Rules: Dervish Dance and Tripping

[Malaqai]

Hello playgrounders, I'm helping a player build a Dancing Dervish Bard, and he's considering going the tripper route. The errata on Weapons Finesse reads: "Disarm, sunder, and trip are normally the only kinds of combat maneuvers in which you’re actually using a weapon to perform the maneuver, and therefore the weapon’s bonuses apply to the roll. If you're attempting a disarm, sunder, or trip maneuver, you can apply your Dex bonus instead of your Str mod on the combat maneuver check (assuming you're using a finessable weapon, of course)." Are non-trip weapons such as the scimitar actually used in the trip? Is the scimitar considered 'finessable' in this case?

[facelessminion]

The text itself says weapons are usable in trips, and weapon finesse allows you to use your dex modifier for trips. Dervish dance allows you to finesse scimitars. So, yes to both questions. :)

[Yanisa]

The text itself says weapons are usable in trips, and weapon finesse allows you to use your dex modifier for trips. Dervish dance allows you to finesse scimitars. So, yes to both questions. :)

Here, have some general rules to support your argument.

From the FAQ (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9nvd)

Trip Weapons: If you want to make a trip combat maneuver, do you have to use a weapon with the trip special feature?

No. When making a trip combat maneuver, you don't have to use a weapon with the trip special feature--you can use any weapon. For example, you can trip with a longsword or an unarmed strike, even though those weapons don't have the trip special feature.
Note that there is an advantage to using a weapon with the trip special feature (a.k.a. a "trip weapon") when making a trip combat maneuver: if your trip attack fails by 10 or more, you can drop the trip weapon instead of being knocked prone.

On a related note, you don't have to use a weapon with the disarm special feature (a.k.a. a "disarm weapon") when making a disarm combat maneuver--you can use any weapon.

From the rules
Combat Maneuver Bonus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Combat-Maneuver-Bonus)

When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus. Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver.

Ergo, other rules also support the idea of using Dervish Dance Scimitars like that.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Tripping with a Scimitar is legal, and in the case of this build you would get to use your Dex modifier instead of Str when calculating your CMB.

There's also a rather fun spell he could employ: Tripvine. Target a 10 foot section of rope/vine/similar object (I prefer wearing a long sash) and then toss it on the ground. It attacks anything entering a 10 foot square for 10 mins/level, making trip attempts with a CMB of caster level + 2.

Not great against bosses, but it's a fun spell if your GM likes to throw large waves of mooks at you. A door full of tripped baddies can be rather amusing.

[grarrrg]

As long as you are a DEX based Tripper, make sure to pick up the Fury's Fall (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/fury-s-fall-combat) feat and get DOUBLE DEX to Tripping.