Is a Pike a Long Spear?

Question

I am currently making a Tempest Cleric of Talos in 5th Edition D&D. While researching Talos on the Forgotten Realms Wikia, I read that his favored weapon is a lightning bolt and in a parenthetical it listed spears including Long, Short, Half and normal spears. Looking at the weapons available in the 5e PHB there is a lack of any kind of "spear" except the normal Spear. I know the information from that wikia isn't 5e but there's no 5e FR source for it yet so I am trying to make do.

Now a pike is, in fact, a blade at the end of a long stick making it a type of spear on technicality, but it is not used as a thrown weapon in the game (or even IRL, generally). Spears are shorter, lighter and can be thrown. My thought on Talos liking spears is that they are thrown because, presumably, he throws lightning bolts. However, I have chosen Dragonborn as the race (bronze for the lightning breath since I thought it fit the Tempest Cleric well) and I imagined this Dragonborn's clan using 2 handed "spears" for fighting.

While this is mostly a RP dilemma I am having (tho the extra damage and reach is nice from the pike) I am wondering if RAW has any mention on the Pike having "spear" status, i.e., is it in the spear family of weapons? Unlike the tools and adventuring gear there seems to be a lack of definitions for weapon types.

Answer 1

A pike is not a spear, nor a long spear. Similarly a long spear is not a pike. The weapon you are looking for is therefore not set as an option.

However if you look on the side you will see instructions on using katanas. Katanas have the same stats at longswords, yet clearly are not the same weapon.

Similarly in the improvised weapon section, it says that a DM can decide that an improvised weapon is the same stats as a preexisting weapon and use it accordingly. for example a tree branch as a greatclub.

Your best bet is to ask your GM which weapon a long spear is most similar to, and have your dragonborn use a long spear.

If your GM isn't sure, I would point out that the spear and trident have the same stats, and that a long spear is more like a pike than a trident (in size) and would heavily favor the spear using the pike stats with no modifications.

Answer 2

In definition terms: yes, absolutely a pike is a type of spear.

If you're just looking at the lore of Talos and what his favoured weapons are, if a longspear counts (which are generally not thrown either), then a pike probably falls within the set of weapons that count too.

Answer 3

This answer is going to have 3 parts.

First: The RAW answer with regards to type of weapon you are looking for. I referenced the monk class text for this as a rule since it specifically states that the important part of describing your weapon is functionality and then fitting it to an existing weapon in the table.

PHB page 78:

Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in chapter 5.

Second: Due to my first point above, it's important to establish what you want to do with your weapon. Do you enjoy the reach and damage of Pike? Would you prefer the versatility and thrown weapon capability of Spear? When you answer those questions, you can select which of the two suits your weapon better. Whichever it is, come up with a name for the new weapon, an accurate description of it, and run it all by your DM to ensure they're good with it. There's nothing really stopping you from taking a Pike's stats and calling it a Spear of Talos or something like that.

Third (this is just RPing from one gamer to another): Since this is for RP purposes, I would personally recommend going with the Pike as your main weapon, and investing in a few spears or javelins as backup weapons with a similar name to suit your character type. Perhaps name your pike weapon something like Acolyte's Spear. As for being capable of throwing lightning bolts, you can carry a few spears or javelins called Shards of Talos that are shaped like a pseudo lightning bolt and that you invest your spells into when you throw them.

Answer 4

In some previous edition books, Talos' weapon of faith was presented as any form of spear (half-spear, spear, or longspear).

So I guess that, if you just want the flavor, a regular spear will do :)