Polearms

Polearms generally have a longer reach than other melee weapons, and are highly effective both on a horse and against horses. Once an enemy closes distance, polearms lose their effectiveness, so high athletics or fighting on horseback is essential for maintaining distance.

Some polearms can't be used with a shield due to their large size or because the weapon is unbalanced. Lances can be used to strike the enemy using a 'couched' technique, which can be done when on a horse and moving at a high speed.

Unless specifically noted below, most polearms can be used with a shield but are then limited to thrusting attacks. Most polearms are limited to thrusting attacks while on horseback, with the exception of Hafted Blades.

All polearms receive a 35% penalty to speed and damage when used on a horse. Polearms with a reach greater than or equal to 150 receive a 35% penalty to speed and damage when used with a shield. The penalties do not stack:

• Spear on horse without shield: 35% penalty
• Awlpike on foot with shield: 35% penalty
• Awlpike on horse with shield: 35% penalty
• Awlpike on foot without shield: no penalty
• Spear on foot with shield: no penalty

While on foot, polearm attacks can stop horses and cause them to rear, regardless of damage dealt, target speed, or the horse's Charge attribute. This unique feature makes polearms an effective anti-cavalry weapon, but the effect only applies to polearms with a reach greater than 140. While this effect remains present in Warband, it was removed in version 1.006 of the Napoleonic Wars DLC, with horses never rearing as a result of being attacked. In the Napoleonic Wars DLC, polearms will instead instantly kill horses when the bearer is kneeling or crouching, in a similar way to couched lance damage.

Some polearms, when drawn, initially take up a stance like two-handed weapons before dropping into the polearm stance. This can increase the ready time of the weapon when the user needs to switch from a ranged weapon to engage in melee.

List of Polearms

▼ Show/Hide Polearms ▼

Weapon	Str	Speed	Reach	Swing	Thrust	Weight	Base Value	Trait	Modifiers
Ashwood Pike	9	90	170	19b	29p	3.5	205	No shield	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Awlpike	-	92	165	20b	33p	2.3	345	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Bamboo Spear	-	88	200	15b	20p	2.0	80	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Battle Fork	-	90	144	15b	35p	2.0	282	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Boar Spear	-	90	157	26c	23p	1.5	76	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Double Sided Lance	-	95	128	25c	27p	4.0	261	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Glaive	-	90	157	39c	21p	4.5	352	No shield	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Great Lance	11	55	240	-	21p	5.0	410	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Great Long Bardiche	12	88	155	50c	17p	5.0	660	No shield / Unbalanced / Bonus against shields	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
Hafted Blade	-	95	135	37c	20p	2.8	185	No shield	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Hafted Blade	-	93	153	39c	19p	3.3	350	No shield	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Heavy Lance	10	75	190	16b	26p	2.8	360	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Iron Staff	-	97	140	25b	26b	2.0	202	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Jousting Lance	-	61	240	-	17b	5.0	158	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Lance	-	80	180	16b	26p	2.5	270	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Light Lance	-	85	175	16b	27p	2.5	180	Couched lance damage	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Long Awlpike	-	89	185	20b	32p	2.3	385	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Long Bardiche	11	89	140	48c	17p	4.5	390	No shield / Unbalanced / Bonus against shields	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
Long Hafted Knobbed Mace	-	95	133	26b	23b	3.0	324	-	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
Long Hafted Spiked Mace	-	94	140	28b	26b	2.5	310	-	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
Long Spiked Club	-	96	126	23p	20b	2.5	264	-	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
Military Fork	-	95	135	15b	30p	2.0	153	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Military Scythe	-	87	155	36c	25p	2.5	155	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Pike	-	81	245	16b	26p	3.0	125	No shield / Cannot be used on horseback	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Pitch Fork	-	87	154	16b	22p	1.5	19	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Poleaxe	13	77	180	50c	15b	4.5	384	No shield	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Polehammer	18	50	126	50b	35b	7.0	169	No shield	None (Cheats only)
Quarter Staff	-	104	140	20b	20b	2.0	60	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Scythe	-	97	182	30c	14p	2.0	43	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Shortened Spear	-	102	120	19b	25p	2.0	53	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Spear	-	98	135	20b	26p	2.3	85	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Staff	-	100	130	18b	19b	1.5	36	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
Voulge	10	88	175	40c	18p	3.0	129	No shield / Bonus against shields	Rusty, Chipped, Heavy
War Hammer	-	81	120	38b	38p	3.0	125	No shield / Cannot be used on horseback	Cracked, Bent, Balanced
War Spear	-	95	150	20b	27p	2.5	140	-	Cracked, Bent, Balanced

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