Pole Axe
"The Pole Axe is one of the most versatile weapons in the arsenal. It is capable of dispatching opponents with cutting, blunt, or piercing damage . The overhead attack will reverse the head, striking with the blunt part."[1]
The Pole Axe is quite a unique in that it is the only Axe that can do blunt damage as well as pierce damage and slash damage. It also is unique in the sense it's the only "axe" where the stab is functional and strongly recommended in regular use. It is the longest weapon within its category.
While it may seem tempting to exclusively use super-effective attacks on foes (that is: Swing for archers, Piercing for Vanguards, blunt for Knights), it is strongly discouraged since it makes your attacks predictable. Thus, keep your attacks varied, and only stay mindful of your foe's weakness for the opportune deathblow. However, it is strongly recommended to have your opening attack be your foe's weakness, as it would dramatically shorten most fights should it land.
While it does significant damage and has very impressive reach, this weapon is one of the slower weapons in the game and should be played similarly to a heavy polearm.
Interestingly, being part axe makes this weapon's horizontal swing do swing/blunt damage, which is fairly useful against knights.
Trivia
- It is the second axe-class weapon available for the Knight. Also it is the only Polearm that Knights use.
- While the Overhead attack is supposed to be a swing with the hammer head, occasionally the animation will show the player swinging with the axe head instead. Overhead attacks will still cause blood to appear on the hammer side of the weapon.
- In spite of being an axe, the Pole Axe's stab is actually slightly more powerful than its horizontal swing, reflecting it's "polearm" origins. However, this is partially offset by the stab's longer windup.
See also: