Duplex stainless steel (DSS) cladding offers an attractive solution for combining the corrosion resistance and strength of DSS with the low cost of mild steel substrates. This approach is highly relevant for industries such as chemical processing, marine engineering, and energy systems, where enhanced durability and reduced material costs are critical. A major challenge, however, is dilution at the clad-substrate interface, which can degrade the intended properties of the DSS overlay. This study investigates the influence of plasma transferred arc (PTA) cladding parameters on dilution and associated deposition characteristics. Systematic variation of current (150 A-170 A), wire feed rate (1.1 m/min-1.3 m/min) and travel speed (1.0 mm/s-2.5 mm/s) resulted in heat inputs between 1.39 KJ/mm and 3.94 kJ/mm, corresponding to dilution levels between 34% and 45%. Higher current and lower travel speed increased heat input, leading to deeper penetration (1.6 mm-3.9 mm) and wider beads (5.6 mm-11.5 mm). Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) across the clad-dilution region revealed progressive Fe enrichment from 58.6 wt% to 69.7 wt% with rising dilution, accompanied by Cr and Ni depletion from 29 wt% and 7 wt%, respectively (feedstock) to 18 wt%-21 wt% Cr and ~4.5 wt% Ni. Microhardness measurements exhibited limited variation (within ±10%) despite these compositional shifts, indicating that hardness does not directly reflect dilution. These results establish quantitative correlations between process parameters, dilution and composition, providing a framework for optimising PTA cladding conditions to achieve high-performance overlays on low-cost substrates.