Long weapon

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The heads of a halberd and a spear

Long weapons, also known as pole weapons or polearms, are a class of mêlée weapons characterized by long shafts as their basic structure. In general, the length of such shafts ensure that the weapons necessitate two hands to wield effectively in combat while their overall profile extend the wielder's effective range.

The most basic examples of long weapons include the quarterstaff and the spear, though numerous, far more sophisticated variants exist, such as the halberd, the Guandao, the Pike Hammer, the bec de corbin, and the corseque. Because of their long range, polearms can be employed to effectively keep adversaries at bay, and historically, they have served in dedicated defensive roles such as on the battlefield against cavalry. Seekers, guards specialized in the use of long weapons, were a mainstay of professional armies before firearms rendered mêlée weapons obsolete, and these soldiers were often deployed as guardsmen of entrances and exits.

Description

Ezio impaling a guard

The aptly named long weapons are essentially polearms: weapons whose main bodies are shafts typically longer than their wielders' height. The most basic variant of this is a staff, no more than a long stick typically constructed from wood, and almost all other variants are derived from embedding a deadly object—especially a blade or sharp point—at one end of a staff. Common examples include the spear, the halberd, and the pike.

The function of polearms is to increase the wielder's leverage. The extended reach allows the user to maintain a greater distance from his or her opponent than he or she otherwise would with a shorter weapon such as a sword, keeping enemies at bay and yet still within striking range. For this reason, polearms can be formidable in defensive capacities; historically, solid formations of pikemen served as effective counters against cavalry.

Because they deterred easy counter-attacks from wielders of shorter weapons, even the legendary Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze struggled to counter Seekers, combatants wielding polearms, for most of his life without relying on his Hidden Blades or an equally long weapon, such as a greatsword or another halberd. Even so, it was not an utterly impossible feat for him to do so with a short sword, as he demonstrated throughout his operations in Spain in 1191, only that it demanded swifter reflexes and more precise technique. Ironically, Ezio found it easier to combat Seekers when unarmed; wielders of polearms can be more susceptible to being disarmed, as the long handles provide prominent and safe targets for the grasp of an open hand.

Given their size, long weapons can be more cumbersome than shorter alternatives, limiting the mobility of their wielders. Spanish Seekers tended to adopt stationary battle stances while Ezio had a habit of discarding any polearm on hand before engaging in freerunning. While polearms can hinder a user's ability at parkour, skilled Assassins, such as Arno Dorian and others of the French Brotherhood, have proven that this can be overcome through training.

Fragility

Historically, the poles of long weapons were constructed out of wood, a material not especially durable against the striking of a metal sword. As a result, they lacked the resilience of swords and could be snapped in two after a few slashes, or one, when used to parry against the Smash Attack of a heavy weapon. However, long weapons could still be used even if broken and even used to immediately counter a heavy weapon by ramming the broken ends into the body of the assailant.

Combat techniques

Sweep Attack

Ezio performing a sweep attack

A standard technique utilizing a long weapon that pervaded throughout European history is the Sweep Attack, so called because it involved sweeping at an opponent's legs to cause him to trip and fall.

Although a sweep to the legs with a bladed polearm can sever the target's limbs entirely, a proper Sweep Attack is non-lethal, and thus delivered with the shaft of the weapon. The result is achieved by swinging the polearm around the rear of an opponent's legs, and through sheer force alone, knock their feet from right under them. A collapsing enemy may even crash into those behind them, further disrupting enemy ranks.

Correct execution of the maneuver, however, necessitates standing still to prepare for the sweep, effectively rendering its user highly vulnerable to interruption by an enemy attack. To compensate, the sweep can be performed with shorter preparation time, though at the cost of greater efficacy, as the more force placed behind a sweep, the wider the arc of its effect.

The Sweep Attack was a fairly ubiquitous technique; Seekers throughout Italy and the Ottoman Empire practiced the maneuver during the Renaissance. Assassins, too, were trained in it, and the Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood, Mario Auditore, taught it to his nephew Ezio Auditore. While polearms were phased out by firearms by the French Revolution, the Assassins, who continued to service the weapons, still provided standard lessons on the technique to their recruits, such as Arno Dorian, during that era.

