PC Does longer aiming increase damage with the spear?

[theFlu]

I just turned on debug info and confirmed that, thankfully, they do.

Heh, thanks for that, but of course I had to hop in an test for myself

Confirmed, and it looks like the damage is directly proportional to the "charging" bar (at least while skill-less). So if you've filled 10% of the bar, you'll do 10% of the damage. No extra damage for time after 100%.

 

[ricp]

tun baton is garbage without perks or mods, its a mid game weapon designed for late game, but once you get all of the bonuses for it it can be very formidable. Its just too unreliable early game though imo, low base damage, range and only really works with the stun, and at that point other weapons would have killed it already. With the candy, books and mods it just blows up crowds. Might be worth toying with it in a cheat game just to see its potential.

Yeah, I mean I have specced into it once, just to see what a top tier and modded baton would be like. It's, as you point out, almost night and day in terms of comparison. What I would say though is other melee weapons with similar quality and mods would return a "better damage value".

 

[Urban Blackbear]

Spears are a little lackluster against unarmored zeds (a level 2 stone Spear is worse damage-wise than a level 1 Wooden Club) but make up for it against harder targets with the 15% penetration. That used to be granted by the Penetrator perk but Spears were taken off it and just given the bonus directly in A20.

 

[seagas]

I would use a spear, early game, as a second melee weapon, it has long reach, nice for hitting zombies through obstacles. It also makes a great hidden closet/door openingner, instead of using your few precious arrows early game, throw the spear to open it. And you always recover the spear afterwards.

 

[meganoth]

I did read the rest, but I think you have an unreasonable amount of caveats here to make the case. Stone sledge outperforms most if not all spears in any case you want to be meleeing while not getting hit. Spear does have the "give away my weapon"-option, but then you'll need another weapon for backup - so we can freely compare to a pair of weapons; and the starter bow will be miles easier to maintain distance with.

Stone sledge is very very slow, which works 4 times out of 5 much easier and faster than the spear. But that 5th time it doesn't work as you miss the zombie and the zombie is enraged and runnning at you. Remember I am talking about novice players who don't have learned the timing and distances yet.

While the spear not hitting a zombie means that you can do the next attack almost immediately while correcting your mistake (either too far away or not hitting in the right spot). 

If the novice user is foolish enough to think he can powerattack with the spear while he is still swimming in unknown waters and having no alternative to switch to then yes, he's got new problems on his hand.

Bow as secondary weapon isn't a bad idea but the ammo usage should not be underestimated. The early game method of finding nests is not going to supply a novice with enough feathers to use the bow consistently as a substitute melee weapon to keep zombies consistently out of range and the club as secondary. An experienced user would know ways but it takes a lot of time.

Nothing against the spear, it's a fun little gadget, but it's not quite on par with most others.

Are you talking about the general case. Sure, I agree.

Nobody asked, but... after reading this thread I was starting to question my assumption that bows did more damage with longer aiming.  I just turned on debug info and confirmed that, thankfully, they do.

Surprising that bow and spear use the same mechanic but work differently, good to know.

From a balance standpoint this is a positive thing i think, but the players should probably be made aware of it.

 

[theFlu]

Stone sledge is very very slow, which works 4 times out of 5 much easier and faster than the spear. But that 5th time it doesn't work as you miss the zombie and the zombie is enraged and runnning at you. Remember I am talking about novice players who don't have learned the timing and distances yet.

Hmm, I do kinda agree with most of that, except the spear doesn't stagger as well so it might get you hit regardless (ok, I haven't even tried A20 spears, why am I talking? ). And I don't think the enrage mechanic is practically even there for new players / default difficulty. I was just saying it's not that obviously "the best" even with that group of caveats.

"Not quite on par" was indeed more about the general use, nabs will be nabs with whatever you give them, in all kinds of creative ways ...