Look at this build I made:
https://tos.neet.tv/skill-planner#1113777ff.254a5a65.153545.112f3f415865.152a4a55
Reason why peltasta instead of sword3 is because of guardian for more evasion and also for block vs archers.
At this point, might as well just go Pelt-Hop. Sw2 not worth it.
Hop doesnt add much for PvP imo. U get stabbing and pierce, 2 attacks that suck for PvP and finestra, while good for PvE is not too helpful for PvP imo since you trade evasion for crit.
Restrain is gonna be good for dueling, which is what makes a PvP char imo. Dat 1v1. E-peen.
Pain barrier and concentrate upgrades are side bonuses but pain barrier is pretty solid for PvP.
But sure if you want a hybrid char then pelt hop makes sense.
But for me i would make a cleric before i make a pelt hop. By diluting your build too much you will regret it in the long run.
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Finestra also adds 10% to block, since you care about that. 17 evasion is almost nothing in a trade for 50 crit rate. You’ll get ~100 evasion from Guardian if you’re a dex build.
If you cared about dueling, you’d go Sw3. I don’t think anyone takes dueling seriously, though, it’s just something you do for fun when you’re sitting in Fedi.
Trust me, I know about Pain Barrier, I play a Sw3. But it seems like you want to stray from the normal build, so you might as well go Pelt-Hop. Aside from those builds, Sw2-Hop would be stronger than Sw2-Pelt. If you’re aiming to PvP, you have to look at the scope of larger battles in 5v5 and GvG, where your evasion won’t really help you vs any class except other Swordsman.
“By diluting your build too much you will regret it in the long run”. Well, yes, and if you were to follow that advice, you’d go Sw3. 
But in the end, the strength of PvP Swordie comes from Cata. Your first 2 circles are just preference.
Finestra 10% to block is nice, but it’s not 10% overall, only to the base amount.
Evasion is nice against swordsman and archer, and I mean like swordie sux against cleric and mage anyways so you always wanna go after those 2 classes (swordie and archer) first. No matter how much theorizing I do, I don’t see a win plan against cryo mage. Cryomancer has subzero shield that rapes swordie. Against cleric I’m not sure, but I’m guessing from other people’s posts that it’s a really tough fight as well.
For dueling I don’t think Sw3 is better than Sw2-Pelt to be honest. Sw2-Pelt has more evasion, has block. Sw3 has more stun chance and higher uptime on pain barrier. But TBH, restrain is taken for the slow, not so much the stun. The stun is nice but too short in duration to count on. Not to mention will be close to useless in GvG and battle arena if there is any oracle or PD.
But most important thing is swordie is gimped without pelt, in PvE, in PvP. I see tons of catas without pelt when I do missions and it’s just like UGH you could be so much better with a circle in PELT. But you wanna be the duel king, except you can’t since magic pwns you anyways lol.
Main drawback about this build is you can’t use 1 handed spear with shield until you get to dragoon. That’s why people don’t play this configuration, imo.
But when you reach to Dragoon, it’s game over. Well rounded in every aspect (for a swordsman).
Also you will be using Earth Wave more so I think it’s better to max Earth Wave instead of Doom Spike.
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Basically standard PvP Cata that trades off Sword C3 for Pelt. Not such a bad idea at first glance.
Swords C3
+5s Pain Barrier (powerful anti-CC)
+20% Restain (double chance; in PvP this percentage is actually less)
Pelt
+25% Block
Guardian (+18% Evasion)
Swash Buckling (best PvE aggro & +25% max HP)
Guard (for dungeons)
I have a Swords C3 Cata for PvP and Pelt-Hop-Cata for PvE. In PvP, you’d want as much anti-CC and CC as you can get. You are right that Block and Evasion will help a lot with physical classes. However, they are not gonna do anything when you get blasted by spells, which are dominant in PvP. That is the trade off for going Pelt/PvE utility.
Ya so its a tossup. But having played a pelt hop3 before i really think the block is an asset pve or pvp and wouldnt want to give that up.
The meta build is sw3 cata 3 but if you can make your sw2 pelt 1 cata 3 work i think it has the potential to become the new fotm pvp build…
Problem is I’m not too sure if restrain’s that good a spell even for the slow at sw2, and you don’t have any good dps skills. (no double slash, no stab or pierce from hop)
Pain barrier is always awesome though.
Good luck and be sure to let everyone know how you go.
To be fair stabbing and pierce are horrible pvp skills and from the wiki page, double slash as well.
But sure, if this build works out ill run a stream and challenge swordies and archers to 1v1 me.
for sure, but i mean your pve experience is gonna be even worse than a sw3 cata 3 because you’re stuck with little to know dps skills until you get cata 1.
Got lv5 bash and a lv148 pet. I am gonna be op.
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Need to rethink rank in pelt with the possible nerf to block but it will still be good against those high dex low str physical classes. Like haukinau lol.
Regardless of your decision Pelt will help you alot in pve so i think you can still pick it up.
Ya i think im gonna do it . I feel like swordie isnt complete without taunt and block.
If it doesnt work out in pvp i can try another class.
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Just hit peltasta.
Swordsman c1 was easy since r5 bash will roll heads.
Swordsman c2 wasn’t as easy since leveling gets slower but if you alternate between klaipedia and orsha quest lines you can get to next rank easily.
Just hit peltasta now, and the boost guardian gives to evasion is significant, as expected. And now I have a shield and I can block.
Leather mastery is only up to lv4 so far cuz limited funds (didn’t really transfer a lot of cash over, too much work).
Video: https://youtu.be/E3n6h13DjPw
Restrain is almost useless in PvE but I still use it whenever I encounter a challenging boss and/or mob pack. The way I look at it, 20% chance to stun and 12s slow will scale well in PvP and even into rank 8. Since they’re percentage modifiers.
And as I stated in the other topic, concentrate at lv10 is basically always on and very nice for early leveling. I don’t expect to have any trouble leveling until reaching cataphract.
-Restrain, I don’t think works on bosses + it has a 2min cd.
-Concentrate, it’s always good to have, if you max the attr its just a nice extra dmg buff without downsides.
Yea but sometimes they summon minions so i cast it just in case.
My concentrate is up to lv30 or so so far. It is great at low levels.
I’m assuming you are going 4/4 leather?
I think I see where this build is going, yeah ok I agree with losing Hoplite for pelt.
After thinking up some stuff yeah you have more evasion static wise so it may work. I’m curious as to how you distribute stat points, after all you need dex to + eva.
One thing I see is, 1/1 impaler. I really think impale should be higher since that’s one of your best PvP skill.
Also any reason why you took gaebulg 5 instead of Dragon Soar?
I personally like Dragon Soar cuz its fast and its a good follow up after Serp or other skills.
Nvm I found the link to ur stats.
Yes on 4/4 leather.
I’m not really sure on impaler and gae bulg to be honest. Impaler is good in PvP, but I dunno about taking points away from doom spike and earth wave.
Dragon soar I think is probably decent since you can move while you use it and the hitbox is about to be expanded, but fortunately a long way to dragoon so I can adjust depending on any buffs/nerfs incoming.