Straight to the Point

Oerba Yun Fang is arguably the most determined character in Final Fantasy XIII. She’s stronger than Lightning, more stubborn than Snow, and has no time for trivialities. She doesn’t mince words with anyone and has a wild fearlessness that prevents her from backing down from a fight. Most weapons in Final Fantasy XIII have dual functions, and the spears used by Fang are no exception. Her double-bladed spear can split into a three-section staff, and her attacks are among the most powerful in the game. Although Final Fantasy XIII doesn’t have a job system, Fang’s fighting style and personality draw heavily from Dragoons. Her Highwind ability is a reference to previous Final Fantasy dragon knights and allows her to perform a powerful jump attack that results in an explosion of damage.

Gwendolyn is the Valkyrie princess of Ragnanival and the youngest daughter of Odin. She seeks approval from her father initially, but eventually discovers that there is more to life than being an obedient soldier. As a Valkyrie, Gwendolyn will bravely march into battle for any reason and is willing to lay her life on the line. Her crystal-tipped Psypher Spear was passed down to her from her sister. The weapon is able to create cyclones or release powerful energy bursts, and Gwendolyn’s trademark dive attack allows her to eliminate multiple enemies at a time. The spear can also make its user invisible and create shadow clones. The spear takes a while to master and Gwendolyn finds herself outmatched initially, but she evolves as the story progresses and defeats a number of powerful characters.

Lances are one of the four main weapon types in Fire Emblem, so there were no shortages of characters from the series that were considered for this list. Ephraim’s skills as a lance were unsurpassed by any other in his country. He was respected as the crown prince of Renais, and his struggle to rebuild his ravaged homeland after the war made him a trusted and honorable king. Ephraim is known for being candid and direct, and he seldom picks a fight that he can’t win. Lances are the most-used weapon discipline in Fire Emblem, and Nephenee or Seth could have easily been chosen for this list instead. In the end, I admired Ephraim’s determination and selfless nature. He understands that the decisions he makes affect more than his own life and is extremely protective of his comrades in battle.

Seong Mi-na’s weapon is known as a wol do, guan dao, naginata, or zanatou. It’s basically a blade on a stick and its close enough to a spear to be listed here. Mi-na grew up around weapons and chose the life of a warrior despite her father’s wishes. She hates being treated like a kid and takes pride in her abilities almost to the point of overconfidence, but she’s always looking for an opportunity to prove herself in battle. Her weapon is designed to maximize the space between her and her opponents, and Mi-na has a longer range than almost any other fighter in the series. Many of her attacks actually increase in strength in accordance to how far away Mi-na is, so she’s actively encouraged to fight from afar. Keeping her distance becomes second nature to Mi-na, and she’ll automatically jump back after some of her attack sequences.

Eric Lecarde was one of the first vampire hunters in the Castlevania series who didn’t arm himself with a whip. Alucard took notice of Eric’s abilities at a young age and saw his potential to vanquish evil in an era with no Belmonts. To help Eric nurture his abilities, Alucard entrusted him with a magical spear created for the purpose of defeating Dracula. Eric trained diligently with the Alucard Spear and considered it to be more versatile than the Vampire Killer whip which had been passed down by the Belmont clan. In addition to being a powerful weapon in its own right, Eric’s mastery of the Alucard Spear allowed him to use it like a pole in order to vault to greater heights. The Alucard Spear can also be found in the Sega Saturn version of Symphony of the Night, but not even Alucard himself can use the weapon as effectively as Eric Lecarde.

Judith was just nine when her village was destroyed in the Great War. She was traumatized by the events and began to withdraw from others, but Judith had a close bond with a dragon she had befriended as a child. Judith had a difficult time adapting to her new life after being rescued, and she became restless as a result. In time, Judith began developing weapons and became recognized as the “Dragon Rider” to those around her. Judith loves to be the center of attention, and the revealing outfits she wears are a perfect fit for her bold personality. She’s blissfully aware of the power she holds over men, and the female members of her group are jealous of her physique. Although she’s flirtatious and somewhat impulsive, Judith is a very composed when it comes to battle. Her friends are alarmed by how much Judith enjoys the prospect of a good fight.

Mai Natsume had a sheltered childhood and found it difficult to interact with others while she was growing up. She was raised to view others as potential enemies, and her spear is an appropriate weapon for a person who wants to keep their distance from everyone. Mai wields a spear called the “Gallia Sphyra: Outseal” that can potentially harm immortal beings and defeat the undead. As an added bonus, it can also heal Mai’s wounds simply by being held! Mai is an adept fighter who often transitions from dashing to attacking, and her spear punctuates her every move. She sometimes uses the spear like a javelin, but she never loses control of it and can even alter its trajectory mid-flight. She can also summon the spear whenever she needs it, so she never has to worry about misplacing it.

There are many spearmen in the Dynasty Warriors series, so narrowing down this selection was pretty difficult. Zhao Yun is arguably the most popular Dynasty Warriors character and the face of the franchise. As an active character who led a lone charge against thousands of soldiers, he was the perfect warrior to represent the series. Having said that, he’s not nearly as skilled as Lu Bu on the battlefield. Not only does Lu Bu have a more strategic mind, but he completely outmatches Zhao Yun in terms of raw power. With a halberd in hand, Lu Bu can cause earthquakes by smashing the ground or create cyclones of energy in front of him with his powerful slashes. Romance of the Three Kingdoms even refers to him as the mightiest warrior of his time. It’s not recommended to engage him directly in battle.

The Dragoon job class was introduced in Final Fantasy II and became one of the most iconic classes in the series. Dragoons wield various lances and spears and are defined by their trademark jumping abilities which allow them to descend from the air and impale their enemies with devastating blows. Of the dozens of Dragoons that have been featured in the Final Fantasy series, none is more notable than Kain. His father had commanded a company of Dragoons prior to his death, and Kain was determined to follow in his footsteps. His dragon-inspired armor makes him the most visually interesting Dragoon in the series, and his conflicted nature makes him one of the most compelling. Whether your fighting by his side as an ally or facing against him as a rival, his spears are guaranteed to make an appearance in battle.

Xaldin is the commander of the Dragoon Nobodies and demonstrates more control over his weapons than anyone else on this list. In Kingdom Hearts II, Xaldin aims to drain Beast of his hope and kindness by convincing him that Belle has betrayed him. With or without his weapons, he’s defined by his targeted and piercing blows. Xaldin fights with six lances that he conjures from the wind. He can wield three of them at once and controls the others by manipulating the air around him. The lances can be used to strike from a distance or spin around Xaldin as a form of defense. The lances can also be lined up to form a protective barrier. Xaldin can deal additional damage by leaping into the air prior to his attacks, and the lances can even be combined to form a giant hyrdra that fires whirlwinds from its mouth!