They keep buffing spearmen as well. How about fixing 2 problems at once and just making Rufio the Gladiator that buffs spearmen? Make him the virion of spears.
As long as there's no resurrect or unit bonuses for spearmen, they are not going to see much use unless the get buffed to overpowered levels. And as long as melee heroes get insta-targeted and killed, morale boosting your entire enemy's army in the process, you can quadruple Rufio's power and he will still be bad.