Bellstrike - Splendor is a good PvP path in Version 2.2. OnKamii's 1v1 tier list moved the Nameless Sword with the Nameless Spear up from T2 to T1, below his T0 and T0.5 pairs, and Game8's PvP list rates the path S, its top grade. Game8 describes a patient mid-range game: you wait for the opponent to commit, catch them with Daunting Strike or Qiankun's Lock, punish, then step back out.
This page covers the PvP side of the path (also written Bell Strike Splendor). For the full build (Inner Ways, stats, PvE gear and the Sword Morph loop), see our Nameless Sword build. We have not tested it in the game ourselves; each source is named with its date, and the official changes come from the patch notes.
Last checked: October 11, 2026 (Version 2.2). The last official changes to this path's PvP came with Version 2.0 on July 23, 2026.
At a glance
| Bellstrike - Splendor in PvP | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Weapons | Nameless Sword and Nameless Spear |
| 1v1 tier list | T1, up from T2 on his previous list (OnKamii, September 19, 2026) |
| PvP tier list | S (Game8, September 3, 2026, Version 2.1) |
| Plan | Mid-range catches and short punishes, not long combos (Game8) |
| Main threats | The Heavenwill Gauntlets and dual blades (OnKamii) |
| Key Mystic Arts | Serene Breeze first, then Talon Strike and Cloud Steps (Game8) |
| PvP gear | Calmwaters on armor; Hawkwing on weapons and accessories is a common choice (Game8) |
Where it ranks in PvP
- OnKamii (1v1, Version 2.2, global server): T1, up from T2 on his previous list. He notes that the chestpiece Arena attunement now also cuts damage while a player is controlled, so the path's immobilize into Soaring Spin combo deals less than it used to, though it has other combos. He names the Heavenwill Gauntlets and dual blades as its counters, and says the pair suits players who fight up close and deflect well.
- Game8 (PvP, Version 2.1): S.
- Mixed pairs: three pairs that borrow one of its weapons rank higher with OnKamii. He calls Nameless Spear + Heavenwill Gauntlets the strongest pair this patch, puts Infernal Twinblades + Nameless Sword in T0 as his fifth-strongest, and places Strategic Sword + Nameless Spear in T0.5 (Game8 rates that one A). None of them is one of the ten official paths.
In PvE the path rates A with NPC Waifu and S with Game8; the Nameless Sword build explains why. Every path and the mixed pairs side by side: PvP Tier List. The Arena modes, the season and the rest of our PvP pages: all our Where Winds Meet PvP guides.
The Arena changes that shape it (Version 2.0)
The Version 2.0 patch notes changed these in the Arena on July 23, 2026:
- Shadow Step (Nameless Sword): the second dash no longer deals damage as it starts, but it tracks the target better and can be cancelled sooner.
- Sword light attacks: stages 2 to 4 are faster for every sword, and stages 2 and 3 can be cancelled sooner, so the chain links more reliably.
- Spear light attacks: the second light attack can be cancelled sooner, and the last hit of the fourth now knocks the opponent back instead of launching them.
- Chestpiece Arena attunement: its damage reduction used to work only while you were staggered; now it also works while you are controlled. That helps anyone who uses it, including the opponents you immobilize.
- Talon Strike now breaks the defense of an opponent who defends or deflects while protected by Tenacity, staggering them, and it pulls mobile targets better.
- Serene Breeze now gives brief Super Armor instead of Tenacity and control immunity.
Outside the Arena, the same patch removed the damage falloff when one Sword Energy hits several non-player enemies and made some Nameless Sword skills chain more smoothly at high latency in online boss fights. Version 2.1 did not change the path, and Version 2.2 only corrected the description of a Nameless Sword effect; the patch notes say the effect itself did not change.
How to play it in PvP
These tips are Game8's, updated for Version 2.0; two of them match the official changes above.
- Hold mid-range and react. Let the opponent overcommit, then open with Daunting Strike or Qiankun's Lock.
- Use Qiankun's Lock when they commit to an attack or become predictable. Its immobilize is your best punish window. Let it finish applying its effects before you deflect-cancel its recovery, or you waste the setup.
- Open with one Daunting Strike from mid-range. Its first hit is your catch; when it whiffs or gets blocked, Shadow Step away and start over.
- Don't fire Vagrant Sword from a predictable distance. An opponent who expects the charged Sword Energy can simply deflect it, so save it for moments when they can't answer: right after an immobilize or a stagger, when their Qi is low, or while they are busy defending against something else.
- Keep the punish short. Once Qiankun's Lock has landed, follow with Dragon's Breath or a few spear hits, and save the longer Storm Dance for when they have no way out.
- Use Talon Strike on defenders. It breaks the guard of opponents who defend or deflect behind Tenacity.
- Break out with Serene Breeze, then disengage or use a protected action so they cannot restart the same combo.
- Stop when they use Serene Breeze. Get ready to dodge their reply instead of hitting into their Super Armor.
- Keep Endurance for a Perfect Dodge. The build is easy to punish once its Endurance is empty.
- Vary your approach. Cloud Steps and Soaring Spin are situational openers; used every time, they are easy to block or counter.
- Reset after an escape. Don't chase with a long combo. Step back out to mid-range until Daunting Strike, Qiankun's Lock or your defensive skills are ready again.
Inner Ways, Mystic Arts and gear (Game8)
- Inner Ways for 1v1: Sword Morph, Morale Chant, Fury Harvest (a chance of bonus Vitality for more Mystic Skills) and Evasive Charge (a chance to get your Endurance back after a Perfect Dodge). Game8 would keep Sword Morph for players who lean on Vagrant Sword or have raised it to Tier 6. If your Vagrant Sword shots keep getting deflected and your Sword Morph is still low-level, use the slot for another PvP pick until it grows.
- Mystic Arts: Serene Breeze is the most important one. Talon Strike counts for more since Version 2.0. Cloud Steps closes distance but is easy to punish when predictable. Dragon's Breath and Drunken Poet add burst after a catch, and Soaring Spin is another approach that also cuts the target's healing for a few seconds. Depending on the opponent, Game8 also suggests Leaping Toad, Wolflike Frenzy, Golden Body or Ghostly Steps.
- Sets: Calmwaters on armor for 1v1, because Perfect Dodges can restore HP and Endurance. Game8 adds that many PvP players run Hawkwing on weapons and accessories, since its bonus needs no special setup. For dedicated PvP gear, take Damage Boost against Players on the greaves and bracer.
- Arena attunements: Game8 calls the disc effect the most important one for this path. Its cooldown cut does not stack with a second cooldown attunement beyond the disc's four seconds, so take the helmet's Tenacity effect instead.
| Gear slot | Game8's Arena attunement |
|---|---|
| Sword | Land a Defense Counter Skill on an opponent who isn't defending, and your direct hits add Qi damage for as long as they stay staggered or controlled |
| Spear | A different attack effect from the sword's; the execution effect that restores Vitality and raises Mystic Skill damage is a useful second choice |
| Disc | Qiankun's Lock hits shorten your Break Control Skill's cooldown and restore Qi |
| Pendant | Vagrant Sword's Sword Energy hitting a non-defending target restores Endurance and deals bonus damage |
| Helmet | Tenacity after the Super Armor from a control-removing skill ends |
| Chestpiece | Damage reduction while you are being hit or are under control |
| Greaves | Endurance back after a dodge, and free dodges for a moment |
| Bracer | Qi back after a successful deflect |
Sources
- Game8, Nameless Spear and Nameless Sword build, last updated September 3, 2026 (PvP tips updated for Version 2.0 on August 3, 2026)
- OnKamii, 1v1 PvP tier list for Version 2.2 on the global server, published September 19, 2026
- Game8, Best Builds and Class Tier List, last updated September 3, 2026
- NPC Waifu, PvE tier list video, published September 19, 2026
- Official patch notes: Version 2.0 (first posted July 22, 2026; Arena changes of July 23) and Version 2.2 (September 16, 2026)
Version history
- October 11, 2026: rewritten for Version 2.2 with the PvP tier lists, the official Arena changes and Game8's PvP setup. The old Mental Methods and Strange Arts tables, stat targets, matchup table, team plan and progression path had no sources and are gone.
- November 25, 2025: first published.
