I’m in the same point like you, i want to PvP focus but I’m looking for other builds and not the current meta of cata.
After researching and reading a great amount of post i think that probably the best way for a non mounted PvP class considering the next rank, its something like swordman c3 / peltasta c1 / corsair c2/ shinobi and corsair c3 or fencer c1 for rank 8, thats because :
-Swordman c3 is giving to you the best way for stun ( i know that PD counter it but 40% during 60 seconds is great) and also a great source of cc resistance with pain barrier ( more with the 20% increase in PvP of the new patch). Also in my opinion you don’t have to mutch good options in these ranks, atleast with a swordman.
-Peltasta c1 is the best way to have a huge boost in evasion and HP and because you will use always 2 weapons, you wont have problems with keeping the buff active. Other option is picking barbarian c1 for stuns and slash debuff, but since we have enough stun from restraint (and its countered with PD) and we don have to mutch sources of slash damage, i think its better to take peltasta to avoid the burst from the enemy.
-Corsair c2 : This grants you hexen dropper, and double weapon assault, good tools to have use of your restraint and burst the enemy. Also corsair will grant you some cc tools like iron hook and Dust Devil ( tomorrow with 1 more charge).
-Shinobi : I know that it has a lot of buggs, but they are buggs and they will be solved. Shinobi is the best way to join all the things you have in the other ranks, and use ur burst with bunshin and kunai. Also it will grant you stealth, a great tool in pvp (atleast in all mmorpgs is an amazing tool designed for that) , and you will be able to evade some damage with mokuton. In other words, shinobi makes you a glass canon ( with bunshin active you receive x5 damage), but it also is allowing you tu survive if you use your skills correctly, that, combined with some weapon swap with a shield, you will be able to survive in really dangerous situations after killing your first target.
After saying this , i must say that my concern is in the next ranks, not just rank 8, we know what we are going to receive in rank 8, but not in the others, and just knowing that I can say that we don’t have a lot of options with our builds, they are limiting us with the weapons and mount based previous ranks.
I think that in rank 8 our best options are corsair c3, that must be improved, or fencer c 1, that second option , in my opinion will make us to pick it in the next ranks to avoid a rainbow build without high level skills, making our hability kit less solid.
So for ranks 8,9 and 10 i’m considering going fencer c3 or corsair c3/fencer c1/ fencer c2. Atleast with the current information.
Finally, i’m considereing a high dex build due the amount of hits that this build can give to us, i think its better focus it in critical, but due the increase of str in swordmans ( 30% more on tomorow’s patch) i discard the full dex build, so i’m talking about 1 STR / 1CON / 2DEX.
I will apreciate all information, shared in this topic, and also every concern about my proposed build, i haven’t experienced with many swordman clases and i know that i can have huge mistakes, that’s just theorycraft.
Edit: After some more research, i can say that IMO probably with the next patch, taking barbarian c2 over swordman c2 and c3 its better. It provides better options of burst and masive cc with helm chopper and seism in team battle league (their cc skils are aoe), and the cd will be less than now. The problem is that you will be more weak to cc, but you are just loosing 9 seconds of pain barrier.
