Long weapon

The Spear and Halberd were long weapons carried by guards. Though they were commonly wielded by Seekers, certain Brutes and Papal Guards could be seen carrying one as well.

Long weapons were uncommonly used by Assassins, due to the difficultly in carrying them while freerunning. They would thus usually only use one that they disarmed from a guard.

Combat

Ezio using a spear to impale a horseman.

The length of a long weapon's shaft was effective for keeping enemies at a distance, and made it very difficult for them to evade. Long weapons could only be countered by a heavy weapon, another long weapon, or the Hidden Blade.

Should he manage to disarm a long weapon from a guard, Ezio Auditore would often discard it once combat was over, or upon sprinting away. This was likely since, whether the weapon was intact or broken, it would be too difficult to carry while moving freely across streets and rooftops.

Special Techniques

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Ezio sweeping with a halberd.

The Sweep attack was a special technique performed with a long weapon. Any Seeker could perform this technique, and Ezio in turn learned it from the instructor at Monteriggioni.

Though it could be interrupted, the sweep could be executed with either a short or long preparation time. The more force placed behind a sweep, the wider the arc it would affect. It was impossible to perform without standing still in an open fight.

Upon being executed, those caught in the sweep would trip and fall to the ground, while those behind were knocked over by a blow to the head. However, sweeping more than three times with the same long weapon would cause it to break.

Ezio about to throw a spear.

After the siege of Monteriggioni, Ezio's proficiency with a long weapon improved. His sweep attack would no longer trip guards, but would instead slit the throats of all enemies within range.

Additionally, Ezio learned a second special technique, which allowed him to throw a long weapon into an enemy from a distance.

Fragility

Though it would generally break through the guard of any other weapon, the heavy weapon's smash attack could be blocked with a long weapon. The defender would avoid all damage, but the parrying weapon would shatter into two.

When a long weapon was broken, the owner could still continue to wield the remaining half as either a bladed or blunt medium range weapon; depending on whether the haft or the head was used.

Alternatively, Ezio could counter as soon as the weapon broken, upon which he would stab both pieces into the attacker.

Attributes

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

Trivia

Combat

• Spears and halberds had the longest reach out of any other melee weapons in Assassin's Creed II, making them very effective at close quarters.
• Long weapons were more challenging to counter than any other weapon in Assassin's Creed II.
• The maximum combo length for long weapons was 3 hits.

Use

• An individual half of a long weapon could be kept in an empty weapon sheath for later use, however, it would vanish upon a save and reload.
• Seekers could more commonly be found wielding the spear than the halberd.
• Long weapons are one of the two main weapon types used by mercenaries.
• The Papal Staff was 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 was possible to wield the Papal Staff by either poisoning Rodrigo Borgia, or taking a heavy weapon from a Brute outside and performing the Heavy Weapon Disarm on him.
• During the Bonfire of the Vanities, one of Girolamo Savonarola's lieutenants, the Farmer, carried a Pitchfork, a unique long weapon. However, once he had been killed, it turned into a halberd.

Other

• The "Sweeper" achievement could be earned by sweeping five guards at once using a long weapon.
• It was possible for the player to carry a spear onto the rooftops in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood by using a lift, ladder, or throwing it at a rooftop guard.
• The "Strong Arm" achievement could be earned by throwing a heavy weapon, a long weapon, and a smoke bomb more than 10m at a guard.
• In Assassin's Creed II, two of the patrolling guards on the western side of the Cannaregio District carried halberds.

Gallery

• Two guards with long weapons.
  Two guards with long weapons.
• A Seeker attacking with a halberd.
  A Seeker attacking with a halberd.
• Ezio disarming a Seeker's spear.
  Ezio disarming a Seeker's spear.