Defense follows different rules than attack. In defense, you aren't trying to inflict wounds, you're trying to avoid them. Ending the fight quickly is paramount to this.

What? This is counter to most of what I know about conflict. Attack and defense are inseparable. Your goals include stopping the fight quickly with as high a reputation as possible at the end. Increasing your status is as important as not letting your status be reduced (except for small declining-utility effects). Making your attacker seem low-status to the audience (aka the territory under dispute) is absolutely a useful tactic.

In fact, as long as we're talking dark arts, seeking out weak attackers can make you look strong to some groups.