Generally speaking, are the Pathfinder versions of Feats & Spells more powerful, less powerful, or variable in comparison to their 3.5Ed* counterparts?
Pathfinder, IMO, failed to adequately address Dex-based melee fighting.
Weapon Finesse still exists, but even if you take it, you need to take
another feat to use your Dex bonus in place of Strength for your Combat Maneuver Bonus (the generalized replacement modifier for Disarm, Grapple, and Sunder attempts).
There's no feat in the core to get a Dex bonus to damage; certain feats - most notably, Dervish Dance from the ... Arabian Nights-esque setting book whose name escapes - gets you Dex to attack, damage, and CMB (I think on the last) but only with a specific weapon (scimitar),
and it lets it count as a one-handed piercing weapon for class abilities that rely on it (like the Duelist class's).
It's kludgy, at best, and still an oversight, at worst.