[proposal] Dervish Dance & Piranha Strike

DalkonCledwin · Jun 5, 2012

I would like to propose that the above named feats be added to the list of approved feats for Living Pathfinder. These feats do the following:

Dervish Dance said:
Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Weapon Finesse, Perform (Dance) 2 Ranks, Proficiency with Scimitars
Benefit When wielding a scimitar with one hand, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on melee attack and damage rolls. You treat the scimitar as a one-handed piercing weapon for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a duelist’s precise strike ability). The scimitar must be for a creature of your size. You cannot use this feat if you are carrying a weapon or shield in your off hand.
Source Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide

Piranha Strike said:
Prerequisites Weapon Finesse, Base Attack Bonus +1
Benefit When wielding a light weapon, you can choose to take a -1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (-50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and for every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by -1 and the bonus on damage rolls increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before the attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage. This feat cannot be used in conjunction with the Power Attack feat.
Source Pathfinder Companion: Sargava, the Lost Colony

I am particularly interested in Dervish Dance as I think it would be extremely useful to anyone who has aspirations of playing a Bladebound Magus, as this feat allows you to gain full advantage of a high dexterity but low strength score, something which is likely to be common amongst those with light armor, and who focus on Intelligence instead of Strength. I realize there is a general dislike of using things from the Inner Sea Worldguide, but it is my opinion that flavor that amounts to the following:

"You have learned to turn your speed into power, even with a heavier blade."

Does not make a sound argument against including this feat in the allowed features list just because it is in the campaign setting book for the Pathfinder Society Organized Play. Keep in mind that that book is also used for things not associated with the Organized Play...

The other reason is that Dervish Dance is one of the few ways I can think of that would allow for the flavor associated with what was once known as the Elvish Bladesinger Kit from the old school Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition, something that was at one time one of my favorite kits to play and which with the combination of Dervish Dance, and an Elven Bladebound Magus I think would be possible to replicate in Pathfinder.

As for Piranha Strike, I suppose that could arguably be accomplished simply by taking Power Attack, but it also has flavor of its own that makes it fit with the whole theme of the Bladedancer/Bladebound Magus...

GlassEye · Jun 5, 2012

Both of those feats have already been approved for LPF play here.

Qik · Jun 5, 2012

Worth noting, though, that Piranha Strike does not work with Dervish Dance, since a Scimitar is not a light weapon. So it's Power Attack or bust in that regard.

DalkonCledwin · Jun 6, 2012

Qik said:
Worth noting, though, that Piranha Strike does not work with Dervish Dance, since a Scimitar is not a light weapon. So it's Power Attack or bust in that regard.

With regard to that, the question I have is as far as the pre-requisites for Dervish Dance go, it says that one has to have proficiency with the scimitar and that they have to have the weapon finesse feat... is it possible to go ahead and get weapon finesse (scimitar) even though the scimitar is not a weapon of finesse, or does one have to go ahead and get the weapon finesse feat for a different weapon?

Qik · Jun 6, 2012

One doesn't specify a weapon with which to apply Weapon Finesse - taking the feat means you can finesse all finessable weapons.

DalkonCledwin · Jun 6, 2012

Qik said:
One doesn't specify a weapon with which to apply Weapon Finesse - taking the feat means you can finesse all finessable weapons.

Oh cool, I thought you had to specify a weapon XD

That makes it even easier...

Maidhc O Casain · Jun 6, 2012

DalkonCledwin said:
With regard to that, the question I have is as far as the pre-requisites for Dervish Dance go, it says that one has to have proficiency with the scimitar and that they have to have the weapon finesse feat... is it possible to go ahead and get weapon finesse (scimitar) even though the scimitar is not a weapon of finesse, or does one have to go ahead and get the weapon finesse feat for a different weapon?

Qik said:
One doesn't specify a weapon with which to apply Weapon Finesse - taking the feat means you can finesse all finessable weapons.

Just to make sure we're all on the same page - Dervish Dance doesn't make the Scimitar eligible for Weapon Finesse, or for any other ability that requires a light weapon. It does grant the same benefit as Weapon Finesse when using a Scimitar, then adds the use of DEX rather than STR for damage as well. The Scimitar is still a one-handed weapon, rather than a light weapon.

Qik · Jun 6, 2012

Right - so one cannot apply Dex to attack when using a scimitar until one has the Dervish Dance feat.

DalkonCledwin · Jun 6, 2012

Qik said:
Right - so one cannot apply Dex to attack when using a scimitar until one has the Dervish Dance feat.

I am completely aware of that. I was just trying to figure some things out here for future use. Though now I think I have a basic plan for what I am going to be doing.