Some dancers have adapted scimitars into graceful martial forms, and their dervish style is feared throughout the world its ability to devastate foes with a scimitar through motion and agility regardless of strength of arms.
The whirling dervish is an archetype of the dancer class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The whirling dervish mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and CHA for her class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Weapon Proficiency, Unarmed Strike. 2nd – Versatile Dance. 3rd – Beguiling Dance. 6th – Dancer’s Strike. 7th – Wearying Dance. 9th – Dance of the Floating Step. 11th – Frightful Dance. 13th – Dance of the Crushing Python. 19th – Dance of Death’s Embrace. 20th – Battle Fury.
Weapon Proficiency
The whirling dervish is only proficient with simple weapons and the scimitar.
This ability modifies the dancer’s starting weapon proficiencies.
Dervish Finesse (Ex)
At 1st level, a whirling dervish gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat with scimitars, and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats. This ability counts as having the Weapon Finesse feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites. She also treats a scimitar as a light “monk” melee weapon for the purposes of the class abilities that refer to such a weapon. In addition, the whirling dervish gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with scimitars. The bonus improves by +1 for every four dancer levels beyond 1st. She also treats a scimitar as an unarmed strike for the purposes of the class abilities that refer to such a weapon.
This ability replaces unarmed strike.
Dervish Flurry (Ex)
Starting at 2nd level, a whirling dervish can make a dervish flurry as a full-attack action. When doing so, a whirling dervish has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat when attacking with scimitars.
At 8th level, the whirling dervish gains use of the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat when using dervish flurry. At 15th level, she gains use of the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat when using dervish flurry.
This ability replaces versatile dance, dancer’s strike, and dance of the crushing python.
Dervish Dance (Ex)
At 3rd level, a whirling dervish can use her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier on melee damage rolls when using her dervish finesse. She counts as having the Dervish Dance feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites.
This ability replaces beguiling dance.
Dervish Defense (Ex)
At 7th level, a whirling dervish gains a +1 shield bonus to AC when wielding two scimitars. This bonus increases to +3 at 13th level. The shield bonus stacks with the bonus provided by the Two-Weapon Defense feat.
This ability replaces wearying dance.
Dance of Dawn (Ex)
At 9th level, whenever a whirling dervish is in conditions of dim light or brighter and hits with a melee attack while performing a battle dance, she can reflect the light off her blade into the eyes of her target. That opponent is blinded for 1 round. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the dancer’s level + her Dexterity modifier) negates this effect.
This ability replaces dance of the floating step.
Razor’s Kiss (Ex)
At 11th level, a whirling dervish can use her battle dance to improve her weapons’ critical range. All attacks she makes with scimitars are treated as though she had the Improved Critical feat.
This ability replaces frightful dance.
Dance of Mercy (Ex)
At 19th level, when a whirling dervish confirms a critical hit with a scimitar while performing a battle dance, in addition to the normal damage, she can inflict a deadly stab. The target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half of the dancer’s level + her Dexterity modifier) or take an amount of nonlethal damage equal to its current hit points + 1, as well as becomes paralyzed for 1 hour.
This ability replaces dance of death’s embrace.
Whirlwind Dance (Ex)
At 20th level, a whirling dervish can sweep through her opponents’ lines like a cyclone. As a full-round action while performing a battle dance, she can move up to her speed. She can make attacks against creatures with her reach during this movement, up to the number of attacks she’s entitled to with a full attack. Each attack is made at her highest attack bonus, and must target a different creature. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
This ability replaces battle fury.
