Need some advice on making a build based on flame blade dervish.

[Woodoodoo]

So, I have been wanting to make a build around Flame Blade Dervish and I thought I would throw it out into the ether and see what people think.
So it's a Shaman and a Druid spell but Paladins Clerics Rangers and Inquisitors can get the spell by worshiping Sarenrae.
The voice of the wild Bard and fey trickster mesmerist can also get it.
And since I have never played a mesmerist before I thought that would be really interesting, even though the spell list really isn't really that great compared to the OG mesmerist one. I might want to take those Fey spell lore/versatility feats. Additionally I have couple of questions like:
1. Can I use power attack with the flame blade?
2. Is getting sidestep secret a good idea?(probably not but still CHARISMA) I also feel like getting weapon finesse+dervish dance is a bit of a waste for just being able to finesse the flame blade.
3. VMC Admixture wizard?
4. I feel like every single Mesmerist build I see out there is a caster build, am I crazy wanting to be a melee mesmerist?

I feel like the race choice lies between Gnome for the cool factor and half orc for the pretty insane FCB.
I feel like this thread is pretty much a mess but I appreciate any feedback you have to give me!

[Woodoodoo]

In addition are there any nice enhancement or illusion spells on the druid/ranger spell list?

[Firebug]

1) touch attack (that's not a firearm) power attack didn't apply.
2)Dervish Dance also doesn't apply to Flame Blade's damage because it didn't get STR to damage in the first place,
3)I haven't paid much attention to VMC, but it trades out half of your feats. You've mentioned 3-4 feats already.

I would suggest Ifrit actually for race. They have a feat called Blistering Feint that lets you do the fire damage if your weapon when you successfully feint. Mesmerists are pretty good at feinting.

My Blistering Feint character is a 1 level dip into Fey Trickster Mesmerist then the rest is Sacred Huntsman/Green Faith Marshall Inquisitor, using a +1 flaming battle poi with bane (from Inquisitor +2d6+2) and planar focus feat (fire, +2d6 at 8 Inquisitor), and eventually power attack.
1d4 (considering a large sized version) +STR(4ish) +3(enhancement+bane) +1d6(flaming) +2d6(bane) +2d6(planar focus) +power attack (7 BAB at 11 when I get power attack, so +4 or 6 if 2h a large poi) = 1d4 +5d6 + 10, ave 30.
2-3 times per round (feint, actual attack, out of the sun feat). I have to hit regular AC though.

[Kurald Galain]

Firebug wrote:

2-3 times per round (feint, actual attack, out of the sun feat). I have to hit regular AC though.

Out of the Sun says you don't get the benefits from the feint, so that would not give you an additional hit of fire damage.

It requires a few levels to work, but I suggest getting Crusader's Flurry with a flame blade...

[Snowlilly]

Power Attack cannot be used with touch attacks.

Dervish Dance will not add dexterity-to-damage. The flame blade never qualified for strength-to-damage, the limitation remains when you substitute in another stat.

[Firebug]

Kurald Galain wrote:

Firebug wrote:

2-3 times per round (feint, actual attack, out of the sun feat). I have to hit regular AC though.

Out of the Sun says you don't get the benefits from the feint, so that would not give you an additional hit of fire damage.

It requires a few levels to work, but I suggest getting Crusader's Flurry with a flame blade...

And the damage from blistering feint is not a benefit of feint regardless. It triggers the damage when you succeed on the check, not when the target loses its dex.

If your GM insists on the other interpretation, well then your animal companion who is sharing the feat will just have to make the bluff check and pass it to you for damage.

[Woodoodoo]

Okay i already knew dervish dance didn't add dex to damage but it is the only way to make scimitars a finessable weapon.
Also I don't feel like I need to be fainting since I am already hitting touch ac.
Also if I wanted to be feinting I would be a Vexing daredevil or a base mesmerist since the fey trickster loses consumate liar.

[Firebug]

The idea is to feint as a move action to apply the damage a second time. You can then also pick up twinned feint and cleave ...

[Woodoodoo]

Oh crap i just noticed the fey trickster doesn't replace consumate liar.

[Woodoodoo]

So strange to me that the mesmerist is only a 6th level caster yet all builds i see with it are caster focused builds.