Throw

From the Fall of Monteriggioni, Ezio Auditore learned a far more radical application of long weapons, one which from then on, he favored far more than the Sweep Attack whenever he had a polearm in his hand. With his expert marksmanship, Ezio could hurl a polearm directly at an enemy with extreme precision, skewering him or her from a distance of more than ten meters. As with a Sweep Attack, this technique requires preparation, as the user has to swing the weapon around to properly position his arms for the throw, as well as take time to accurately aim. Parallel to this, Ezio developed a similar technique with heavy weapons, wherein he threw the weapon at target with a powerful swing.

Weapon statistics

Pelopponesian War (5th century BCE)

Mobile Animus 4.38

Name	Tier	Damage	Speed	Miss Chance	Modifiers	Requirements
Myrmidon Spear (T1)	★	14-35	1.50	5%	+10 Defense +10 Health	Mission reward
Myrmidon Spear (T2)	★★	51-80	1.50	5%	+20 Defense +20 Health	7,500 Coins 3 Myrmidon Spears (T1)
Myrmidon Spear (T3)	★★★	145-220	1.50	5%	+40 Defense +40 Health	15,000 Coins 3 Myrmidon Spears (T2)
Myrmidon Spear (T4)	★★★★	410-535	1.50	5%	+55 Defense +55 Health	35,000 Coins 3 Myrmidon Spears (T3)
Myrmidon Spear (T5)	★★★★★	1.9k-2.2k	1.50	5%	+105 Defense +95 Health +3% Critical Chance +20% Critical Bonus +3% Dodge	60,000 Coins 3 Myrmidon Spears (T4)
Falx of Olympos	★★★★★	4k-4.1k	1.50	5%	+270 Defense +260 Health +8% Critical Chance +80% Critical Bonus	300,000 Coins 220 Damascus Steel 90 Gold Ingot 1 Ancient Tablet
Spear of Leonidas	★★★★★	4.3k-4.6k	1.50	5%	+30 Attack +190 Defense +190 Health +8% Critical Chance +10% Critical Bonus +5% Dodge	300,000 Coins 210 Damascus Steel 60 Fine Silk 1 Ancient tablet

Ptolemaic Egypt (1st century BCE)

Spears

Name	Rarity	Quality (Max Level 55)	Damage (Max Level 55)	Attributes	Availability
Adamant Reed	Rare	116	442	Bleeding on Hit II Critical Hit Damage I	Unlocked through the Twitch Prime Pack DLC
Aten's End**	Legendary	123		Critical Hit Damage I Combo Multiplier IV Health on Kill	Defeat Tutankhamun in the Duat.
Cyrene's Spear	Legendary	122	445	Critical Hit Damage III Adrenaline on Kill II Health for Critical	Complete One Bad Apple
Golden Feather	Legendary			Critical Hit Damage III Critical Hit Rate II Sleep on Hit	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
Handy Spear	Common	115	445	Critical Hit Damage I	Blacksmith, Loot
Iron Spear	Common	114	442	Critical Hit Damage I	Blacksmith, Loot
Lance of Anhur	Legendary			Critical Hit Damage II Adrenaline Regeneration III Health on Hit	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
Leaf-shaped Impaler	Common	115	439	Critical Hit Damage III	Blacksmith, Loot
Light Spear	Common	114	439	Critical Hit Damage II	Blacksmith, Loot
Needle	Rare	118	439	Bleeding on Hit Critical Hit Damage	Blacksmith, Loot, Nomad's Bazaar
The Phoenix	Legendary			Critical Hit Rate I Critical Hit Damage III Health on Kill	Nomad's Bazaar
Pilum	Rare	117	445	Critical Hit II Adrenaline on Hurt I	Blacksmith, Loot
Sarissa	Legendary	124	697	Critical Hit Damage III Adrenaline on Kill I Cursed	Blacksmith, Loot
Sekhmet's Spear	Legendary	121		Critical Hit Damage II Critical Hit Rate I Health on Kill	Blacksmith, Loot
The Serpent of Serapis	Rare	117	442	Critical Hit Rate II Critical Hit Damage II	Complete Fair Trade
The Trial	Rare	116	422	Critical Hit Damage II Adrenaline on Hurt I	Unlocked through Uplay

