POW Mystic build help

[JonathanPDX]

I'm handing over the DM duties for a single adventure and looking for some help finishing my character. I think I have a concept together that works but I'm struggling with feat and maneuver selections. For reference, the party is level 5 with a ranger (archer), druid, and unchained monk. I have a few self-imposed rules for my character as well:

Orc, Half-orc, or Goblin (for plot purposes)
Path of War class (this is an introduction to the books for our group)
Not a Warder (I'm about to play one in another campaign)
Not unarmed (so I don't overshadow the monk)
Melee build of some sort (both the ranger and druid are archers)
Ideally a mix of damage and either some "tankiness" or some other element that compliments the rest of the party

The character concept is someone who was part of an orc / goblin cult that turned super evil so he split, joined up with our crew, and now he's leading the party back to take the cult out for good. With that in mind, I think a Goblin Mystic DEX build fits the bill but I could use some help figuring out how the parts fit together, or perhaps there's a better way to go about this.

Spoiler: Core Stats

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Level 5 Goblin Mystic (20 point buy)
STR: 8
DEX: 20
CON: 14
INT: 7
WIS: 18
CHR: 5

Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse
2: Deadly Agility (bonus feat)
3: ???
5: Discipline Focus?

Spoiler: Maneuvers Known

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Stances Known (3)
Level 1: Embrace the Elements (EF), ???
Level 3: Elemental Flux Stance (EF)
Maneuvers Known:
Level 1: Minute Hand (RH, Boost), Disturbing Blow (VM, strike), Fluctuation Movement (EF, Boost), Inner Sense (VM, Counter), Strike the Hourglass (RH, Strike), Spark Strike (EF, Strike), Variable Flux (EF, Strike)
Level 2: Stopwatch (RH, Counter), Half Gone (VM, Counter), Cursed Fate (VM, Strike)
Level 3: Time Skitter ???

My plan is to stay in Elemental Flux (fire) stance, which fits the bill for both damage and durability. I tried to load up on swift actions and counters instead of a bunch of strikes, both so I can defend myself well in melee and to avoid getting stuck with a string of lousy strikes I have to cycle through before getting back the good ones. With my low INT I won't have many skills so I focused on Elemental Flux, Riven Hourglass, and Veiled Moon.

For equipment, I am thinking a Wakizashi, Mithral Shirt, and Mithral Large Shield would be the right fit, since a larger weapon wouldn't work for a DEX build and I don't really need TWF or have the BAB to support it.

A few questions:
1. Is there a better way to go about building a DEX build, or even a better approach? (STR orc build, Harbinger / Warlord instead of Mystic? Anything at all; I'm open!)
2. What feats would you recommend?
3. Any tips on selecting maneuvers? I've never played a Mystic before. The 3rd level one is especially important; Time Skitter seems powerful but if I can still only make one strike a round then perhaps something like Ghost Walk would be better.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

[Azoth]

Mystics are actually one of the better classes for using strikes with rider effects, as they can pump the save DCs with animus. Also, remember that every round you use a counter is a round you cant use a boost.

Your Glyphs will be a big help to the party. Nothing wrong with starting an encounter by throwing up a Darkness Glyph to give a 20% miss chance to the party. You can also shift around your glyph depending on what the encounter calls for.

With your discipline selections it seems you are setting yourself up to handle enemies that generally are harder to put down with physical damage types. Veiled Moon has several force damage maneuvers (good for incorporeal), and Elemental Flux obviously handles enemies with elemental vulnerabilities. Your Animus augments can let you turn all of your damage into elemental damage so as do avoid DR entirely if you ration it well.

By being Dex focused your damage won't be as high as strength builds, especially going S&B spec. Nothing wrong with it really, just a fact of the numbers. I would pick up Piranha Strike, just to have it as an option to up damage when you know you can hit.

Elemental Focus (Fire) could be another good choice. Ignoring your level in elemental resistance and dealing half damage to immune creatures fits the build nicely. Nothing like a goblin that wants to watch things burn.

Extra Animus and Extra Granted Maneuver tend to be staples of Mystic builds to keep their party going longer and stronger.

[Castilonium]

You could go with a strength based half-orc Zealot. Full BAB, d10 HD, much better maneuver refresher, and fantastic at party support. Half-orcs also get an incredible FCB of 1/4th of a Conviction every level, which can be better than a feat. Zealots can use Aid Another as a move action to refresh maneuvers, so you can refresh your best strike and best counter every single round. No other class can do that.

Pick strikes that disable enemies with blind, daze, stun, nauseate, and the like. Get the Impulsive Reactions conviction to get Combat Reflexes which scales off of your charisma. Get Shield Brace to be able to use a heavy shield and a two handed weapon at the same time! Use a lucerne hammer if you want reach, and a nodachi if you don't. Get Martial Power for a huge number of THP every round.

For some overpowered nonsense, grab Community-Minded and use Defending the Pride from Golden Lion. That gives your entire party +4 AC for 3 rounds. You can recover maneuvers for free outside of combat every round, so you can start combat with it already active.

You can still get Elemental Flux, Riven Hourglass, and Veiled Moon as a Zealot. Just use Martial Traditions. It's legal to have more than one. The text says that that GM decides whether to use the Allegiance Benefits, though.

Check out the Zealot guide in my signature for more advice if this sounds interesting to you