Yes. The ability is independent from the feat.
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No. Take a look at the first level Dervish Finesse power;
"A whirling dervish can treat a scimitar as a one-handed piercing melee weapon for the purposes of the swashbuckler's finesse and all feats and class abilities that refer to such a weapon. She must not be carrying a weapon or shield in her off hand to gain this benefit."
So you only get Swashbuckler's finesse with the scimitar if your other hand is empty... and you only get the 4th level Dervish Dance when using Swashbuckler's Finesse. So no 2 scimitars or 2-handed scimitar.
That said, any OTHER weapon useable with Swashbuckler's Finesse is fine. The 'free hand' restriction ONLY applies to scimitars.
or you know, just TWF with any piercing weapon.
2. what about if i take 2 levels of magus? spell combat with the scimitar will allow both dex to damage & precise strikes?
Dervish Dance still works with Spell Combat.
Precise Strike would apply.
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By a literal reading of the text yes you could use spell combat or make attacks with weapons not held in your off-hand.
However, there have been MANY cases where the intent of 'empty hand' restrictions has been to limit the character to attacking with a single weapon in one hand ONLY. Thus, many GMs are likely to interpret this ability as intending the same restrictions and thus not working with spell combat or 'zero hand' weapons.
off the top of my head i know of two specific instances where the wording and the subsequent faq was added specifically to block things like spell combat, specifically slashing and fencing grace (there may be more, those are just the two i remember). those two examples also have the specific text "you do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or anytime another hand is otherwise occupied," which the whirling dervish features lack. by lacking that sentence, dervish finesse also lacks the restrictions for spell combat.
If you use your off hand (Spell Combat, TWF, FoB, unarmed offhand, holding something), then your off hand isn't free.
correct, but dervish finesse doesnt say "anytime another hand is otherwise occupied," it only says "must not be carrying a weapon or shield in her off hand."
If you use your off hand (Spell Combat, TWF, FoB, unarmed offhand, holding something), then your off hand isn't free.correct, but dervish finesse doesnt say "anytime another hand is otherwise occupied," it only says "must not be carrying a weapon or shield in her off hand."
Dervish Dance is less restrictive than Fencing Grace/Slashing grace in a much broader sense than just the interaction with FoB/Spell Combat/TWF.
Dervish Dance allows, for example, a wand or rod to be carried in the off hand. Something also prohibited by Fencing Grace/Slashing Grace.