I struggle with the Spear. Any tips?

[Terepin]

My problem is too many options with a single item. Surrounded by enemies I struggle to chose the correct attack so I just spam everything at complete random. I do not have a problem with the base game, but the expansion is giving me a hard time. Any tips?

[Hundinger]

Getting used to it will take time, it's a lot. What helps me is binding slash and meat hook to the same buttons as shield parry and shield throw. Feels more intuitive. I'm still struggling, but I see that as a positive, because that reminds me of my early times with Eternal. I know I will get good eventually and it will feel great.

[Terepin]

Thing is I never struggled this much with Eternal, because there you had the correct tool for the correct job. But here you have a Swiss army knife and it is just too much to focus on.

[Jim L. [VEVO]]

Can I ask how you've bound your controls for the spear? I tried my best to mirror what the shield did in the base game so that my parry is still my right click. My dash is the same as what I used in Eternal, which is one of my mouse's side buttons and the meathook is my shift key since I have autorun on.

In regards to the empowerment abilities, I bound V for slam and R for stab. I only just got slam, so my mileage with those binds may vary. I'm also a weirdo since I personally use V for crouch in all my shooter games.

[DespotAspid]

You get used to it over time. The gameplay is even easier with a spear. Unfortunately, the DLC is still buggy, but the rest of the game is more poorly designed and easier and faster to play.

[Thalgardis]

Best 2 features with the spear is Double Dash and Stab. Use the dash like in Eternal, load the spear stab with it.
Focusing too heavy on parrying with the spear will not work. Parry animation is too slow in CQC as it is no shield. Spears are designed to give you a range advantage in melee so if possible try to stay at medium range with it -> The game of course will or will try to box you in at any chance.

Meathook is okayish in my book, use if necessary otherwise reduce the use to a minimum, long distance "flying" even with the movement options, still mean you are target practice in monster dense environments.

[Terepin]

I am sorry, but after shield back I have zero reasons to use spear in combat.

[UNBREAKABLE]

Originally posted by Terepin:

I am sorry, but after shield back I have zero reasons to use spear in combat.

The harder content will require you to use both ;p DLC is about mastery

[Hundinger]

Originally posted by Terepin:

I am sorry, but after shield back I have zero reasons to use spear in combat.

They give you the frigging meathook and you say no? That's interesting.

[Dirt Diver]

set the damage to 1000% until you get the shield back. its what I did.

With the spear, an offensive weapon, you have to fight a lot more defensive than with the shield.

[Terepin]

Originally posted by UNBREAKABLE:

Originally posted by Terepin:

I am sorry, but after shield back I have zero reasons to use spear in combat.

The harder content will require you to use both ;p DLC is about mastery

I am having fun with shield, I am not having fun with spear. Simple as that.

[Terepin]

Originally posted by Hundinger:

Originally posted by Terepin:

I am sorry, but after shield back I have zero reasons to use spear in combat.

They give you the frigging meathook and you say no? That's interesting.

Even in DE I used it for armor drop and nothing else. I was "raised" on Serious Sam and Painkiller, so my play style is "no cover, all man".

[Ninjaman]

Like most said it takes time to get used to it. It's a mobility/utility tool, especially useful for flying enemies (like pain elemental) and teleporting enemies like Warlock and Archvile. Once you start getting it upgraded and learn to use it effectively, it's a ton of fun and extremely effective. Swapping back and forth with the shield during combat is a big part of the endgame challenges.

[tomothy]

The upgrades that provide empowerment for doing actions that aren't just dodging, such as parrying or executions make a big difference. Once you don't have to focus on just dodging for empowerment (although dodge is kind of easier than parry timing), then you'll find yourself swimming in charges to use whatever ability you've unlocked. Also try to get the 3rd empowerment charge, it helps.

Personally I think the Spear Throw is the most powerful of the abilities, especially once you get the 2nd to last upgrade that allows you to knock enemies out of ethereal/spectre state or break the Agaddon's shield without having to bait a close range attack. My biggest issue is not having enough easily accessible keys left to bind things to. I only have two thumb buttons on my mouse, but the Spear makes me wish I had more.

[Hundinger]

Originally posted by Terepin:

Originally posted by Hundinger:

They give you the frigging meathook and you say no? That's interesting.

Even in DE I used for armor drop and nothing else. I was "raised" on Serious Sam and Painkiller, so my play style is "no cover, all man".

Okay, but I would say that the shield is pretty much a cover to go, so the spear might be the manlier thing by your definition.

[rimshot80]

Originally posted by Terepin:

Originally posted by Hundinger:

They give you the frigging meathook and you say no? That's interesting.

Even in DE I used for armor drop and nothing else. I was "raised" on Serious Sam and Painkiller, so my play style is "no cover, all man".

YOU. I like your style. Also House is one of the best characters on television, ever.