Build rankings
A mode-split ranking for all nine current Paths, using the July 24 Version 2.0 source table and official live-patch boundaries, with direct role answers instead of one universal winner.
Maintained byHeavenskiss
Current decision summary
Start with Bellstrike - Splendor when you want a complete default route. Pick Silkbind - Deluge for healing, Stonesplit - Might for tanking, Silkbind - Jade for ranged DPS, and Stonesplit - Strength or Bamboocut - Dust for modern PvE pressure. The July 24 source also places the new Bamboocut - Kite route in S for both PvE and PvP, but test the new Gauntlets loop before investing.
Burst DPS and control
Heavenwill Gauntlets + Skygrasp Rope Dart
The July 24 source grades the new Version 2.0 Path S in both modes. Rope Dart controls and prepares the opening; Gauntlets convert it into close-range burst. Treat exact investment advice as volatile while the route is new.
Mobile melee DPS
Snowparting Blade + Phalanxbane Blade
Smooth swaps, sustained pressure and strong burst. It rewards parries and Blade Momentum without giving up AoE or survivability.
Ranged setup into melee burst
Everspring Umbrella + Unfettered Rope Dart
Strong AoE, mobile burst and clean range changes. The main cost is timing: poor spacing or an interrupted burst wastes more than it does on simpler Paths.
Healer and sustain
Panacea Fan + Soulshade Umbrella
The best defined healer route and one of the safest ways to learn PvE. Low damage and mode-specific healing rules keep it from being a universal solo-speed choice.
Bleed DPS and PvP control
Strategic Sword + Heavenquaker Spear
Excellent spacing, DoT pressure and stance breaking in PvP. PvE damage is strong after setup, but short fights and missed Bleed maintenance reduce the payoff.
All-round melee DPS
Nameless Sword + Nameless Spear
A complete route from the default Martial Arts with mobility, ranged sword waves, control and burst. Endurance management and charged attacks raise the execution cost.
Ranged DPS and control
Vernal Umbrella + Inkwell Fan
The strongest natural ranged route for players who can manage spacing, air time and slower punishable actions. Aggressive opponents can collapse that comfort quickly.
Tank and frontline
Thundercry Blade + Stormbreaker Spear
The clearest tank route for multiplayer, with mitigation, taunt value, shields and wide heavy attacks. Slow movement and weak solo sustain are the tradeoffs.
Fast assassin pressure
Infernal Twinblades + Mortal Rope Dart
A PvP specialist with rapid burst and chase pressure. PvE is playable but punishes missed dodges, dropped strings and over-aggression more than the other natural pairs.
| Path and pair | Role | PvE | PvP | Why it lands there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboocut - KiteHeavenwill Gauntlets + Skygrasp Rope Dart | Burst DPS and control | S | S | The July 24 source grades the new Version 2.0 Path S in both modes. Rope Dart controls and prepares the opening; Gauntlets convert it into close-range burst. Treat exact investment advice as volatile while the route is new. |
| Stonesplit - StrengthSnowparting Blade + Phalanxbane Blade | Mobile melee DPS | S | S | Smooth swaps, sustained pressure and strong burst. It rewards parries and Blade Momentum without giving up AoE or survivability. |
| Bamboocut - DustEverspring Umbrella + Unfettered Rope Dart | Ranged setup into melee burst | S | A | Strong AoE, mobile burst and clean range changes. The main cost is timing: poor spacing or an interrupted burst wastes more than it does on simpler Paths. |
| Silkbind - DelugePanacea Fan + Soulshade Umbrella | Healer and sustain | S | B | The best defined healer route and one of the safest ways to learn PvE. Low damage and mode-specific healing rules keep it from being a universal solo-speed choice. |
| Bellstrike - UmbraStrategic Sword + Heavenquaker Spear | Bleed DPS and PvP control | A | A | Excellent spacing, DoT pressure and stance breaking in PvP. PvE damage is strong after setup, but short fights and missed Bleed maintenance reduce the payoff. |
| Bellstrike - SplendorNameless Sword + Nameless Spear | All-round melee DPS | S | S | A complete route from the default Martial Arts with mobility, ranged sword waves, control and burst. Endurance management and charged attacks raise the execution cost. |
| Silkbind - JadeVernal Umbrella + Inkwell Fan | Ranged DPS and control | A | S | The strongest natural ranged route for players who can manage spacing, air time and slower punishable actions. Aggressive opponents can collapse that comfort quickly. |
| Stonesplit - MightThundercry Blade + Stormbreaker Spear | Tank and frontline | S | B | The clearest tank route for multiplayer, with mitigation, taunt value, shields and wide heavy attacks. Slow movement and weak solo sustain are the tradeoffs. |
| Bamboocut - WindInfernal Twinblades + Mortal Rope Dart | Fast assassin pressure | B | A | A PvP specialist with rapid burst and chase pressure. PvE is playable but punishes missed dodges, dropped strings and over-aggression more than the other natural pairs. |
The grades above reproduce the source's July 24 summary table for the nine natural Paths. The row notes explain role and patch context; they do not convert support, tanking, burst, and control into an invented cross-role damage score.
Newest burst route to test
The July 24 snapshot places the new Gauntlets and Rope Dart Path in S for both modes, but a new Path deserves a trial before specialized spending.
