[PF] Dawnflower Dervish bard advice

[radionausea]

So I'm building a Dawnflower Dervish Bard, also taking the Soundstriker archetype.

At level one he is:

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Azata-Blooded Aasimar (Musetouched) Bard (Dawnflower Dervish, Sound Striker) 1
NG Medium Outsider (native)
Init +6; Senses Darkvision; Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +6 Dex)
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +2; +2 vs. death, energy drain, negative energy, or necromancy spells
Resist negative energy 5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Scimitar +6 (1d6+6/18-20/x2)
Special Attacks Bardic Performance (standard action) (12 rounds/day, Bardic Performance: Countersong, Bardic Performance: Distraction, Bardic Performance: Fascinate (1 targets) (DC 15), Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +2
Bard (Dawnflower Dervish, Sound Striker) Spells Known (CL 1, +1 melee touch, +6 ranged touch):
1 (3/day) Cause Fear (DC 16), Grease (DC 16)
0 (at will) Ghost Sound (DC 15), Detect Magic, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation (DC 15)
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 17
Feats Bard Weapon Proficiencies, Dervish Dance, Power Attack -1/+2
Traits Blade of Mercy, Maestro of the Society
Skills Diplomacy +11, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +4, Perform (dance) +11, Sense Motive +4, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Celestial, Common, Infernal, Kelish
SQ Battle Dance (move action), Deathless Spirit
Combat Gear Leather armor, Scimitar;
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Special Abilities
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Bardic Performance (standard action) (12 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Bardic Performance: Countersong (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sound.
Bardic Performance: Distraction (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sight.
Bardic Performance: Fascinate (1 targets) (DC 15) (Su) One or more creatures becomes fascinated with you.
Battle Dance (move action) A Dawnflower dervish is trained in the use of the Perform skill, especially dance, to create magical effects on himself...
Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +2 (Su) Morale bonus on some saving throws, attack and damage rolls.
Blade of Mercy No penalty when inflicting nonlethal damage with a slashing weapon, +1 to nonlethal damage inflicted with a slashing weapon.
Damage Resistance, Negative Energy (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Negative Energy attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deathless Spirit +2 saves vs death, necromancy, and negative energy effects, and don't lose hp from negative levels.
Dervish Dance Use Dex modifier instead of Str modifier with scimitar
Maestro of the Society +3 rounds of  Bardic Performance  a day.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.

As I'm going to be an Aasimar I was thinking of taking the 1/2 level to a performance and apply it to Inspire Courage. If I stick as a straight bard that would give me an additional +4 on my Battle Dance for a +12 total.  Even if I dip it'll get me an additional +2 and I'd switch over to HP favoured bonus after getting it.

feats wise what's recommended? 

Crane Style/Wing seem no brainers.  I've taken Blade of Mercy so I can take Enforcer later on. Arcane Strike probably. That's not many feats used up.

Spells: Haste, Good Hope, Heroics. Any other particularly amazing ones for a battle bard?

Would a dip into Fighter/Unarmed fighter for 2 levels or so be worth it so I can nab Crane Wing quicker?

I have Weird Words for ranged attacks so don't need to worry about that (we, like sensible people, allow all the words to apply to the same target)

So, what to do, what to do?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Sounds good.  Blade of Mercy + Enforcer is a great combo, the FC option to inspire courage  is good if the DM lets you go beyond the +4 (+8 for you) ceiling that RAW imposes as if you had bard levels beyond 20.  You might want to start with Enforcer.  Both it and PA are very good, but likely wasted on 1st level enemies given their hp and your d6+6 damage...

Dipping for Crane Wing faster is better in the short term, but a terrible waste in the long term.  Really depends how high a level you expect to reach.  Note Unarmed Fighter will "only" save you 2 feats; you'll still need to wait till you qualify for Crane Wing.  MoMS Monk will save you 2 feats AND let you get Crane Wing super early (works like this: take Dodge, next odd level go into MoMS Monk to gain IUS...you can thus take Crane Style w/ your general feat and Crane Wing w/ your monk bonus feat), but...you will hurt your BAB.
Just noting that Unarmed Fighter, other than the delay needing all 4 feats may cause, doesn't actually get you Crane Wing any sooner.

