Spear perks on skirmishers could do with a bit of a rework IMO

[flashn00b]

Thought i'd make this thread cuz people don't really read the class balance threads, and also because throwing spears seem to have all but lost their role as an anti-cavalry weapon due to them despawning on hit. Wildling seems to be the only perk that still has use for the Ash Throwing Spear, though that's mainly because the 1.6.1 changes have actually buffed his utility in melee combat, so the Throwing Spear Perk can allow him to play like a discount Spear Infantry.

Perhaps these changes would be good?

Recruit
Pila replaced with Infantry Spear/3 Javelins (Non-captain modes)

Reason: 160 reach is absolutely pathetic for an anti-cavalry polearm and not picking any of the javelin perks denies the recruit of his main source of damage, since his melee combat utility's actually worse than what you'd find on the Peasant Levy or Sturgian Warrior. I think the best course of action would be to remove the throwing spear entirely and give the Recruit a 179 reach polearm, but still have javelins at his disposal, so as to not be completely defenseless against shock troopers or other peasants.

Brigand
Ash Throwing Spear supplemented with 3 Sturgian Throwing Axes (non-Captain modes)

Brigand has his own set of problems that I don't think TaleWorlds will ever address though since this thread is about throwing spears specifically, I think the Throwing Spear perk has problems similar to what the Recruit suffers from when picking the Pila perk. I think it might still be worth it to keep the Ash Throwing Spear on Brigand given its stats as a powerful anti-cavalry weapon at a 110 cost, though since the Brigand's options for melee are somehow worse than the Recruit for some stupid reason, I think it's still important for the Throwing Spear perk to still grant a quiver of throwing weapons. Ideally, the Throwing Axe perk should just be extra javelins and have the throwing axes be tied to the throwing spear perk but as I've mentioned earlier, TaleWorlds is unwilling to address Sturgia's imbalances.

This is mostly speaking from a Skirmish perspective, since there's barely any reason to spawn as a Brigand at all and picking the Pila as a Recruit means you're going to waste a player slot.

 

[[OSOD] Imperator]

I disagree with the 160 not being adequate against cav bc its all about timing but for a newer player yes I would agree this would be different as they would not know how to do so. But I like what you are saying bc it would strengthen the weaker classes that literally no one sane would play. Not even in our competitive matches do we go with the lighter units bc its just not valuable.