Pathfinder Chronicler & Dawnflower Dervish Bardic Performance synergy

[Uktar]

How does the Bardic Performance abilities of a
Dawnflower Dervish-Sound Striker 5/Pathfinder Chronicler 5 mesh?

PC's Bardic Performance {Su}:

At 3rd level, a Pathfinder Chronicler gains this ability, which functions like the bard
class feature of the same name, except that the chronicler’s
effective bard level is 2 lower than her class level. Levels in
this class stack with levels in any other class that grants a
similar ability to determine her effective bard level.

RAI would seem to indicate you just get your altered Archetypal Bardic Performance abilities as a lvl 8 DD/SS.

But by RAW, the first sentence says you'd gain the normal Bardic Performance abilities of a straight Bard (i.e. now get Inspire Courage, Suggestion, Dirge of Doom--normally gone/altered due to Archetypes). And the second sentence says "similar" stack to determine lvl.

Since I'm trying to decide on a build for PFS, RAW is what matters (or a clarification from Decumvirate, if anyone knows of one, please let me know). My take on RAW would be either:

A) Gain all of the above as a lvl 8 Bard/DD/SS (i.e. you get both normal Bardic Performances at full lvl, and any substituted archetypal performances)
or
B) Normal Bardic Performances possessed by DD/SS are lvl 8, any normal Bardic Performances replaced by DD/SS are lvl 3 (i.e. just from PC lvls), DD/SS specific performances that replace normal performances are lvl 5, and since it says "similar" Battle Dance should be lvl 8, (as would Inspire Courage)--this seems unlikely interpretation, since it's addressing the single overall parent ability, not it's individual manifestations.

I'm perfectly comfortable with RAI interpretation, though obviously A makes this a lot more tempting PrC (a PrC that's awfully weak otherwise--in fact, this, plus regaining Bardic Knowledge are the main appeals of the PrC).

[Xenrac]

Straight RAW they "synergize" well. But do not mesh together at all mechanically. Sound striker gains the ability to attack with sound, which is grand, but you couldn't activate it with your Battle Dance Performance, you'd have to do it separately (unless you had a totem spear?). Pathfinder Chronicler would give you access to the class's original Performance at a level 8 ability, but it would be separate from your Battle Dance because it would require an instrument. So your battle Dance would stay at level 5.

.... But I really can't say any of this with confidence. It seems like there ISN'T any RAI here. Like this possibility was just a weird oversight...

[Uktar]

Thanks so much for your response, Xenrac.

Actually, Sound Striker is pretty much only useful to a Dervish with Battle Dance, i.e. if not in melee, then sound attack. Normal Bards (and Arcane Duelists, etc) just start inspiring courage and that's that (Until you get to casting 4th lvl spell Virtuoso Performance).

And I'm going to have to disagree about the Battle Dance not also going up to lvl 8, because in DD description Battle Dance "alters the standard Bardic Performance" not replaces it. And the second sentence of Pathfinder Chronicler says it "stacks with similar." Battle Dance is still considered a Bardic Performance, just an altered one.

That's why i think the A) option makes sense, and perhaps that was RAI, especially since so many of the Bard archetypes don't have higher level power replacements, i.e. this Prestige Class goes well with Archetypes.

P.S. normal Bardic Performance doesn't necessarily require an instrument. Depending upon the BP, it's either audible or visual (or both) required, but singing, or comedy, or oratory could work for audible, visual would seem to be mostly geared toward dance (ooooo, suddenly I'm thinking a "mime" bard with Silent Spell could be a lotta fun. Dancing Dervish Assassin type, killing you silently...with mime!!! )