Human is still tempting for the bonus feat (Crane Wing costs FOUR to get!) and FC option of bonus spells known, but azata-blooded is definitely also a strong choice.

For spells, Blistering Invective fits thematically with worshipping the sun goddess and synergizes with your Intimidate buffing.

For feats, from Ult. Combat:

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Discordant Voice
By singing out a precise tone, you cause discordant vibrations to run through allies' weapons.

Prerequisites: Bardic performance class feature, Perform (oratory or sing) 10 ranks.

Benefit: Whenever you are using bardic performance to create a spell-like or supernatural effect, allies within 30 feet of you deal an extra 1d6 points of sonic damage with successful weapon attacks. This damage stacks with other energy damage a weapon might deal. Projectile weapons bestow this extra damage on their ammunition, but the extra damage is dealt only if the projectile hits a target within 30 feet of you.

Seems like a no-brainer choice to me.  Also, Imp. Crit if not getting a keen weapon.  Arcane Strike is ok if you're not using the swift actions, you might want weapon focus before it.

If you keep Versatile Performance, consider Savant as your 2nd trait instead of Maestro.  +2 on one perform skill, which would then apply for using it w/ the two skills that perform replaces thanks to VP, so it's kind of nice like that.  Note one of those skills can be Intimidate if you pick the right VP (just put in 1 rank in Intimidate for Enforcer, then abandon it).

[radionausea]

Thanks, I do keep versatile performance.  I had planned to take it in dance for fly and acrobatics but at second level perform: comedy for buff and intimidate is likely going to serve me better.

Will swap around power attack and enforcer too (especially as I don't actually qualify for PA yet...).

Rough progression:
Bard5/UA Fighter2/BardX

1(Bard) Enforcer
3(Bard) Power Attack
5(Eldritch Heritage: Arcane)
6(Fighter, Unarm) Imp. Unarmed Strike, Crane Style
7(Fighter, Unarm) Dodge, Crane Wing
9(Bard) Improved Familiar (Inevitable Arbiter)
11(Bard) Discordant Voice
13(Bard) Arcane Strike

Versatile Performances: 2: Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), 6: Dance (Fly, Acrobatics)

We have Celestial available as a flat armour enhancement that costs 20,000gp granting +6max dex, -2ACP, -15%ASF, Counts as one armour class lighter.  So as soon as possible I'll be getting Mithral, Celestial Kikko Armour.

