3.P Is there a simple way to make a dex focused polearm build

[Da Beast]

I kind of want to make a gestalt bard/paladin of Shelyn who fights as nimble battle dancer with a glaive. My DM is usually pretty cool about letting me house rule such things but I want to know what my official options are before resorting to that.

[nedz]

I'm not sure how you are getting around the alignment restriction for Bard and Paladin, but the same trick might allow you to dip a level of Warlock ? If so, grab Eldritch Glaive as your Invocation - now it's not a pole arm, but it is touch/reach. There is a long, and unresolved, debate as to whether you can use Power Attack with it though - but that should be fine for your character.

[Xerlith]

I'm not sure how you are getting around the alignment restriction for Bard and Paladin

Bard has no alignment restriction in PF. As for the initial question, check out the Path Of War Expanded material for third party support...

Alternatively - be a half-elf, take the ancestral weaponry alternate racial feature for proficiency with the Elven Branched Spear. Dexterity to damage should be then available by getting the Deadly Agility feat.

Alternatively-alternatively, there's the http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/spear-dancing-spiral-combat Spear Dancing Spiral. It would probably need a two level fighter dip to be workable. The feat investment is otherwise quite enormous.

[Da Beast]

I'm not sure how you are getting around the alignment restriction for Bard and Paladin, but the same trick might allow you to dip a level of Warlock ? If so, grab Eldritch Glaive as your Invocation - now it's not a pole arm, but it is touch/reach. There is a long, and unresolved, debate as to whether you can use Power Attack with it though - but that should be fine for your character.

I guess I should have specified paladin of freedom, though Xerlith pointed out pathfinder bards have no alignment restriction and I suppose the devoted performer feat is worth mentioning as well.

Thank you both for the replies!

Edit: looking at this Deadly agility feat, it doesn't allow for 1.5x ability mod to damage when using a two handed weapon, but unchained rogue has no such specification. Am I correct in assuming that UC rogue 3 would get me weapon finesse, a bonus feat as my lvl 2 talent, and 1.5x dex mod to damage?

[Aresneo]

The Weapons Masters handbook added an option for fighters to trade one of their weapon training choices to use weapon finesse with all weapons in the weapon group you choose with a previous weapon training. The Advanced Weapon Training feat lets you select one of them at 5th level. The problem with this solution is that it requires 5 levels in fighter, but it might be the only way to do a dex focused pole-arm build without house rules.

[Felyndiira]

Edit: looking at this Deadly agility feat, it doesn't allow for 1.5x ability mod to damage when using a two handed weapon, but unchained rogue has no such specification. Am I correct in assuming that UC rogue 3 would get me weapon finesse, a bonus feat as my lvl 2 talent, and 1.5x dex mod to damage?

You would be correct. Unchained Rogue does allow you to get 1.5x DEX to damage with its special version of Finesse while Deadly Agility does not.

If you go the Deadly Agility route, you will also need Polearm Dancer from PoW:Expanded, an Effortless Lace, or one of the early Piercing Thunder stances.

If you are using 3.5 rules, you can get multiple times DEX to damage using the Shadow Blade feat (assassin's stance is excellent), a 1 level Drow Fighter dip, and Deadly Agility.

[illyahr]

If you have a high Dexterity, you could take TWF and qualify for the 3.5 feat Haft Strike. It gives you an extra attack when using polearms. If you use a halberd, the Spinning Halberd feat would give you another attack.

EDIT: Haft Strike is Dragon Compendium and Spinning Halberd is from Complete Warrior.

[Da Beast]

With spear dancing do I need to enchant the pole of my glaive as its own weapon?

[Elxir_Breauer]

It's not considered a double weapon, but you wouldn't be striking with the striking end. Technically RAW: It's not a double weapon so you don't need to enchant the other end, and the ones on the main portion would work on both ends. Realistically, I'd say you treat it like a Quarterstaff on the other end and would then be able to enchant the haft as such, that's my own opinion on a houserule though so take it or leave it as you like.

[The Vagabond]

If you allow pathfinders Psionics, then a Soulknife is probably pretty decent. Maybe Soulknife into Metamind, but that's up to your DM. Either way, Mind Blade Finesse and Emulate Melee weapon will allow you to have a dex-focus. Reaching Blade will increase your reach by 10 feet with a polearm or similar.

[ghanjrho]

The Weapons Masters handbook added an option for fighters to trade one of their weapon training choices to use weapon finesse with all weapons in the weapon group you choose with a previous weapon training. The Advanced Weapon Training feat lets you select one of them at 5th level. The problem with this solution is that it requires 5 levels in fighter, but it might be the only way to do a dex focused pole-arm build without house rules.

Incorrect, Advanced Weapon Training requires you to already have Weapon Training. So level 9 for a standard fighter. Now, there is a (Combat) feat that allows you to take additional AWT options, but I don't think you can take it at level 5.

Beyond all that, the shortest way to use AWT is to go Weapon Master fighter, and grab the AWT feat at 4 (Weapon Masters have a specific exemption that lets them take the feat earlier and more often).

[Felyndiira]

Incorrect, Advanced Weapon Training requires you to already have Weapon Training. So level 9 for a standard fighter. Now, there is a (Combat) feat that allows you to take additional AWT options, but I don't think you can take it at level 5.

The advanced training feat only requires "Fighter Level 5" and "Weapon Training", so you can easily take it at level 5. It's only level 9 for the standard fighter if you don't want to spend additional feats on them.

[iDesu]

Path of War: Expanded has the feat Polearm Dancer which lets you apply weapon finesse. After that you can use Deadly Agility, from the original Path of War, to let you use Dex to damage instead of Str. Also if you wanted to use a shield then you could also take Pikeman's Training, also from Path of War: Expanded, to let you use a polearm one handed as long as you have a light or heavy shield in your other hand.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Take Combat Reflexes to make full use of your Dex on AoOs, and look into the Long Reach feat, from Unapproachable East, along with the aptitude enhancement, from ToB. That way you can get 5', 10', and 15' of reach, no matter what polearm you use. Combine with various ways to get additional reach (such as the extending property and the Inhuman Reach and Extended Reach feats), and you can get some pretty massive reach going for your regular attacks (less so for your AoOs, due to Long Reach's inability to be used between turns). 3.5's Improved Trip, Knockback, Knock-Down, Snap Kick, Improved Bull Rush, Shock Trooper, and dungeoncrasher fighter can get some pretty serious BFC and damage going for you, as well.

[ericgrau]

PF has a feat that gives dex to CMB for tripping and so-on. I've used it before but I forget the name.

Get a large reach, lots of AoOs, lots of attacks, and trip lots of foes.

[Felyndiira]

PF has a feat that gives dex to CMB for tripping and so-on. I've used it before but I forget the name.

Get a large reach, lots of AoOs, lots of attacks, and trip lots of foes.

Thanks to the FAQs, you only need Weapon Finesse to get DEX to CMB for disarm, trip, and sunder. You don't need Agile Maneuvers or Fury's Fall.