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So, in pathfinder there are many optimization guides. This is not one of them. This is about some new directions you can take your classes into.
Whip fighter
Whips are looked upon as sucky weapons, due to nonlethal damage.But with the right build they can become rather competent. With the whip masteryfeats and with two weapon fighting, you can deal serious damage and still threaten the area around you.
Suggested classes: fighter, sohei monk, paladin.( more to this later)
Feats:
Two weaponfighting: You do not have good damage dice, and Two weapon fighting makes that matter less.
Improved and greater two weapon fighting: You want more attacks.
Exotic weapon proficiency: whip. You need this. Period.
Whip mastery. Get this at level two, or at level three if you are a sohei. This lets you do Lethal damage with a whip, which is the core of the build.
Improved whip mastery: You finally threaten, which is amazing
Greater whip mastery: mostly flavor,but still okay
Weapon focus whip-> Dazzling display: Best for paladins, but okay for anyonewith intimidating prowess or a non-dumped CHA
Combat reflexes: you threaten a large area, so AOOs might be your thing.
Vital strike: It's a trap. Your damage dice suck. No takey
Warpriest takes care of damage dice eventually.
As for two weapon fighting I would drop it as 2 one handed weapons are not the easiest to hit with, unless you were thinking of taking the magic item (ribbon thin for handle) to drop one to a light weapon.
I'd prefer to go slashing grace route coupled with combat reflexes.
Whilst not optimised this is something I've been working on for non PFS Skulls and Shackles
Lady Payne #2
Half-elf exalted 6/warpriest of Calistria 7/magus* (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 60)
CN Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 10 (+6 Dex)
hp 95 (13d8+27)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +13; +2 vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities sacred armor (+1, 7 minutes/day); Immune sleep
Weaknesses light blindness
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +3 voidglass stinging whip +16/+11 (1d8+15 nonlethal)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+3, 7 points), blessings 6/day, channel positive energy 4/day (DC 18, 4d6), fervor 8/day (2d6), sacred weapon (+1 1d8, 7 rounds/day), spellstrike
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +16)
3/day—charm person (DC 14)
1/day—guidance, light, longstrider, mending
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 0th; concentration +0)
8/day—dazing touch
Warpriest Spells Prepared (CL 13th; concentration +18)
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Statistics
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Str 7, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 16
Base Atk +9; CMB +4; CMD 23
Feats Combat Reflexes, Deific Obedience, Improved Whip Mastery[UC], Piranha Strike, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Slashing Grace[ACG], Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (whip), Whip Mastery[UC]
Skills Bluff +3 (+5 when divine brand is visible, +7 vs. those who could be sexually attracted to you), Diplomacy +15 (+17 when divine brand is visible, +19 vs. those who could be sexually attracted to you), Disguise +3 (+7 vs. those who could be sexually attracted to you), Intimidate +3 (+7 vs. those who could be sexually attracted to you), Knowledge (planes) +18, Knowledge (religion) +21, Profession (sailor) +21
Languages Aklo, Aquan, Common, Elven
SQ +4 to charisma checks vs. sexually attracted, blessings (charm: charming presence, dominance aura, trickery: double, greater invisibility), charm person 3/day, divine brand, domain (charm), elf blood, fey magic, magus arcana (broad study), religious speaker, stunning touch, vitality
Other Gear +3 voidglass stinging whip, belt of incredible dexterity +4, headband of mental superiority +4, 150 gp
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Special Abilities
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+4 to Charisma checks vs. sexually attracted (Good) +4 sacred bonus to Charisma checks vs. those who could be sexually attracted to you.
Arcane Pool +3 (7/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Blessings (6/day) (Su) Pool of power used to activate Blessing abilities.
Charm Person 3/day (Sp) 3/day use charm person as a spell like ability.
Combat Reflexes (7 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Dazing Touch (8/day) (Sp) Melee touch attack dazes foe for 1 rd, Immune if more HD than your level.
Deific Obedience Purify yourself daily to prove devotion to a deity and gain benefits.
Divine Brand (Su) Gain brand on visible body part that functions as a silver holy symbol.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Exalted Domain (Charm) Granted Powers: You can baffle and befuddle foes with a touch or a smile, and your beauty and grace are divine.
