Well, you're definitely going to want to pick up the whip-dagger or bladed whip or whatever it's called that Arbitrarity mentioned. I'm pretty sure it's in the Arms & Equipment Guide, and it'll actually allow you to, you know, deal lethal damage with the whip. (Note: the Lasher and other stuff may allow that, but I've not spent a lot of time learning about whips in D&D).

Also, Improved Disarm is basically necessary - I mean, what's cooler than knocking a guy's gun/knife/hat/whatever into the dirt from 20 feet away with a whip?