"It can, aye, but so can any stout stick or pole," he said. "To use a lance in such a manner, however, is a mark of desperation and panic, or at the very least a lack of skill. Holding a polearm in such a way might save you from a single blow, or perhaps two, but the shaft of a polearm- especially one made from wood- is not meant to bear such strikes and will soon bend or break, leaving you without a proper weapon. Assuming you survive, you're then at an even greater disadvantage due to the lack of a proper weapon."

"A lancer's strength is in their power to attack. Succumbing to fear or an excess of caution robs them of that power and places them at a disadvantage. That is why courage and composure when facing an opponent, no matter how fearsome, is critical, and a hallmark of the lancer's art. And the lack of it is why I cannot yet call myself a true lancer."