Fervor (2d6, 8/day) (Su) Standard action, touch channels positive/negative energy to heal or harm. Swift to cast spell on self.
Fey Magic (Favored Terrain [Water]) Gain spell-like abilities in selected terrain.
Improved Whip Mastery Threaten with your whip and grasp Tiny objects
Light Blindness (Ex) Bright light blinds for 1 rd, then dazzled as long as remain in it.
Piranha Strike -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage with light weapons.
Religious Speaker (Ex) +2 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform (oratory) when brand visible.
Sacred Armor +1 (7 minutes/day) (Su) As a swift action, grant armor enhancement bonus or certain powers. Use 1 fervor as free action to also activate Sacred weapon.
Sacred Weapon +1 (7 rounds/day) (Su) As a swift action, grant weapon enhancement bonus or certain powers.
Slashing Grace (Whip) Treat chosen weapon as 1-handed piercing weapon and can had Dex instead of Str to dmg.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
Stunning Touch (Su) Dazing Touch can stun instead of daze.
Vitality (Good) (Su) +2 sacred bonus on Con checks to stabilize.
Warpriest Channel Positive Energy 4d6 (4/day, DC 18) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.
Whip Mastery Using a whip does not provoke attacks of opportunity
I actually started writing a guide about this, check it out:
It is still under heavy construction, but you can probably use some ideas out of it.
I am currently playing with a whip expert, and boy, it is so much fun. The character is an Unchained Rogue/Fighter and works wonders as a maneuver specialist. Take a look:
Race: Half Orc
Alternate Racial traits: Sacred Tattoo, City raised
Traits: Reactionary, Fate's favored, Bruising intellect
Drawbacks: Paranoid
Class: Unchained Rogue (Scout-Thug) 4 / Fighter (Lore warden-Martial master) 6
Favoured class: Fighter (+6 bonus HP)
ABILITIES
13/19/13/14/10/7 (+2 to DEX)
13/24/14/14/10/7 (Current)
Initiative +10 (Trait +2 DEX +7 Comp. +1)
HP 98 (4D8 + 6D10 (8+7+5,5+7 + 7,5x6 + 20 +6)
Progresion
1 - Rogue 1 - Frightening, Weapon finesse, Power attack, Sneak attack +1d6
2 - Rogue 2 - Rogue talent (Weapon training - Whip), Evasion
3 - Rogue 3 - Brutal Beating, Whip Mastery, Finesse training, Sneak attack +2d6
4 - Fighter 1 - Combat reflexes, +1 CON
5 - Fighter 2 - Combat expertise, Improved Whip Mastery
6 - Rogue 4 - Debilitating injury, Scout’s Charge, Rogue talent (Combat trick: Improved trip)
7 - Fighter 3 - Maneuver Mastery +2, Greater trip
8 - Fighter 4 - Dazzling Display, +1 DEX
9 - Fighter 5 - Iron will, Martial Flexibility I
10 - Fighter 6 - Combat stamina
DEFENSE
AC 30 (10 +6 Armor +6 DEX +3 Shield +2 Luck +1 Insigth +1 Nat.Armor +1 Deflect.)
