Polearm Volner

[Askip]

I've never had a Voln character, and now that I have the etheral halberd I am ready to try that society.

I am looking for suggestions for a basic build, I will probably fixskill my level 32 warrior.

I would guess some basics are 3x armor, 2x polearm, and 2x CM. After that I am lost. I've seen Fu in action, is it needed for Voln or just an option? Should he be an ambusher? Is dodge a primary or secondary skill? Etc.

All help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Askip

[Serops]

For a lvl 32 warrior I would do the following:

80ranks armor for mbp
2x poles
2x cm
2x pt
1.5x-2x dodge
30 ranks moc
climb, swim, perception, secondary weapon style, to taste

Halberds being a base 6rt weapon are good for MOC and open aiming, so in addition to the MOC you might eventually want 40+ ranks of ambush for open aiming. I would start without ambush in order to see how accurate you are with just 2x CM and then add it until you reach desired effectiveness. Halberds cannot be used to ambush from hiding.

You don't need to fu, though if you have the points to spare (for brawling), it might be fun and useful against heavier armors (halberds are on the weak end of the range of polearms available).

Get cman precision since halberds do puncture as some undead are immune (though perhaps this will change RSN).

[AnticorRifling]

While they are on the weak end they are also fast. Make up for the damage per hit by hitting more. Using trip, tackle, etc to knock the target down and then start swinging is a very viable tactic.

[Drew]

I would definitely train in voln fu, for a warrior there's no reason not to and it will be very useful.

[Askip]

Thanks folks!

:D

[Anebriated]

Just saw this thread... Heres my warriors stats. He can pretty much tear up anything around his level with massies. Got him 80 ranks of armor just this past train so he can use mbp, but his rt went up from 6-9 so I have to figure out why but overall hes pretty solid.

>info
Name: Race: Human Profession: Warrior (shown as: Mercenary)
Gender: Male Age: 34 Expr: 725585 Level: 25
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 92 (26) ... 120 (40)
Constitution (CON): 82 (16) ... 82 (16)
Dexterity (DEX): 88 (19) ... 88 (19)
Agility (AGI): 93 (21) ... 93 (21)
Discipline (DIS): 86 (18) ... 86 (18)
Aura (AUR): 76 (13) ... 76 (13)
Logic (LOG): 73 (16) ... 73 (16)
Intuition (INT): 54 (7) ... 54 (7)
Wisdom (WIS): 37 (-6) ... 37 (-6)
Influence (INF): 73 (11) ... 73 (11)
Mana: 0 Silver: 0
>skill
>
(at level 25), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 180 80
Combat Maneuvers...................| 150 50
Polearm Weapons....................| 152 52
Brawling...........................| 148 48
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 70 15
Physical Fitness...................| 152 52
Dodging............................| 151 51
Perception.........................| 90 20
Climbing...........................| 50 10
Swimming...........................| 25 5
Training Points: 0 Phy 2 Mnt (400 Mnt converted to Phy)

[Latrinsorm]

Make sure you don't have a helm on (inv armor). Another possibility is your mbp is actually full plate (inspect should let you know).

[Anebriated]

Thanks Latrinsorm! solved the rt issue with the helm that i didnt even realize i was wearing.

[Askip]

I'd appreciate input on the CMANs my polearm Voln Fu-er should start with?

With a level 32 warrior with 68 pts should I specialize in 2-3 or spread them around?

Thanks.

:D

[Anebriated]

think i had 4 in bonding, 3 in surge, 3 in spec and 1 in parry(5% parry for 1pt)

[Latrinsorm]

With a level 32 warrior with 68 pts should I specialize in 2-3 or spread them around?If you're not getting tackle or feint through the guild, max those (or analogous CMANs) out. Other than that go nuts.

[Askip]

Thanks for the ideas.

I am leaning towards 5 ranks Cman Disarm so I can hold onto my weapon, I want to do without a shield and have THW for my secondary weapon.

Thoughts?

:D

[Anebriated]

rank 5 of cman bonding automatically pulls a disarmed weapon back into your hand. Get disarm through the guild imo.

[Latrinsorm]

Disarm is easy enough to eventually (by cap) get through the guild.

