Atgeir for me is the best weapon. The spin attack is ridiciously overpowered and can stun Fuling berserkes and Lox! You don't need high skill levels to use it (actually I never bothered with skill levels), you just need to get the timing right.

It's extended range makes it the ideal weapon to fight mobs that you don't want to hit you. Well, mobs that are not much bigger than you anyway.

Atgeir, must have IMHO.

Edit: A bronze atgeir at lvl 4 is a serious weapon even for the plains! Hard to believe any other bronze weapon could do that.