I'm not a scholar of this stuff so I could be wrong but isn't it right that rapiers and the like developed as a response to armor? That it made sense to try and poke your way into the helmet or under the armpits than bash your way through the armor?
Same goes for flanges on maces? Designed to crush the breastplate so the knight couldn't breathe?
Not the rapier, that was a weapon for civilians and not intended to fight against armor, but yes, plate armor prompted the development of weapons to defeat them, either by strong blunt force like with maces or by having a pointed weapon with a lot of leverage like halberds, polaxes and warhammers. Also small weapons like daggers were effective once the enemy way immobilized. Swords were generally not effective against plate, being more a generalist weapon which lacked the features to defeat plate armor. Thus while glorified they became backup weapons.
