Are you mayhap mixing up polearms and staffs?
Not that I was aware of staffs being DEX weapons ...
Possibly but I can tell you for sure I've never been at a table with a Brabarian or Fighter or any other STR focused class that opted to use a polearm. As far as I can tell polearms are largely dead weapons.
In (at least) one of the old editions polearms had a "doughnut" shaped "area of effect" - between 2,5 and 1,5 metres, enemies "in your face" being "safe".
The non-implementation of the "doughnut" made glaives OP in the Temple of Elemental Evil game.