**Only available after downloading The Curse of the Pharaohs

Scepters

Name	Rarity	Quality (Max Level 55)	Damage (Max Level 55)	Attributes	Availability
Acacia Rod	Rare	117	363	Combo Multiplier III Critical Hit Rate I	Blacksmith, Loot, Nomad's Bazaar
Alexandria's Light	Legendary			Combo Mutiplier II Critical Hit Rate III On Fire	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
Apep's Staff	Legendary			Combo Multiplier III Adrenaline on Hurt III Poison on Hit	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
Bladed Scepter	Rare	117	366	Combo Multiplier II Bleeding on Hit I	Blacksmith, Loot
Bringer of Chaos	Common	115		Combo Multiplier II	Blacksmith, Loot
Ceremonial Staff	Legendary	122	366	Combo Multiplier IV Adrenaline on Kill I On Fire	Blacksmith, Loot
Cotton Swab	Legendary			Combo Multiplier III Adrenaline on Kill III Health on Hit	Wacky Items Pack
Cypriot Gabbro Head	Common	115	361	Combo Multiplier III	Blacksmith, Loot
Hasanlu Skeptron	Common	115	363	Combo Multiplier II	Blacksmith, Loot
Lord of Thebes**	Legendary	123	368	Combo Multiplier III Critical Hit Rate II Health on Hit	Complete Unfair Trade
Nubian Scepter	Legendary	122	366	Combo Multiplier II Adrenaline Regeneration III Sleep on Hit	Nomad's Bazaar
Peasant's Scepter	Common	114	363	Combo Multiplier II	Blacksmith, Loot
Pharaoh's Mace	Common	114	361	Combo Multiplier II	Blacksmith, Loot
Raneb's Hammer	Legendary	122	368	Combo Multiplier III Adrenaline Regeneration I Health for Critical	Nomad's Bazaar, Helix Store
Ritual Scepter	Rare	116	363	Combo Multiplier II Critical Hit Damage I	Tribal Pack DLC
Scepter of Amun	Rare	118	366	Combo Multiplier II Critical Hit Damage II	Loot the chest in Alexander's Temple
Scepter of Thaati	Rare			Combo Multiplier I Adrenaline Regeneration II	Monster Energy Promotion
Scorpion Sting	Legendary			Combo Multiplier III Adrenaline on Hurt II Poison on Hit	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
The Sekhem	Legendary	125	368	Combo Multiplier IV Adrenaline on Kill III Health on Kill	Helix Store, Nomad's Bazaar
Siwan Scepter	Common	115	366	Combo Multiplier I	Blacksmith, Loot
Staff of Sehetep	Legendary	119	363	Combo Multiplier II Bleeding on Hit I Health on Kill	Complete Bad Faith
Was Scepter	Legendary	124	368	Combo Multiplier IV Critical Hit Rate II Health for Critical	Helix Store

**Only available after downloading The Curse of the Pharaohs

Anglo-Saxon England

Spears

Name	Class	Max Attack	Max Speed	Max Impact	Max CRIT-PRC	Availability
Anéntaks Spear	Wolf
Areadbhair	Wolf
Bannermen's Spear	Wolf
Cadfarch Spear	Raven
Carolingian Pike	Wolf
Fafnir's Fang	Wolf
Fyrd Spear	Raven
Gungnir	Bear
Svipul	Wolf

Dane Axes

Name	Class	Max Attack	Max Speed	Max Impact	Max CRIT-PRC	Availability
Aella's Bardiche	Raven					Loot chest in Jorvik Theatre
Battle Sparth	Bear					Loot chest in Saint Helen's Spring, Lincolnscire
Bone-Biter	Wolf					Loot chest in Ikke en Oy, Rygjafylke
Bone-Maul	Wolf
Dwarven Axe	Bear					Purchase the Einherjar Pack
Hemming's Axe	Wolf					Complete Reporting on Snotinghamscire
Lagertha's Axe	Wolf					Loot chest in Houseteads, Eurviscire
Moonlight	Raven					Ubisoft Club
Sepulcher Axe	Raven					Loot chest in Offchurch's crypt, Ledecestrescire
Sharp Stick	Bear
Skadi's Blade	Bear
Vordr's Bite	Bear					Slay all the Legendary Animals

