I have been handgrinding even with a blade and still I was the one who was always invited for parties. It's not only about the 1-2-3-4-5 nuking... nuking really is boring. If you wanna have fun, i suggest you s/s. Pure or hybrid, you have a shield. The dmg difference between spear and sword is little, if the sword is good it's close to 0. And the difference in the defence is huge. I have almost always been the tank!!! at my parties. Yes, int being the tank along with bladers or even alone where there's no one else. It's also fun to KS mindless bots by KD all the time, good to have it when you see your party is fighting a PG and have a problem - KD gives the pt enough time to regenrate HP and heal.
For me s/s is pure fun, it's way safer (come on, even with the best dmg you lose so much time to go back to the spot when you die with spear xD), pretty good dmg and really helpfull.
Maybe i talk like this because i play it, but i have played bowers, glaviers and some wuros... and s/s is just my
And + you get the best fighting skill along with the coolest nukes - 2 in 1

You can't be bored with that....