In the first game you'd often be able to loot weapons besides swords(axes, maces et al) but they'd be useless as you couldn't use your witcher fighting styles with them and so damage was limited.

Here Geralt fights the same way(light andh heavy blows) with most weapons, so some of these additional weapons can actually be useful. Especially polearms. I found this out when I acquired the halberd and guisarme in the prologue.

-Both do more damage than any sword you can get at that time, plus they have useful bonuses like stun and knockdown.

-They also have a longer reach than any sword, which helps in fighting powerful and multiple opponents.

-Most importantly, I've found that they can damage(and stun/knock out) multiple opponents with one swing, whereas with swords you first need the 'Whirl' skill to do that.

Right now I'm in Flotsam with the halberd on Geralt's back, and I have a feeling I'll be using it until I get the Jagged Blade. Hehe.

The Shovel is especially fun just for the special kill scene you get with Geralt impaling his target with it.

A shirtless(+gloveless) Geralt with a polearm in hands, looks so deadly. Only issue is with glitches in certain cut-scenes...

You'll find a polearm class weapon in the prologue dungeons, one of them are encountered upon choosing to escape by the other route where you Geralt can witness an executioner torturing one of the La Valette's..with ah hot iron rod.

Actually, I believe I found the halberd sometime during the siege in the prologue.

Yes, the guisarme is found in the lower dungeons if you open the locked door and go down to where you see the Baroness getting tortured. Just keep pressing the medallion key in every room so you don't miss any crate or sack.

*Spoiler

It will be Aryan La Valette being tortured, if he survives the prequel episodes..

But they're weak against monsters.

Which totally makes sense, since they were specially made to wound or kill heavily armored human beings. ^^

I know, but a silver one would be useful against packs of Nekkars. :(

But...swinging a polearm would be slower than swinging an well made sword! and the Nekkers are damn fast (a backstab attack will kill Geralt outright in insane difficulty).

can someone send me a vid when to find the halberd?

i remember on my first playthrough i got it and i absolutely loved it until i got a better sword in act 2

i've searched and i searched i i didn't manage to find this weapon (dark difficulty playthrough)

so someone can help?

I believe you find the weapon on a rack as you climb out of the underground passageway and before you enter the courtyard of the la valette castle where you fight a bunch of enemies.

does playing on dark difficulty changes weapon locations?
i could swear i've scanned every nook and cranny

Are you playing with FCR 2? The guisarme in the dungeon was removed in that mod.

It is a somewhat unwieldy and unwitcherly weapon, but it has an excellent reach. Good for keeping riffraff out of your face.