So Lancing is pretty darned sweet, guys.
You can actually
reach that Rathian's tail or
run that Quropeco through.
After killing Great Baggis for another Leader's Crest, a pain in the butt to get, I finally got my hands on an
Azure Crest. Pretty sweet weapon but the style of lancing is completely different from most classes with pretty nice positive points.
1. Guarding. No dodge rolling or decent moving speed while equipped. Lancing is mostly defending, the only time you'll be "dodging" is to back up a bit after poking a Barroth in the belly a few times to start repoking. You can move while guarding but make sure you're facing what's about to hit you. I've tested how strong this guard actually is and I took a rage mode Barroth charge head on with no damage taken. I'll test it out on a Rathian's fireball tomorrow. I expect it to work because I guarded a G. Ludroth's water spit attack several times. I may even attempt to take on Lagiacrus with it as well. Guarding is definitely what a lancer should be using a lot.
2. Charge. Got a monster far away? Charge it and run it through but make sure it's not going to hit you mid-charge as it does leave you open for attacks. Charge is also extremely useful online, where I had a lame LSer and a GSer attacking the same monster (R. Ludroth, Barroth, and Quropeco), which could have hit me and end up getting me killed. Instead, I waited for an opening, charged and repeated. Funnily enough, I ended up dealing in way more hits than they did and finishing Ludroth and Quro off myself.
The only negatives I think is the quick loss of sharpness (carrying around whetstones is very necessary) and the vulnerability when attacking groups of monsters like G. Jaggi and G. Baggi, maybe even Gigginox and its anoying Giggis. If you're going to take on G. Baggi with a lance, make sure you're wearing sleep-resistant armor like the G. Baggi set. You're going to be hit by the little Baggi a
lot. Personally, I would not even risk it and use another weapon.
Talking about virtual weapons is cool, yo.
Also, everyone online the rookie server has some sort of Ludroth armor piece on. It's driving me insane. Oh, and I finally hit HR 11. Wewt.