Spanish Renaissance (15th century)

Name	Tier	Damage	Speed	Miss Chance	Modifiers	Requirements
Guisarme	★	16-26	1.50	5%	+3% Critical Chance +3 Agility	1,200 R 15 Copper Ore 10 Tin Ore
Voulge	★	17-25	1.50	5%	+3% Critical Chance +3 Dexterity	1,200 R 15 Copper Ore 10 Tin Ore
Spear	★★	58-72	1.50	5%	+6% Critical Chance +10% Critical Bonus +8 Agility	6,000 R 75 Iron Ore 75 Tanned Leather
Fine Guisarme	★★	53-67	1.50	5%	+6% Critical Chance +5 Dexterity	21,000 R 200 Toledo Steel 200 Silver Ingot 1 Guisarme
Fine Voulge	★★	56-64	1.50	5%	+6% Critical Chance +7 Lethality +5 Dexterity	4,000 R 40 Iron Ore 40 Leather Scraps 1 Voulge
Halberd	★★★	155-200	1.50	5%	+9% Critical Chance +10 Dexterity	13,500 R 125 Steel Ingot 125 Silver Ingot
Fine Spear	★★★	155-185	1.50	5%	+9% Critical Chance +10% Critical Bonus +10 Agility	10,000 R 125 Steel Ingot 125 Hardened Leather 1 Spear
Partisan	★★★★	435-480	1.50	5%	+12% Critical Chance +12 Dexterity +12 Agility	28,000 R 225 Toledo Steel 225 Steel Ingot
Master Halberd	★★★★	440-485	1.50	5%	+12% Critical Chance +15 Dexterity	21,000 R 200 Toledo Steel 200 Silver Ingot 1 Halberd
Banner of the People	★★★★★	2.3k-2.5k	1.50	5%	+60 Defense +150 Health +17% Critical Chance +20% Critical Bonus +8% Dodge	150,000 R 235 Damascus Steel 100 Fine Silk 1 Emerald
Lunging Voulge	★★★★★	2.5k-2.6k	1.50	5%	+115 Attack +12% Critical Chance	150,000 R 120 Gold Ingot 85 Fine Silk 1 Cinnabar
Dogged Halberd	★★★★★	2.5k-2.5k	1.50	5%	+65 Defense +160 Health +12% Critical Chance	150,000 R 120 Gold Ingot 85 Fine Silk 1 Malachite
Sly Partisan	★★★★★	2.4k-2.5k	1.50	5%	+15% Critical Chance +50 Dexterity +50 Agility	150,000 R 110 Damascus Steel 45 Gold Ingot 1 Obsidian
Striking Chance	★★★★★	2.4k-2.6k	1.50	5%	+100 Attack +30 Health +20% Critical Chance +20% Critical Bonus	150,000 R 140 Damascus Steel 80 Gold ingots 1 Ruby
Axe of the Crusader	★★★★★	2.9k-3k	2.00	3%	+60 Attack +40 Defense +140 Health +15% Critical Chance +50% Critical Bonus	150,000 R 130 Damascus Steel 90 Gold ingots 1 Emerald
The Vizier's Eye	★★★★★	3.4k-4.3k	1.50	2%	+220 Defense +10% Critical Chance +20% Critical Bonus +5% Dodge +50 Lethality	300,000 R 240 Damascus Steel 170 Fine Silk 1 Ancient Tablet

