Pikes, half pikes, spears, and 10’ poles. And a question.

[ZorroGames]

Going back to my SCA days reading material about pikes, spears, and half pikes I started searching online.

http://theroutiers.org/wp/the-half-pike/

Building a Fighter 1/Warlock X (thanks to PeteNutButter’s MC guide) and just decided to see if pikes as a standoff weapon might work. Move up to 25 feet, thrust, move back 5 feet, if someone closes - opportunity attack at 10’ (plus at 9th level character class the sentinel feat might stop them at 0 movement that turn.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5v8cqo/what_are_the_differences_between_spears_pikes_and/

Given an 8-10 foot length for half pike I guess it was no less mobile than the traditional 10’ pole in a dungeon and far more useful in the open tabletop battles of 5e. Since 5e uses pretty much generic weapon names I am thinking PeteNutButter MC guide with F1/Warlock x variant human with PAM at first level using a pike for Opportunity attacks later combined with sentinel at 8th level of warlock (9th character level) plus cantrip Eldritch Blast (and after WarCaster at Fourth level WarLock/pact of the blade at third warlock level especially so your pike is only around when you need it) is actually quite playable! Wow, run-on sentence...

Which leads me to my question, what weapon that most optimizing players blow off have you enjoyed using in game? was the choice flavorful, effective, and or pleasing?

[Sicarius Victis]

It bears mentioning that the pike being useful isn't something new or surprising. Functionally, it's similar to a glaive or halberd. The only noteworthy differences are that it deals piercing rather than slashing damage and it only benefits from half of PAM. Which means, mechanically, it has close to the same power as a glaive or halberd, except decreased damage potential due to less attacks being made.

[Desteplo]

Whip is a fun one. Lots of roleplay opportunity

[Kane0]

I built a feral winged tiefling sun soul monk once. Totally sub-optimal, stupidly wacky fun. Yes I know sunbolts aren't technically a weapon, it's one of the reasons they're so funky.
About 3-4 levels in I also threw in a light cleric dip, because the party really needed some Bless and I had pulled off some pretty amazing fake-priest shenanigans.

And a goliath dual club ranger that was just brutal in melee, mostly just because my dice loved him.

[Talamare]

The Half Pike sounds like a Standard Spear

[Tiadoppler]

Which leads me to my question, what weapon that most optimizing players blow off have you enjoyed using in game? was the choice flavorful, effective, and or pleasing?

My players have used a lot of spears, short bows and short swords recently. They've had to scavenge the battlefield and take what they could find, and that's what was available. Those weapons are small and light enough to be stored easily on pack animals in case of damaged/destroyed primary weapons.

Thrown handaxes have been playing a big part too. There's a very axe-y fighter who wouldn't even consider a different ranged weapon. He's having some ammunition problems though.