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Lance: You have disadvantage when you use a lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a lance requires two hands to wield when you aren’t mounted.

That's pretty straight forward, but, by "my player's" interpretation of the rules, the reason this is worded like this in the game mechanics is that a Lance unlike a Spear is designed to be used from horseback, would an Aasimar of the Protector variant which has a 30ft flying speed for 1 minute...

Radiant Soul: Starting at 3rd level, you can unleash the divine energy as an action. When you do so, your eyes glimmer and two luminous, ghost-like wings emerge from your back and you gain a flying speed of 30 feet. The transformation lasts for 1 min, and once on each of your turns you can deal extra radiant damage equal to your level, whenever you damage a creature with an attack or spell. You can cancel Radiant Soul with a bonus action, and cannot use it again until you take a long rest.

...Could the Aasimar's "flying speed" substitute the "mounted" requirement for the lance to be used one-handed?

(I guess that the Aarakocra natural flying speed or a "Fly" spell cast on any non-flying creature could have a similar effect).

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Flying does not equal Mounted

Being mounted is very different than flying. The Lance specifically requires you to be mounted in order to avoid the penalty for one-handed use. Mounts are covered in the PHB (page 155), and nowhere does it state that flying/swimming/walking yourself would ever qualify as a mount.

In order to be able to wield a Lance one-handed without disadvantage, you would need a legitimate mount that you are actively riding.

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    \$\begingroup\$ To add some fluffy explanation. Using a lance while mounted lets you 'couch' it. This is where you level the lance, tuck the butt of it under your armpit, and pin it to your side. Trying to hold a lance level to strike with it without this trick is an exercise in futility...and trying to run around on the ground with a lance held like this is an exercise in awkwardness. You can thrust from a couched position, driving your hand forward, then withdrawing the weapon back to couched before the weight of the lance drags it down. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 1, 2018 at 21:02
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No.

The rules1 are clear. You must be mounted to use a lance one-handed.

1Can a DM create a house rule and say otherwise? Sure... but that goes without saying.

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