Tilla the Hun (work) said:
The question wasn't what could - but what was allowed by the dancing ability... did it restrict AoO's against or by the WD??... i.e. can a KS feated Dervish Dancing Whirling Dervish take an AoO during her dance?
No, I wasn't asking if a dervish can take an AoO during her dance (I just assumed that she could); I was asking does she have to take a 5' step after making an AoO before making her next attack. And just to be sure everyone knows the details of the dervish dance:
Dervish Dance (Ex): A dervish can become a whirling dancer of death a certain number of times per day. While in this dervish dance, she can make full attack action (for melee attacks only) and still move up to her speed. However, a dervish must move a minimum of 5 feet between each attack when using this ability, and she cannot return to a square she has just exited (though she may return to that square later during her full attack). The dervish is subject to attacks of opportunity while dancing, but may tumble normally as part of her move. A dervish prevented from completing her move is also prevented from finishing her full attack.
If a dervish wields a slashing weapon while in a dervish dance, she gains a bonus on her attack and damage rolls. This bonus is +1 at first level, and it increases by an extra +1 at ever odd-numbered level thereafter.
A dervish may only perform a dervish dance while wielding a slashing weapon (she may use a double weapon, or multiple weapons, only if both ends of the weapon or all weapons are of the slashing type). She cannot perform a dervish dance in any armor heavier than light or if she is using a shield. While dancing, a dervish cannot use any skills or abilities that involve concentration or require her to remain still, such as Move Silently, Hide, or Search. A dervish with bardic music ability can, however, sing while she dances, and a dervish can also use the Combat Expertise feat while in a dance. A dervish cannot perform a dervish dance while under the effect of a rage or frenzy ability.
A dervish can perform a dervish dance only once per encounter. A dervish dance lasts 1 round for every two ranks of Perform (dance) that the character has. At the end of a dervish dance, the character becomes fatigued for the duration of the encounter (unless she is a 9th-level dervish, at which point this limitation no longer applies).
It should be noted here that at 4th level the dervish gains the benefit of the cleave feat, but does not have to move 5' before making the extra attack.
Darklone said:
Nothing keeps a dervish from tumbling while "dancing" his dervish dance... single disadvantage: He might lose some of his attacks since he has to take a 5 ft step between two of his attacks...
Given that most characters can move 20' or 30', that's still 5 or 7 attacks (not counting the attacks granted by the cleave ability at 4th level), and her movement increases as she gains more levels.