I am currently having my swordmaster focused gameplay as a tank -Path of Vaul- and the remaining points I will go for path of Hoeth so I will have a little better AoE dmg.There are a lot other swordmasters that play two handed and Path of Hoeth and tell me not to play with a shield.From my point of view I think that you don't play a tank that way as you focus more for DPS so you can say at RvR that I did more dmg.But you get a lot more dmg than havong a shield.So from my PoV I think you leave the Dps to the other classes an you try get the attention from the others and make a snare so nobody escapes alive...
I would like to hear also other opinions for gameplay of swordmaster either PvP or PvE as I believe we can always become better even though we are so good players