I basically start with speed surge 2 and if i feel like the party is missing hits on the mob i will switch to Life surge to add the evasion down affect.. Speed surge is the bread and butter pre-buff of a lancer.. you basically get a haste stamina boost as well as hp drain per hit for the whole party.. As you fight harder mobs you will notice that the party absorbs less hp per hit.. this is unavoidable but if you think about it.. its the healers job to heal.. so i normally think of the hp drain as a reduction of damage taken from hits by the mob.. but thats basically just to convince myself that im doing something with speed surge besides just boosting my stamina regen.. Lancers are meant to make quick in battle decisions that can alter the outcome of a battle.. we are able to incap, battle regiment, as well as condition mobs in the favor of any battle strat. Lancers are an essential to every party