It's far from as simple as Altair states it might be, and Nida gets that. But he won't argue against anything that could get him properly armed. A staff and a spear, is that really too much to ask?

"The cross guard is where the problem is presented, of course. It can't be made of wood. It has to be durable. If it snaps, I'm dead."

Plain and simple. When he was younger he tried for just a basic spear. More than a few things had run up it and forced him to pull off a quick and ill-advised spell, like a fire too close to his skin. His survival to his current age had as much to do with avoiding direct stabbing along the line of spears and more cutting. Well, that and a lot of luck and cure spells.

Still, if they could figure out a means to do it, he's not going to argue against a useful weapon.