How to better level up with a Spear/Katana build and which equipment special skills to search for?

I decided to proceed with a defensive (Tank) build, with main weapon Spear and 2nd weapon Katana, with an alternative 2nd weapon the axe.

My initial thought was to proceed on leveling all stats until 10 and then every 2 points I add to Strength to add 1 to Stamina and add 1 to Spirit. Is this the correct way to go for such a build?

Also which special skills or sets should I chase/prefer for this kind of build?

Note: This is my first souls-like game, so everything is a challenge.

Stats

• Body
• Stamina
• Spirit/ Magic

The main stat you’re going to want to focus on for a Spear build is Body, as it’ll directly affect your damage with the weapon. You’ll want to pump this stat up, which will continuously increase your output.

Stamina will be incredibly important if you’re going for a heavier build that can soak up damage. This way it’ll boost your life, and let you carry more weight, saving you from being over encumbered or too slow.

Focusing on Spirit will further boost the power of your Guardian Spirit, increasing the stat boosts it can give you and lengthening the time of your Living Weapon gauge. Onmyo Magic can also be a great addition to your repertoire, as it’ll let you enchant your Spear with an element to up damage even more. One particularly useful Magic charm that you can ready is the “Guardian Spirit Talisman.” This lets you summon your Spirit instantly to attack an enemy at range, and with the range of the Spear already you can set up a deadly combo.

Spear Skills

• Pole Kick is an easy skill that factors into your Mid stance combo. Your basic combo adds on an attack at the end if you hit triangle, that has your character grip the pole and stick it into the ground to deliver a spinning kick. This attack can hit any enemies around you and knock them back, giving you a moment to breath if you’re surrounded.

• Ki Pulse having enough Ki to dodge out of the way is critically important to all three of the stances, particularly Mid and Low. Pull off a couple jabs or a combo and pull off a Ki Pulse, and you should have enough of a window to make a nimble dodge.

• Flux gives you a recovery bonus if you change to another stance during a Ki Pulse

• Living Water grants you the ability to use Ki Pulses while dodging. The Spear can be adeptly used by dodging and landing a couple blows here and there

• Spear Stance Change if you’ll be using the High stance a lot, this skill is a given. If you’re in High stance and perform a stance change right when you use a Ki Pulse, nearby enemies will be knocked back. Since High stance attacks are slow, this give you room to land a high damage blow, then switch stances and have some breathing room.

• Windmill incredibly useful for crowd control. While guarding, you can hit triangle and your character will swing the Spear out in multiple wide arcs around him. This can bat back a group of enemies threatening to close in on you, giving you the moment you need to make an escape or launch an attack. It should be noted that the skill is used in High stance.

• Spear Shove can be a useful skill in Mid stance when you’re overwhelmed by an enemy. Like Windmill, you can hit the triangle button while guarding, but this time you’ll slam your enemy with the butt of your spear and stun them. If pulled off successfully, you can even launch into a combo.

Reference: Twinfinite "How to use a Spear build".