Best first build with no difficult unlock
The default Sword and Spear already make a complete Path, so a new account can learn swapping, control, range and Endurance before chasing specialized gear.
Safest solo progression
Healing gives the most room to learn a boss. Choose the full Path for support or pair Fan with damage when clear speed matters more.
Best group healer
Panacea Fan and Soulshade Umbrella share a clear healing, resource and team-support job rather than competing for the same slot.
Best group tank
Stormbreaker Spear owns mitigation and taunt while Thundercry Blade adds heavy pressure and defensive counters.
Best ranged DPS
It has the most coherent natural pair for long-range pressure, control and projectile defense, provided the player protects spacing.
Best modern PvE melee route
The pair combines mobility, parry-led pressure, sustained damage and a heavier cash-out, and its core Inner Way received major May buffs.
Best PvP aggression
Choose Umbra for spacing, Bleed and control; choose Wind for chase, fast burst and relentless close-range pressure.
Best range-to-melee rotation
Everspring Umbrella creates ranged setup and AoE before Unfettered Rope Dart converts the opening into mobile burst.
Bamboocut - Kite
The official Version 2.0 announcement introduced Gauntlets and Bamboocut Kite as a flexible Gauntlets plus Rope Dart style. The July 24 patch history confirms the setup in the live client.
Stonesplit - Strength
The July 24 source places the pair in S for both modes. Version 2.0 also changed Steadfast Devotion and Snowparting Blade behavior, so older rotations need a fresh client test.
Bamboocut - Dust
The July 24 source keeps the pair at S for PvE and A for PvP. Version 2.0 improved Everspring Umbrella damage and Phantom Rally behavior.
Silkbind - Deluge
The July 24 source keeps its support job at S for PvE and B for PvP. Version 2.0 added a paired Panacea Fan and Soulshade Umbrella interaction.
Bellstrike - Umbra
The July 24 source grades the pair A in both modes. Version 2.0 changed Soul-Shaken, Wolfchaser's Art and Strategic Sword's DoT Qi damage.
Bellstrike - Splendor
The July 24 source places the default pair in S for both modes. Version 2.0 improved high-latency chaining and removed Sword Energy damage falloff against groups.
Silkbind - Jade
The July 24 source places the pair at A for PvE and S for PvP. The same-day official fix corrected two Silkbind - Jade Attunement descriptions.
Stonesplit - Might
The July 24 source keeps the frontline route at S for PvE and B for PvP. Version 2.0 changed Thundercry Blade scaling and Exquisite Scenery.
Bamboocut - Wind
The July 24 source grades the route B for PvE and A for PvP. Version 2.0 changed Twinblades chaining, Perfect Dodge buffs, and Mortal Rope Dart scaling.
A healer, tank, ranged controller and assassin do not share one success condition. Deluge is S for its PvE job while Wind is S for PvP pressure.
The S/A/B labels come from the source table updated July 24 for Version 2.0. The date stays visible because a balance patch can move the result.
The official Version 2.0 announcement and July 24 patch history confirm the new Path and current live boundary. The note beside each row identifies what changed without inventing a new grade.
A Path that assumes a Legendary Inner Way at a late breakthrough can feel very different on a new account. Rank the build you can equip, not the finished screenshot.
A theoretical S Path that drops stacks, misses charge windows or drains Endurance can perform below an A Path whose loop the player repeats cleanly.
The current Path Guide includes tutorials for practicing features and basic combos. Test the route there and on Boss Dummy before upgrading specialized gear or Inner Ways.
Open the Path guide for its natural pair, run the weapon-feel test, then choose the Inner Way that changes the main loop. Only after those three answers agree should gear tuning and Conversion enter the plan.
Question 01
There is no single winner across every job. In the July 24 source snapshot, Bamboocut - Kite, Bellstrike - Splendor and Stonesplit - Strength are S in both modes; Silkbind - Deluge remains the healer, Stonesplit - Might the tank, and Silkbind - Jade the ranged PvP route.
Question 02
The July 24 source grades Bamboocut - Kite, Bellstrike - Splendor, Bamboocut - Dust, Silkbind - Deluge, Stonesplit - Might and Stonesplit - Strength as S for PvE. They perform different jobs, so this is not a six-way damage ranking.
Question 03
The July 24 source grades Bamboocut - Kite, Bellstrike - Splendor, Silkbind - Jade and Stonesplit - Strength as S for PvP. Execution, owned Inner Way tiers and current Arena rules still decide whether that grade applies to your account.
Question 04
No. Its B grade in the July 24 source reflects execution risk and weaker comfort relative to the other listed builds, not inability to clear content. A player who maintains its pressure loop can outperform the label.
Question 05
Use it to narrow the role, then test the Path. A beginner usually benefits more from default Splendor, Deluge safety or a clear tank/healer job than from unlocking a high-ranked route whose timing feels wrong.
Question 06
The main table ranks the nine natural Paths because their synergy and role are easier to compare. Hybrids can be excellent when the second weapon adds a specific job such as healing, control, range or mitigation, but they require a separate test.
This is a dated, source-visible ranking. It is useful because the PvE/PvP grades and later changes are both shown. It should be rechecked after any new Path balance announcement, mode-rule change or major Inner Way rework.