-handed weapon using powerattack.
Although it is still pretty awesome. I would think you could do it as part of your attack of opportunity. Or just 5ft step away, then push them back.
While it might not be exactly what you have in mind, if you want to go the two handed spear plus shield route, you might find something useful in a certain other thread... This is a shamelessly posted link to my own thread. ;)
If defense, playing babysitter for allies and stuff like that are not your main priority, I think you'll be far better off with either the polearm master or the mobile fighter archetypes...
Mobile fighter has the benefit of being able to move normally in medium and heavy armor while the polearm master will probably do a bit more damage. And of course, the PM could throw in 1 level of cavalier, emissary archetype to be able to move normally in medium armor.
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The punishing assualt idea is awesome, but it doesn't work with the armor spikes.
Punishing Strike has to be done with a Two-handed weapon using powerattack.
Although it is still pretty awesome. I would think you could do it as part of your attack of opportunity. Or just 5ft step away, then push them back.
Dragoon, Smack fools that are next to you...
Oh ya, wasn't even thinking Dragoon. Really like that archtype, even if you never get on a mount.