I'd recommend thrown as a secondary style with polearms rather than THW. THW doesn't really give you a qualitatively different style unless you go the maul/ambush route, and even then not really.

[Anebriated]

Why wouldnt you just go brawling as a secondary style, being voln and all.

[StrayRogue]

Thrown absolutely sucks with polearms. Unless you have a super expensive returning/limitless bandolier weapon.

[Askip]

I need to take my own advice and read the manuals, I glanced at the guild and cman lists when they were released and nothing since.

Also I did not envision brawling as a hunting style, more of a setup skill. I need to re-think this whole warrior business.

Thanks.

:D

[Anebriated]

yeah my warrior is only 25 but id suggest pole/brawl to any voln warrior. Its pretty hot. With the cman changes i picked up bonding 5 and parry 3 and its pretty much glorious. Polearm damage rapes most critters and if i lose a bless i can just switch to fu. Ill probably use fu on all undead once i get the second set of voln fu steps.

[Latrinsorm]

Thrown absolutely sucks with polearms. Unless you have a super expensive returning/limitless bandolier weapon.Or you could just bond to it.

[Gnomad]

I would definitely train in voln fu, for a warrior there's no reason not to and it will be very useful.
Agreed.

rank 5 of cman bonding automatically pulls a disarmed weapon back into your hand. Get disarm through the guild imo.
Also agreed.

I need to take my own advice and read the manuals, I glanced at the guild and cman lists when they were released and nothing since.

Also I did not envision brawling as a hunting style, more of a setup skill. I need to re-think this whole warrior business.

Thanks.

:DBrawling via Voln is a very viable hunting style. It also lets you walk around outside of town without anything in your hands and still avoid attacks without a problem.

That said, throw is not reliable enough (IMO) to be a setup skill. Creatures can be immune to its unbalance crits, and of all the knockdowns out there, it's the least effective with something in your hand. Kick is the reason you want brawling, and punch if you're with someone who can only give -2 RT via haste.

Minor Voln reminder: If you have an AdG task to kill an extra-strong undead creature, lead with symbol of holiness. It's an auto-knockdown, fire damage, and no RT.

[StrayRogue]

Or you could just bond to it.

Sure, bond to a spear. What a waste of points. You'll be spending your time swinging a lance, believe me.

[Latrinsorm]

That said, throw is not reliable enough (IMO) to be a setup skill. Creatures can be immune to its unbalance crits, and of all the knockdowns out there, it's the least effective with something in your hand.I think you're thinking about throwing with a net. I'm talking about throwing with a spear.
Sure, bond to a spear. What a waste of points. You'll be spending your time swinging a lance, believe me.Yeah, one shot kills are so passé. Good point.

[StrayRogue]

Hurling spears is auwful. They do so little damage. Plus there are bugs with bonding and thrown weapons. It is far from perfect.

As I said, when I had my own pole/thrown warrior, I'd spend my time swinging instead of hurling.

[TheEschaton]

Do thrown weapons "stick" like arrows do? If so, I can imagine that being a huge problem with returning.

-TheE-

[StrayRogue]

Only on huge (300+) endrolls.

[Latrinsorm]

Hurled spears do more damage than falchions, and those seem to be pretty popular. They do way more damage than a dagger, and those seem to be pretty popular for ambushers as well.

No weapon style is "perfect". Thrown is a viable, qualitatively different style from melee polearms, and that's all that's required to be a secondary style.

[StrayRogue]

Hurled spears do more damage than falchions, and those seem to be pretty popular. They do way more damage than a dagger, and those seem to be pretty popular for ambushers as well.



Yes, but significantly less than a swung lance. They also require you to train in one more skill: ambush.

[Gnomad]

I think you're thinking about throwing with a net. I'm talking about throwing with a spear.Yeah, one shot kills are so passé. Good point.He said he envisioned Brawling as a setup skill. I took that to mean "I plan to use throw". I was saying Voln Throw uses the unbalance crit table.

[Latrinsorm]

Ohhh, gotcha. My mistake.

[StrayRogue]

If you cant include ambush training, don't bother with thrown.

[Askip]

Great info, thanks folks!!

:D