Touch 20 Flatfooted 24
CMD 34 (36 vs Trip) (10 + BA +9 STR +1 DEX +7 Man-Mast +2 Insigth +2 Luck +2 Deflect +1)
FOR 12 (+6 Base +2 CON +2 Resis +2 Luck)
REF 17 (+6 Base +7 DEX +2 Resis +2 Luck)
WIL 9 (+3 Base +2 Feat +2 Resis +2 Luck)
ATTACK
Melee +2 Scorpion Whip +20 +15 / 1D4+9 (BA +9 DEX +7 WF +1 Mag.Wpn +2 Comp. +1)
Power Attack +17 +12 / 1D4+15
Charge + PA +19 / 1d4 + 15 + 1d6 + Sickened
Ranged +1 Adaptive Composite Longbow +18 +13 / 1D8+2 (BA +9 DEX +7 Mag.Wpn +1 Comp. +1)
CMB +15 (BA +9 STR +1 Man-Mast +2 Insigth +2 Comp. +1)
TRIP CMB +30 (BA +9 DEX +7 WF +1 Feats +4 Man-Mast +2 Insigth +2 Bonus +2 Magic Wpn +2 Comp +1)
DISARM CMB +26 (BA +9 DEX +7 WF +1 Whip +2 Man-Mast +2 Insigth +2 Magic Wpn +2 Comp +1)
MAGIC ITEMS
+2 Mithral chainshirt, +2 Buckler, Jingasa of the fortune soldier, +2 Scorpion whip,
+1 Composite longbow (+1 STR), Belt of incredible dexterity +4,
Cloak of resistance +2, Ring of protection +1, Amulet of natural armor +1,
Eyes of the eagle, Gauntlets of the skilled maneuver (trip), Wayfinder with Dusty rose prism,
Cracked pale green prism (attack), Cracked pink and Green Sphere (Intimidate),
Cracked dusty rose prism, Handy haversack
We are playing with the Unchained new action economy rules and other optionals such as the Stamina combat tricks. But this PC works equally well on normal games. With a +30 to trip attemps, an when enlarged a reach of 30 feet and a threatening area of 15, combined with 7 AoO per turn, I asure you, lots of enemies can't even get close to the party.
Also, you can easy shaken your enemies, as well as add sicken and debilitating injuries. It is a very versatile fighter and very fun to play, and excellent as a tank PC.
A Magus can do some pretty nasty things by throwing debuffs through a whip. The recent Slashing Grace nerf does put a damper on the Kensai dex-to-damage plan, but you can still rustle up some decent strength scores.
Throw in the wand wielder arcana and a wand of blade lash for trippable opponents (and a wand of true strike for hard to hit four legged foes) and you're well on your way. One fun spell here is River Whip: the spell lasts for minutes/level and generates a weapon that lasts for a number of hits equal to your level... the weapon acts as a whip except that it works against touch AC.
I've had some fun with this in the past too
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/swashbuckler/archetypes/paiz o---swashbuckler-archetypes/mysterious-avenger
Whirlwind strike:**** You should threaten a huge area.... somany attacks...
Lunge*** The penalty to AC hurts a bit, but with 20ft range you should not be taking much damage anyway... this makes monkey lunge (**) a suboptimal choice, though it can save your life in an emergency
Classes, in depth review:
Fighter ***/****
*** if you go full, **** If you dip. This is a feat heavy path that one such as you walks down...
Bonus feats **** YES! This build needs feats, and you get them.
Bravery** Very meh.
Armor trainig.*** It's pretty good, but most builds will not see this.
Weapon training: *** The bonus helps, but it iskind of... small?
Paladin: ****
Smite evil helpsus pick up the slack for damage, even though we will use lay on hands less... our saves will rock, nonetheless.
Sohei monk: You can flurry with awhi at 6th and it nets you a few bonus feats ( though less than a fighter) If you can get amount, it helps your threatened area.
Worth while dips:
Ninja 2 **** Get a ton of skill points and the vanish trick. Go invisible, move up into the middle of your enemies... and BAM! Whirlwind attack those suckers. If you happen to flank any of the enemies, you also get sneak attack.
Warpriest 2/warpriest 5 **** Increase the whips damage dice if you get weapon focus with it (which you probably will do anyway, for dazzling display.) You also get A few spells, and thefervor ability for selfhealing or out of combat healing. And if you go pastlevel three you get a feat. Feats are good.
Investigator 3/4 *** Inspiration for more out of combat utility and sweet sweet mutagen. You also getextracts and possibly studied combat
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Sohei monk: You can flurry with awhi at 6th and it nets you a few bonus feats ( though less than a fighter) If you can get amount, it helps your threatened area.
You can't flurry with a whip as a Sohei at 6th level. At 6th level, a sohei gains weapon training in one of the following weapon groups, as the fighter class feature: bows, crossbows, monk weapons, polearms, spears, or thrown weapons. Whip is in the flails group. The only way this works is at ninth level as a sohei 6 / weapon master fighter 3.
If you want to flurry with a whip, you are better off taking martial artist and a dip of crusader cleric of Calistria for crusader's flurry.
Would a bard dip be worth it to pick up the whip proficiency (as well as other bard stuff)?
Cheapest way to get proficiency is to be a half-orc (city raised) or half-elf (ancestral arms).