Glad you liked it. And actually, those things you requested are already in the game, it was only a matter of experimenting more, and maybe finding the right tip notes on the floor.
You can parry attacks to stun enemies for a good while, shields even make a mention to this, as their only stat is Stagger on Parry. Pikes and other weapons with different ranges actually have a significantly different AoE, and you can easily kite enemies with it, specially together with kicking. Characters with higher AGI may also benefit from the classic hit and run backstepping to zone enemies out. Higher STR characters with stronger weapons also hitstun enemies for a longer period, but that rarely is enough to stunlock them on its own. Another good tip is that you can actually cancel any animation with dodges, making for some sick plays!
Discovering these small mechanics and tricks actually is my game's metaprogression!