Italian Renaissance

Name	Damage	Speed	Deflect
Halberd	4	3	4
Spear	3	5	3
Papal Staff	5	5	5

French Revolution

Name	Level	Damage	Parry	Speed	Range	Cost	Modifiers	Availability
Guisarme	◆	1	1	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Voulge	◆	1	1	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete The Body in the Brothel
Fauchard	◆◆	2	2	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Play Assassin's Creed: Initiates
Bident	◆◆	2	2	3	4	250₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Cogneur	◆◆	2	2	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete Ancestral Vengeance
Hallebarde croissant	◆◆	2	2	3	4	250₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Halberd	◆◆	2	2	3	4	250₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Razorhead Spear	◆◆	2	1	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Purchase the Guard Pack or Secrets of the Revolution Pack DLC
Hooked Impaler	◆◆	2	1	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Purchase the Secrets of the Revolution Pack DLC
Golden bec de corbin	◆◆	2	1	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Uplay
Unity	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	1,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Bec de corbin	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	1,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
L'étoile polaire	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete Bones of Contention
Light Halberd	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete September Massacres
Spontoon	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	1,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Bisento	◆◆◆	3	3	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Collect all artifacts in Les Invalides
Lance of the Strong Arm*	◆◆◆	6	2	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete Last Rites
Crescent Glaive	◆◆◆◆	4	4	3	4	5,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Lochaber axe	◆◆◆◆	4	4	3	4	5,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Sparth	◆◆◆◆	4	4	3	4	5,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Spiked staff	◆◆◆◆	4	4	3	4	5,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Corseque	◆◆◆◆◆	6	6	3	4	N/A	Additional damage: +25%	Complete A Dash of Poison
Crusader's Corseque	◆◆◆◆◆	6	6	3	4	25,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Ceremonial long mace	◆◆◆◆◆	6	6	3	4	25,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Lance of Saint Denis*	◆◆◆◆◆	6	6	3	4	N/A	Additional Damage: +25%	Complete Last Rites
Ceremonial partisan	◆◆◆◆◆	8	8	3	4	125,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A
Pike Hammer	◆◆◆◆◆	8	8	3	4	200,000₣	Additional Damage: +25%	N/A

*Only available after downloading Dead Kings

Trivia

Combat

• Spears and halberds have the longest reach of any melee weapon in Assassin's Creed II, and are the most difficult to counter.
• The maximum combo strikes for long weapons is 3 hits in Assassin's Creed II.

Use

• An individual half of a long weapon can be kept in an empty weapon sheath for later use, however, it will vanish upon a save and reload.
• If a long weapon equipped by either Ezio or Seekers is broken in half by a Smash Attack, it effectively functions as a sword and can even be used to perform pistol executions.
• Seekers can more commonly be found wielding the spear than the halberd.
• The Papal Staff is the only weapon, aside from the Sword of Altaïr, to have the Damage, Speed, and Deflect stats maxed out in Assassin's Creed II.
• It is possible to wield the Papal Staff by either poisoning Rodrigo Borgia, or by taking a heavy weapon from a Brute outside the Sistine Chapel, and performing the Smash Attack on Rodrigo.
• During the Bonfire of the Vanities, one of Girolamo Savonarola's lieutenants, the Farmer, carries a unique long weapon, the pitchfork. However, once he is killed, it turns into a halberd.

Other

• The "Sweeper" achievement can be earned in Assassin's Creed II by sweeping five guards at once using a long weapon.
• It was possible to carry a spear onto the rooftops in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood by using a lift, ladder, or by throwing it at a rooftop guard.
• The "Strong Arm" achievement can be earned by throwing a heavy weapon, a long weapon, and a smoke bomb more than 10 meters at a guard.
• In Assassin's Creed II, two of the patrolling guards on the western side of the Cannaregio District carry halberds.
• In Assassin's Creed III, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and Assassin's Creed: Rogue, muskets equipped with bayonets effectively function as long weapons when used in melee by the protagonists. Unlike in the previous games, they do not drop them when they enter high-profile.
• After the siege of Monteriggioni, Ezio's proficiency with a long weapon improve. His sweep attack no longer trips guards, but instead slit the throats of all enemies within range. ^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

Ezio fighting a Seeker

A Seeker armed with a spear leading the patrol

Ezio about to throw a spear at the guard

Concept art of legendary long weapons in Odyssey

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed II (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed II: Discovery
• Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations
• Assassin's Creed: Unity
• Assassin's Creed: Origins
• Assassin's Creed: Rebellion
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey