Where Winds Meet PvP Tier List: Best PvP Builds

There is no official PvP tier list for Where Winds Meet. The two most recent ones are OnKamii's 1v1 list for Version 2.2 on the global server (September 19, 2026) and Game8's PvP list (September 3, 2026, made for Version 2.1). Both put Stonesplit - Strength and Silkbind - Jade in their top tier. OnKamii's single strongest pick is not an official path at all: he names Nameless Spear + Heavenwill Gauntlets the best pair in the game this patch.

Last checked: October 6, 2026. Version 2.2 changed no martial-art numbers; the last Arena balance changes came with Version 2.0 on July 23, 2026. Links to every list and patch note are under Sources.

The two PvP lists

OnKamii stresses that his is a global-server list: in his view the global version still lacks some catching Mystic Skills and patches that the Chinese server already has, which he says makes it easier to run away from some builds. He counts everything from T1 up as very strong, and keeps T0 for what feels unfair to play against. The top row of his T0 tier stays cut off on screen for the whole video, so the placements in that row are what he says aloud; they are marked * below.

Game8 gives S to builds that do their job very well overall, A to strong builds whose flaws show more or that are harder to play well, and B to builds with clear weaknesses. The two lists use different scales, so a T1 is not the same as an A.

PvP tier list: the ten official paths

* Said aloud in the video; the top row of his T0 tier is not visible on screen.

• Top tier on both lists: Stonesplit - Strength and Silkbind - Jade. Bamboocut - Kite is S on Game8's list and T0.5 on OnKamii's.
• T0 for OnKamii, A for Game8: Bamboocut - Wind and Bamboocut - Draught.
• S for Game8, T1 for OnKamii: Bellstrike - Splendor.
• Lowest on both lists: Silkbind - Deluge, the healer (T3 and B). Stonesplit - Might is T1 for OnKamii and B for Game8.

For PvE placements of the same paths, see the build tier list.

What OnKamii says about each path

Paraphrased from his video. These are his opinions as a high-rank player, not our test results.

• Stonesplit - Strength (T0*): his favorite pair and, he says, one of the three strongest in the game.
• Bamboocut - Wind (T0*): the second-best pair in the game. He points to the Version 2.0 change that cuts the Qi damage it takes when its attacks are deflected during Rodent Rampage, to the rope dart's passive damage, and to a rage mode it can keep cycling.
• Bamboocut - Draught (T0*): placed above Jade, but he says it is only overpowered for players with very low ping. He calls it the most ping-dependent pair in the game, with very fast combos and catching tools.
• Silkbind - Jade (T0*): in his view the fourth-strongest pair. He says it has never been nerfed and only struggles against Heavenwill Gauntlets.
• Bamboocut - Kite (T0.5): high damage, but it lacks the Nameless Spear's answer to Tenacity. His advice against it is to hold block, since only the gauntlet charge attack gets through.
• Bellstrike - Splendor (T1): up from T2 on his previous list. Its stun into Soaring Spin hits less hard now that the chestpiece's Arena damage reduction also works while you are controlled, but other combos still work. It asks you to stay close and parry well, and Heavenwill Gauntlets and twinblades are its hard matchups.
• Bellstrike - Umbra (T1): he calls its damage huge, but it burns a lot of stamina, and without catching Mystic Skills on the global server opponents can run away from it. He places it just behind Stonesplit - Might.
• Stonesplit - Might (T1): hard to break through its Tenacity and Super Armor, but opponents can run away and chip at it.
• Bamboocut - Dust (T1): annoying to fight because of its umbrella-throw mix-ups. He finds it a little weaker since Version 2.0, because the rope dart's charge now gives Tenacity only after 0.5 seconds and its unblockable throw now shows a warning flash.
• Silkbind - Deluge (T3): up from the lower tier it held on his previous list. He credits a big Soulshade Umbrella buff that lets healers weapon-swap into strong combos.

Mixed weapon pairs

You do not have to use an official pair, and OnKamii's top pick is a mixed one. The T0 mixed pairs on his list:

• Nameless Spear + Heavenwill Gauntlets: his number one pair this patch (said aloud).
• Heavenwill Gauntlets + Infernal Twinblades: he says it may be first or second, depending on who plays it.
• Heavenwill Gauntlets + Mortal Rope Dart.
• Infernal Twinblades + Nameless Sword: he calls it the fifth-best pair.

Heavenwill Gauntlets appear in seven pairs on his list, three of them in T0, and he says almost any weapon becomes very strong next to them. For an easier pair to win with, he suggests Thundercry Blade + Snowparting Blade (T0.5).

Mixed pairs that both PvP lists rank:

The double rope dart is the widest split: Game8 puts it in S, while OnKamii puts it in T3 and advises against it for ranked play.

Arena changes since July 2026

All of these come from the official Version 2.0 patch notes of July 23, 2026. The Version 2.1 and 2.2 patch notes made no Arena balance changes.

All weapons

• Sprinting without dodging first now adds a short delay before dash skills, and melee dash skills are faster.
• Consecutive deflections against fast multi-hit attacks trigger more reliably.
• A new server check sides with the defender: if they were in a dodge's invulnerability when a high-latency attacker's hit landed, the damage is negated.
• The chestpiece's Arena attunement damage reduction now also applies while you are under control effects, not only in Hit Stagger.
• Mystic Skills: Talon Strike and Yaksha Rush now break the guard of a target with Tenacity who is defending or deflecting, Guardian Palm reaches mobile targets more easily, and Serene Breeze now grants brief Super Armor.

Bellstrike paths

• Sword light attacks (stages 2 to 4) are faster; the spear's second light attack can be followed up sooner, and the last hit of its fourth light attack knocks back instead of up.
• Nameless Sword: Shadow Step's second dash deals no damage at startup, but tracks targets better and can be interrupted earlier.
• Strategic Sword: High Bleeding staggers for longer.
• Heavenquaker Spear: Drifting Thrust reaches its first charge tier sooner, and Tenacity now starts at that tier rather than immediately.

Bamboocut - Wind

• Infernal Twinblades: the light-attack count stored when you dodge now lasts 3 seconds instead of forever, and clears when you swap weapons.
• Addled Mind can be deflected at most 3 times in a row instead of 6.
• With both weapons equipped, each attack an opponent deflects during Rodent Rampage costs you 30% less Qi damage.
• Mortal Rope Dart: Bladebound Thread's kicks are faster and the last one knocks players back; Rodent's Resilience gives Tenacity 0.5 seconds into the charge instead of at once.

Bamboocut - Dust

• Everspring Umbrella: pressing Cyclone Waltz again mid-spin deals an instant hit, and Scarlet Spin staggers slightly more without a Perfect Catch.
• Unfettered Rope Dart: Burn and Bury can no longer be blocked and now shows a golden warning flash; Piercing Dart gives Tenacity 0.5 seconds into the charge.

Silkbind paths

• Inkwell Fan: Glow & Flow's charge now has two tiers, a quick short pull or the original range and timing.
• Vernal Umbrella: Spring Sorrow's hits no longer register late because of the attacker's latency.
• Soulshade Umbrella: its Hidden Sword attacks now match Nameless Sword or Strategic Sword, and with Panacea Fan equipped its charged skill becomes Hidden Sword - Dash.

Stonesplit paths

• Thundercry Blade: Avalanche Landslide and Stonebreaker pull targets in better, and Stonebreaker no longer knocks down someone who deflected it. With Drumbeat or Breakthrough active, Heavy Attack goes straight to its third strike, which also hits harder. Sunrush Gale slows the nearest target every 0.5 seconds and ends with a burst of speed. Charging Avalanche Landslide and Galecloud Cleave costs more Endurance.
• Stormbreaker Spear: Storm Roar's Drumbeat and damage reduction now require Thundercry Blade, and a successful defense restores less Battle Will without it.
• Snowparting Blade: dodging right after a successful deflection now has a short delay, and a latency bug that made Snowbreak Spring look like a teleport was fixed.

How to use this list

• Check your ping before picking Draught. OnKamii says it is only overpowered with very low ping.
• Want an easier pair? OnKamii suggests Thundercry Blade + Snowparting Blade (T0.5).
• Facing Kite? His advice is to hold block, since only the gauntlet charge attack breaks through.
• Playing Splendor? He says it asks you to stay in your opponent's face and parry well.

Arena modes, the current season and our PvP builds are collected on the Where Winds Meet PvP hub.

Sources

• OnKamii, 1v1 PvP tier list for Version 2.2 on the global server, published September 19, 2026
• Game8, Best Builds and Class Tier List (PvP tab), last updated September 3, 2026
• Official Version 2.0 patch notes (Arena changes of July 23, 2026)
• Official Version 2.1 patch notes
• Official Version 2.2 patch notes

Version history

• October 6, 2026: rewritten for Version 2.2. The page now compares two published PvP tier lists instead of ranking paths ourselves. We removed our earlier counter-matchup, team-composition and stat-priority tables because we could not point to a source for them.
• July 8, 2026: re-checked for Version 1.8.
• November 25, 2025: first published.