Help building a Fighter/Dervish Dancer Bard (Pathfinder Society)

[Silus]

So I'm working on my first Pathfinder Society character and I need a little help.

I want the end result to be a very capable, highly mobile fighter using a single handed Scimitar. I'd go directly into Bard, but I need the Dervish Dance feat to make it usable, and I need two ranks in Perform (Dance), which I can't get until at least lvl 2 in Bard.

So I'm going into fighter first, but I'm having trouble with the archetypes, trying to ind one that complements the Dervish Dancer archetype, along with some Feat suggestions (Not Weapon Finesse, as Dervish Dance will make it redundant).

Here's what I have so far:

Half-Elf

Str: 10
Dex: 17
Con: 12
Int: 12
Wis: 12
Cha: 15

Fighter lvl 1 (No archetype currently)

Assistance and direction pointing would be appreciated. I'm quite adamant on the Dervish Dancer Bard endgame and I'm not interested in changing it.

Edit: Looking at Whirlwind Attack, but I'm not sure how well it would work with a Dervish Dancer. I think Spring Attack and Wind Stance would be better though...20% concealment when I move and Dervish Dance allows for Full Attacks on the move.

Edit 2: Fun fact, with the trait "Performance Artist" from the Talder faction and the Skill Focus feat from the Half-Elf race, I have a +10 Perform (Dance - Ballet) mod. Yeah, been watching Princess Tutu.

[Durinthal]

(Not Weapon Finesse, as Dervish Dance will make it redundant).

It's a prerequisite (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/dervish-dance-combat) so there's no escaping it.

The earliest you can get Dervish Dance is at character level 2 if you take a level in fighter then (you can still put skill points in Perform as a fighter to qualify for the feat), but there's no reason you can't take bard for first level unless you really want the extra combat feat or some other level 2 fighter ability.

I recommend looking at grarrrg's thread on dipping into other classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230500) to see what you can get. Maybe Lore Warden (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/fighter/archetypes/paizo---fighter-archetypes/lore-warden) to make up for the lost skill points since you won't be using medium/heavy armor anyway? I think Gladiator (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/fighter/archetypes/paizo---fighter-archetypes/gladiator) is the only other archetype that gives you something special at first level without removing the bonus combat feat that you need.

Bard 1: Perform (Dance) 1 rank, Weapon Finesse
Bard 1/Fighter 1: Perform (Dance) 2 ranks, Dervish Dance
Bard 2/Fighter 1: any feat

Edit: I just noticed Dervish Dancer gets scimitar proficiency so this opens a new route!
On the other hand, you can also go full bard and take Dervish Dance at third level instead. You lose a feat but get the extra caster level and skill points and don't delay getting your other class abilities by a level.

Bard 1: Perform (Dance) 1 rank, Weapon Finesse
Bard 2: Perform (Dance) 2 ranks
Bard 3: Dervish Dance


Looking at Whirlwind Attack, but I'm not sure how well it would work with a Dervish Dancer. I think Spring Attack and Wind Stance would be better though...20% concealment when I move and Dervish Dance allows for Full Attacks on the move.
Spring Attack doesn't stack with any of the abilities as it's a full-round action and not a full attack.

Whirlwind Attack should worth with the Rain of Blows level 6 ability (i.e. one extra attack against an opponent within reach), but I'm not sure about Dance of Fury at level 12 (i.e. move + full bonus attack against multiple opponents). I'm assuming it wouldn't work, since that's what the Battle Fury capstone feature gives you at a much higher level.

I'm currently having fun playing a Dawnflower Dervish (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish); it's more built toward a traditional bard with fewer skirmisher-oriented abilities, but you still get the core battle dances (with double the bonus!), scimitar proficiency, and the Dervish Dance feat in exchange for other bard features. However, I'm starting to stall on which feats to take since Spring Attack doesn't seem all that great.

I imagine the two archetypes play similarly early on but Dervish Dancer will definitely outclass the Dawnflower Dervish as a skirmisher at higher levels. Maybe I'll try rebuilding my character with the other archetype to see how they compare.

[Silus]

It's a prerequisite (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/dervish-dance-combat) so there's no escaping it.

The earliest you can get Dervish Dance is at character level 2 if you take a level in fighter then (you can still put skill points in Perform as a fighter to qualify for the feat), but there's no reason you can't take bard for first level unless you really want the extra combat feat or some other level 2 fighter ability.


*Annoyed rage at own stupidity*

*Sigh* Well, I suppose levels in Fighter will have to do. And seeing as I'll likely retire the character at lvl 12 or so (Apparently the 13+ games are only at major conventions), I can dip into Fighter a little more than going full Bard.