We've been covering the Dauntless for some time now, and the additions of new weapons are intoxicating. This time around the developers over at Phoenix Labs are making several changes to weapons and adding the War Pike – a polearm with some seriously exceptional stopping power.

Adding to the existing arsenal of Axes, Chain Blades, Swords and Hammers, the War Pike requires players walk the line between aggression and perfection to keep up their slashing-assaults long enough to build up the special meter, which is–and this is important–an aether cannon shot.

The War Pike's primary attack is a forward thrust, which can be chained into itself. Pressing left or right during a thrust will initiate a strafing attack that allows you to maintain pressure while avoiding damage. The weapons' second attack is a spinning-slashing attack that deals area of effect damage to multiple points on Behemoth.

In addition to these fresh attacks, the War Pike does not have combo inputs so much as it promotes flow from one attack to the next. Four primary or two secondary attacks initiate finishing moves which deal a significant amount of damage. If you're able to keep up your assault, your special meter will fill–but get damaged by a Behemoth and you'll lose it. When it does fill, however, you'll have the opportunity to fire a cannon shot who's power is determined by the amount of special when the ammo was created.

The Sharpen Your Skills update is also making changes to the other four weapon types in that they now deal a specific damage type by default. Be it blunt, piercing, or slashing, these damage types will change the way you bring down behemoths, encouraging weapon variety. Phoenix Labs has also added optional damage numbers for you min-maxers out there, as well as improvements to hit effects to make swinging your weapon more meaningful.

Duantless–the monster-slaying-free-to-play MMO– is currently in closed beta on PC and is looking to enter the open beta stage in early 2018. If you're interested in getting in on the hunt, you can read our preview of Dauntless here.