Full stat block

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Betzalel
Azata-Blooded Aasimar (Musetouched) Bard (Dawnflower Dervish, Sound Striker) 11 Fighter (Unarmed Fighter) 2
NG Medium Outsider (native)
Init +10; Senses Darkvision; Perception +20
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Defense
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AC 33, touch 24, flat-footed 22 (+9 armor, +10 Dex, +3 deflection, +1 dodge)
hp 110 (2d10+11d8+39)
Fort +12, Ref +20, Will +10; +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependant effects, +2 vs. death, energy drain, negative energy, or necromancy spells, +1 vs. exhausted, fatigued, staggered, or temporary penalties to ability scores
Defensive Abilities Harsh Training +1; Resist negative energy 5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +3 Keen Scimitar +26/+21 (1d6+25/15-20/x2) and
. . Unarmed strike +14/+9 (1d3+13/x2)
Special Attacks Bardic Performance (move action) (31 rounds/day), Bardic Performance: Countersong, Bardic Performance: Distraction, Bardic Performance: Fascinate (4 targets) (DC 22), Bardic Performance: Inspire Courage +3, Bardic Performance: Inspire Greatness (1 allies), Bardic Performance: Weird Words (10 attacks @ 1d8+, Bardic Performance: Wordstrike (1d4+11), Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +6, Battle Dance: Inspire Greatness
Bard (Dawnflower Dervish, Sound Striker) Spells Known (CL 11, +14 melee touch, +26 ranged touch):
4 (3/day) Shadow Conjuration (DC 21), Freedom of Movement (DC 21), Dominate Person (DC 21)
3 (6/day) Good Hope, Haste (DC 20), Charm Monster (DC 20), Confusion (DC 20)
2 (6/day) Mirror Image, Silence (DC 19), Shatter (DC 19), Glitterdust, Blistering Invective
1 (7/day) Silent Image (DC 18), Cause Fear (DC 18), Grease (DC 18), Charm Person (DC 18), Cure Light Wounds (DC 18), Feather Step (DC 18)
0 (at will) Read Magic, Ghost Sound (DC 17), Detect Magic, Mending, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation (DC 17)
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 25/31, Con 14/16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20/24
Base Atk +10; CMB +11; CMD 35
Feats Arcane Strike, Bard Weapon Proficiencies, Crane Style, Crane Wing, Dervish Dance, Discordant Voice, Dodge, Eldritch Heritage, Enforcer, Improved Familiar, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack -3/+6
Traits Blade of Mercy, Savant (Perform [comedy])
Skills Acrobatics +23, Bluff +27, Diplomacy +25, Disguise +11, Fly +23, Intimidate +27, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +15, Perception +20, Perform (comedy) +27, Perform (dance) +23, Perform (sing) +22, Sense Motive +22, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +14, Use Magic Device +23
Languages Celestial, Common, Infernal, Kelish
SQ Arcane, Arcane Familiar Nearby, Battle Dance (swift action), Deathless Spirit, Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar, Empathic Link with Familiar, Jack of All Trades: Trained skills, Mediative Whirl (2/day), Share Spells with Familiar, Speak With Familiar, Spinning Spellcaster, Versatile Comedy +27, Versatile Dance +23, Versatile Singing +22, Well Versed
Combat Gear +3 Keen Scimitar, Kikko Armor, Celestial, Mithral, +4; Other Gear Belt of mighty constitution +2, Gloves of Incredible Dexterity, +6, Headband of alluring charisma +4, Ring of protection +3, Vest of resistance +3
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Special Abilities
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Arcane When a spell level is increased by a metamagic feat, it gains +1 DC.
Arcane Familiar Nearby You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Bardic Performance (move action) (31 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Bardic Performance: Countersong (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sound.
Bardic Performance: Distraction (Su) Counter magical effects that depend on sight.
Bardic Performance: Fascinate (4 targets) (DC 22) (Su) One or more creatures becomes fascinated with you.
Bardic Performance: Inspire Greatness (1 allies) (Su) Grants allies 2 bonus hit dice, +2 to attacks and +1 to fort saves.
Bardic Performance: Weird Words (10 attacks @ 1d8+7 each) (DC 22) (Su) Standard (can't reduce), ranged touch for sonic dam to targets in 30 ft (Fort ½).
Bardic Performance: Wordstrike (1d4+11) (Su) Standard (can't reduce), sonic dam to object, living creature takes half.
Battle Dance (swift action) A Dawnflower dervish is trained in the use of the Perform skill, especially dance, to create magical effects on himself. This works like bardic performance, except that the Dawnflower dervish’s performances grant double their normal bonuses...
Battle Dance: Inspire Courage +8 (Su) Morale bonus on some saving throws, attack and damage rolls.
Battle Dance: Inspire Greatness (Su) Grants self 4 bonus hit dice, +4 to attacks and +2 to Fort saves.
Blade of Mercy No penalty when inflicting nonlethal damage with a slashing weapon, +1 to nonlethal damage inflicted with a slashing weapon.
Crane Style Take -2 penalty when fighting defensively
Crane Wing May deflect one attack per round while fighting defensively or using total defense
Damage Resistance, Negative Energy (5) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Negative Energy attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deathless Spirit +2 saves vs death, necromancy, and negative energy effects, and don't lose hp from negative levels.
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Dervish Dance Use Dex modifier instead of Str modifier with scimitar
Discordant Voice When using bardic performance, allies deal 1d6 extra sonic damage
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Enforcer If you deal nonlethal damage with a melee weapon, make a free Intimidate check to demoralize.
Harsh Training +1 (Ex) +1 Will save vs. effects that cause exhausted, fatigued, or staggered conditions or temporary penalties to ability scores
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Jack of All Trades: Trained skills (Ex) You may use all skills untrained.
Mediative Whirl (2/day) (Ex) Quicken a cure spell as a move action.
Power Attack -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Savant (Perform [comedy]) You gain a +2 trait bonus on all Perform checks made using that performance type. Perform is always a class skill for you.
Share Spells with Familiar The wizard may cast a spell with a target of "You" on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar's type (magical beast).
Speak With Familiar (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your familiar.
Spinning Spellcaster (Ex) +4 bonus on concentration checks to cast spells defensively.
Versatile Comedy +27 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Comedy skill for Bluff or Intimidate checks
Versatile Dance +23 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Dance skill for Acrobatics or Fly checks
Versatile Singing +22 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Sing skill for Bluff or Sense Motive checks
Well Versed (Ex) +4 save vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects

