I think he's asking can a cestus hand still use a longsword.
Like the cestus is just there in case he gets disarmed or is caught without his sword drawn.
I believe the answer to this question is that you can wield the longsword just fine.
With a level of both brawler and swashbuckler you should be able to use the Cestus to deal 1d6 (20/x2 crit) piercing damage by treating it as an unarmed strike, and thus regain panache with it.
From the PRD:
If you are proficient with a cestus, you can have your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning or piercing damage.
Or you can use it to deal 1d4 (19-20/x2 crit) piercing damage by treating it as a manufactured weapon from the close weapon group, and still regain panache with it.
I also believe he needs to ask his GM if the "delicate" -2 penalty applies.
That is a very fair question, the Cestus' -2 penalty is woefully vague in regards to what it applies to... If pressed for a ruling I would likely declare that it applies to dexterity-based skill checks, to dexterity-based melee (and perhaps even ranged) attack rolls, and perhaps even to concentration checks made by spellcasters who suffer from Arcane Spell Failure (if they are casting with that hand).
For most users of the longsword this would mean it doesn't apply, but it would be applicable to magi, rogues, swashbucklers, and any other finesse build.
For most users of the longsword this would mean it doesn't apply, but it would be applicable to magi, rogues, swashbucklers, and any other finesse build.
Not as much as you would think though.
Cause who both uses a longsword but wears a cestus? For finesse builds, that would actually be uncommon, since they usually require specialization such as slashing grace, making it impractical. Most of those noted classes are not TWF friendly, and even if they are, you would want two cestuses....(Cesti?) for things like the unchained rogues dex to damage.
And even if you are using both cestus and longsword, a finesse build would probably not 2 hand in general, to various restrictions or lack of advantages
So the people using both the longsword and cestus are usually strength based TWF builds. So often rangers and slayers (or anyone with a decent point buy willing to got a bit more 'meh' just to get basic dex). For them, the weapon combo is basically the same as double weapons- they can TWF to full attack and 2 hand for charges and such. Slightly better than most readily available double weapons, due only to the fact that the cestus is a 19-20/x2 weapon and you can grab a scimitar with 18-20/x2, as compared to the x2 or x3 seen on the most nonexotic double weapons.
So the people using both the longsword and cestus are usually strength based TWF builds. So often rangers and slayers (or anyone with a decent point buy willing to got a bit more 'meh' just to get basic dex). For them, the weapon combo is basically the same as double weapons- they can TWF to full attack and 2 hand for charges and such. Slightly better than most readily available double weapons, due only to the fact that the cestus is a 19-20/x2 weapon and you can grab a scimitar with 18-20/x2, as compared to the x2 or x3 seen on the most nonexotic double weapons.
While your points are valid, I think you misunderstood the topic... The topic of discussion at that moment was regarding a character who is wearing a Cestus on their right hand (as a back-up weapon), and then choose to draw a longsword with their right hand (as their primary weapon in this example), and whether holding your Longsword in the same hand you wore a cestus incurred the -2 penalty described by the Cestus. The character's left hand is empty as far as this discussion is concerned.
We weren't discussing Two-Weapon Fighting at all because the Cestus and Longsword are both in the character's right hand, there is no way to two-weapon fight with them anyway.
We weren't discussing Two-Weapon Fighting at all because the Cestus and Longsword are both in the character's right hand, there is no way to two-weapon fight with them anyway.
Ah, didn't realize. The comments didn't look particularized to either comment, so my mind went to that rather tidy TWF combo.
For a swashbuckler, I would just wear the cestus in the opposite hand you can't normally use. The buckler hand, basically (which would be unaffected by any problems with finesse, since it doesn't attack). Swashbuckler is just a class that is built to usually have a hand free to some extent. It lets you sidestep this issue.
The issue is a bit harder for more TWF friendly finesse classes.
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The example given for the penalty is opening locks. I'd apply that towards other things like writing (or typing if you've invented the typewriter or stolen something that uses it), or Perform (most instruments). Swinging weapons, while an intricate art in and of itself, I'd say is still a large-scale enough manoeuvre that the penalty wouldn't apply. If you're able to use a locking gauntlet without issue, I can't imagine the cestus applying anything worse.