Actually, the Winter Forge doesn't require any resources to make stuff -- you just go back to your camp and ask the blacksmith to make something for you, and she does it.
Yeah, polearms would be pretty sweet. Personally, I'd like to see more armor choices than anything. Your options in the game are either big clunky metal armor or really weak, crummy looking leather armor.
I mean, platemail is one thing, but that dwarven armor looks pretty well made and not prone to all the jingling. I always cringe when my rogue is running around in armor that sounds like it'd alert everyone a mile away.