Improved Familiar: Arbiter because they're sturdier than most familiars, have hands for wand use and have true speech. Will have it using wands to cast buffs on me saving me actions and then wanding allies or enemies as necessary.

Thanks for the heads up on Discordant Voice, had never seen that before.  Pretty sure my GM will allow it to work with Comedy rather than Sing/Oratory if I flavour it as really caustic, acerbic, biting humour which goes well with the versatile performance offering a bonus to intimidate and Blistering Invective.

I don't feel like I'm missing out on that much with the two level fighter dip.  An extra spell known of 4th/5th/6th but I honestly struggle to find more than 4 amazing spells at those levels for the bard anyway.  My saves are better, better BAB and two feats vs 2 lost caster levels when I'll mostly be self buffing? Not too shook up about the dip!

[radionausea]

Although, genuinely considering MoMS.  The BAB drop doesnt hurt (4th attack never hits anyway), better saves, saves a feat, gets evasion. Actually, just talked myself into it, MoMS it is.

[Unbeliever]

Side Question:  is Enforcer as broken as it looks?  Or, does PF have some arcane fear effect stacking rules? 

[radionausea]

It has silly fear stacking rules!

demoralise.

Nothing to stop you making them shaken with demoralise and then using something else to make the frightened though.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Both MoMS 1 (IUS and bonus style feat) and Unarmed Fighter 1 (IUS and base style feat only) save you two feats, not 1.  Really, though, you've got a casting progression.  You've got a double bonus inspire progression w/ favored class bumping it, too.  Dipping out WILL hurt you.  In the long run, you can afford the 4 feats, it just takes a while.  I would not multiclass if you expect to reach level 7-9 range in a moderate amount of time and keep playing well past that.  And I would certainly not suggest dipping for TWO levels!  Evasion is cool, but it's also a ring and not a terribly critical save (Reflex for damage).  If you dip, make it only 1 level.  And the Fighter BAB will be counteracted by the reduced inspire progression.  Getting to the next bonus of that is a wash on attack bonus (you lost some, actually, bard wasn't getting+0 those 2 levels the fighter got +2) and -2 in the hole for damage.  Also hurts arcane strike damage if/when you get that.

Versatile Performance: Two things.  1.) Your Dex is higher than Cha, and will only get more so.  Is Perform Dance really a good idea?  It's likely going to lower your bonus compared to getting Acrobatics and Fly.  2.) On a related note, you cha is good but wis is bad, so one of the VP options to replace Sense Motive is nice as it makes one more skill based on your good scores.

Discordant Voice: The sing/oratory is just pre-reqs and fluff text, the feat rules state, " Whenever you are using bardic performance to create a spell-like or supernatural effect..."  you can use it w/ any performance, the feat just requires specific ranks, annoyingly.  Unless you meant the DM would let you change the pre-req.


Also, since this is rapidly approaching the likeness of my short-lived (game imploded )  DD Bard.... perhaps you might also be interested in this creative spell usage I planned to have her do: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/u/unnatural-lust

She was kind of a "make love not war...literally" type, using nonlethal damage, overwhelming displays of force, and intimidation to get others to stop fighting.  I was going to have her add that to her combat arsenal as an "aggro mechanic." 
Save, or be forced to move into melee range with her and get intimate.  Pulls enemies off the vulnerable PCs and provides a strong incentive for the enemy to stop trying to fight.