One point of correction: while the pike is not traditionally known for its use in duels, it does have a notable presence in certain schools of historical fencing. Joachim Meyer's "The Art of Fencing" includes a section on pike combat that demonstrates the use of the weapon in one hand and striking with the haft. In accordance with the latter point, and previous comments I've made about Tasha's damage feats as rules, I could see the Pike functioning as both a Piercing and Bludgeoning weapon, allowing Bludgeoning attacks to knock an enemy back while piercing attacks would generally be more effective against hardened enemies (basically enemies with heavy armor or hardened skin would be immune to slashing, resistant to bludgeoning, with piercing offering most consistent damage). Otherwise, pikes could be used to make bludgeoning attacks as improvised attacks inside of the weapons preferred reach. As a "Versatile" weapon, Pikes would be especially unusually, rolling as 1D4 in one hand but gaining an additional square of reach (20ft). This is probably my least serious suggestion, but could be an interesting consideration.
Good video, per usual. Pikes are definitely a challenging weapon to implement at the skirmish/ party scale, so good effort. Also, I was wondering when you'd finally snap on the "Makedonian" front. 😂 You're a good sport.
I am so glad you mentioned the mandarin duck formation (I love that thing. I have done a bunch of workshops on it too) and the wolf brush spear (really is more of a pike) is so good. I wish they had the weapon in DnD.
Personally, my take would be to establish "subweapons" or "secondary attack modes", where certain weapons would have different Weapon Mastery properties based on the part of the weapon you use. Like, your halberd main attack mode might have the Cleave property, but the shaft might use have Topple like a Quarterstaff, or depending on the Halberd's design, sap for a spear head.
I am including pikes in the game system I am developing and I would like to lend my suggestion to the Shove concept, in place of letting them shove- let them stop a foe's movement if they hit with an attack which uses their reaction (such as an attack of opportumity). This is more accurate to their use, unuque, and has built in power checking. Though I would also recommend allowing an AoO whenever a foe enters or exits range, but thats more of a recommendation for combat as a whole and not just the pike. This would favor polearms more, though, so it would be reasomable not to implement at many tables.
Pike hyyyyyype! Also I focus mainly on using kobolds so a pike would not work for my characters, but i still love the idea of a tribe of kobolds defending their tunnels with makeshift pikewalls
Pikes were historically defensive, and in fact countered charges. Their strongest property is to basically form a spike wall that impales infantry and cavalry who carelessly rush in to it, while being long enough that they are speared *long* before reaching your infantry line (horses could still be a threat due to sheer speed and mass, even if you kill it that’s still a 800kg mass moving at 18km/h barreling straight towards you). The Swiss mercenaries in particular were renowned for countering their era’s popular cavalry tactics with their pike formations. Honestly, Sentinel + Polearm Master is exactly how a pike is meant to work. I still believe that Polearm master should have been split into Pike Master and Polearm Master, with Pike Master working on pikes, lances, halberds, and spears with the special opportunity attack and perhaps being able to grapple an enemy by pinning them with your weapon, while Polearm Master works with halberds, glaives, and two handed spears and staves, getting the BA attack and some other feature to compensate. If there were weapons to have a charge attack, honestly I’d say the lance or spear which are more wieldy would be better. It was already hard to hold a pike straight forwards when merely standing, imagine trying to aim a 7m pole from the very back end while running.
@@birubu But this is exactly the tactic the Swiss used against enemy infantry. Of course they didn't run at full speed, but they used the pike in much the same way that mounted troops used the lance. That's why you couldn't just shoot the Swiss with long-range weapons
One point of correction: while the pike is not traditionally known for its use in duels, it does have a notable presence in certain schools of historical fencing. Joachim Meyer's "The Art of Fencing" includes a section on pike combat that demonstrates the use of the weapon in one hand and striking with the haft.
In accordance with the latter point, and previous comments I've made about Tasha's damage feats as rules, I could see the Pike functioning as both a Piercing and Bludgeoning weapon, allowing Bludgeoning attacks to knock an enemy back while piercing attacks would generally be more effective against hardened enemies (basically enemies with heavy armor or hardened skin would be immune to slashing, resistant to bludgeoning, with piercing offering most consistent damage). Otherwise, pikes could be used to make bludgeoning attacks as improvised attacks inside of the weapons preferred reach.
As a "Versatile" weapon, Pikes would be especially unusually, rolling as 1D4 in one hand but gaining an additional square of reach (20ft). This is probably my least serious suggestion, but could be an interesting consideration.
Well said.
in my own rework, I've granted "great reach" to the pike, which grant it 4.5m (15feet) of reach BUT disadvantage on close combat (1.5m / 5feet)
Good video, per usual. Pikes are definitely a challenging weapon to implement at the skirmish/ party scale, so good effort.
Also, I was wondering when you'd finally snap on the "Makedonian" front. 😂 You're a good sport.
I am so glad you mentioned the mandarin duck formation (I love that thing. I have done a bunch of workshops on it too) and the wolf brush spear (really is more of a pike) is so good. I wish they had the weapon in DnD.
Personally, my take would be to establish "subweapons" or "secondary attack modes", where certain weapons would have different Weapon Mastery properties based on the part of the weapon you use. Like, your halberd main attack mode might have the Cleave property, but the shaft might use have Topple like a Quarterstaff, or depending on the Halberd's design, sap for a spear head.
I am including pikes in the game system I am developing and I would like to lend my suggestion to the Shove concept, in place of letting them shove- let them stop a foe's movement if they hit with an attack which uses their reaction (such as an attack of opportumity). This is more accurate to their use, unuque, and has built in power checking.
Though I would also recommend allowing an AoO whenever a foe enters or exits range, but thats more of a recommendation for combat as a whole and not just the pike. This would favor polearms more, though, so it would be reasomable not to implement at many tables.
Pike hyyyyyype!
Also I focus mainly on using kobolds so a pike would not work for my characters, but i still love the idea of a tribe of kobolds defending their tunnels with makeshift pikewalls
Just curious, when are you going to do the Rapier?
That one is next on the list, so you can look forward to that coming out next Friday
@@altrolerpg Thank you!
like your changes to the pike. great video. Maybe a charge attack with the pike?
Pikes were historically defensive, and in fact countered charges. Their strongest property is to basically form a spike wall that impales infantry and cavalry who carelessly rush in to it, while being long enough that they are speared *long* before reaching your infantry line (horses could still be a threat due to sheer speed and mass, even if you kill it that’s still a 800kg mass moving at 18km/h barreling straight towards you). The Swiss mercenaries in particular were renowned for countering their era’s popular cavalry tactics with their pike formations.
Honestly, Sentinel + Polearm Master is exactly how a pike is meant to work. I still believe that Polearm master should have been split into Pike Master and Polearm Master, with Pike Master working on pikes, lances, halberds, and spears with the special opportunity attack and perhaps being able to grapple an enemy by pinning them with your weapon, while Polearm Master works with halberds, glaives, and two handed spears and staves, getting the BA attack and some other feature to compensate.
If there were weapons to have a charge attack, honestly I’d say the lance or spear which are more wieldy would be better. It was already hard to hold a pike straight forwards when merely standing, imagine trying to aim a 7m pole from the very back end while running.
@@birubu18km/s ?!? Hot damn that’s a fast horse
@@birubu
But this is exactly the tactic the Swiss used against enemy infantry. Of course they didn't run at full speed, but they used the pike in much the same way that mounted troops used the lance. That's why you couldn't just shoot the Swiss with long-range weapons
only thing i would do is drop the tactical music and replace it with something more in line with the weapon discussed.