Convince me about psionics.

[Optimator]

Iffy indeed.

[Lycanthromancer]

You want to bend the hell out of action economy without anything that's obviously broken (such as infinite affinity field loops)?

Take ranks in Use Psionic Device. Manifest psionic contingency + hustle, set to go off whenever you will it to (which you share with your psicrystal).

Round 1: Linked metamorphosis/schism yourself into a choker, and use Metamorphic Transfer to gain its Quickness ability (which means an extra standard/move action each round). Share with your psicrystal (which can turn into something else that's rather nasty, such as a hydra), which you can mount (or not; your choice).

Round 2: Use a Link Power'd hustle/hustle combo that you share with your psicrystal (you then activate your contingency). You then have 2 standard actions, 3 move actions (with a possible 3 next round, via hustle + Linked hustle), and 1 mental standard action for you this round, and your psicrystal has 1 standard action, 3 move actions (with a possible 3 next round, via Linked hustle + hustle), and 1 mental standard action. Your schism and your psicrystal's schism then use dorjes of some sort for extra manifesting (extra points if you Dual-Dorje Wield for even more manifesting each round).

[Lycanthromancer]

Has anyone here ever heard of the The Big Guy Is With Me build? The original build used a psychic warrior, but I think it uses an egoist better.

Basically, it's like the ultimate gish build.

It's not really doable before level 8, but it's perfectly doable after that (assuming 2 flaws and a racial bonus feat; else it matures a bit later - and you can use psychic reformation to rebuild your character when you hit that point, so it doesn't matter what your build was beforehand).

Basically, take Psicrystal Affinity, and then take Improved Psicrystal multiple times until your psicrystal reaches level 15, when it gets the Channel Powers ability.

You buff the hell out of your psicrystal each round, and hang back while it obliterates the competition. Nab a Heward's Handy Haversack to hide in, or some other way to be difficult to reach. Make sure you have access to vigor, share pain, metamorphosis, body adjustment, greater/concealing amorpha, and whatever other de/buffing powers you feel could be useful. Considering that psicrystals gain feats and medium BAB from their construct HD, and also that they keep their psicrystal granted abilities while metamorphosis'd (see: hydra with Evasion, telepathy, telepathic sight within 40 ft, additional natural armor, and a 50 ft fly speed)...and it can take construct forms if you're fighting against, say, undead. A psicrystal also qualifies for both the Mindsight feat (from Lords of Madness) and Lifesense (from Libris Mortis). It'll be damned near impossible to sneak up on this thing.

Grab a couple of psychoactive skins of proteus for sneakage and utility, and you're golden.

[Lycanthromancer]

And then we have the quintessence power. Ah, the possibilities...

It's an instantaneous creation effect, so it lasts forever until destroyed, can't be dispelled or disjoined, costs nothing but a bit of pp (and since shapers are one of the most stamina-centric psionic classes around, you should rarely use more than half of your pp in any given day past level 5 or so), and stops time essentially forever for anything coated in it.

Now, consider what happens when you combine it with delayed blast fireball. Or a portable hole-cum-instant pit trap. Or on a solid glass cage with everything but the seal on the door coated, which you bull-rush a critter into, slam the door shut, then seal.

Use a bit of imagination, and you can do a lot with it.

And as for psionic minor creation...

Consider the hamster ball. You can make a transparent amber one large enough to hold a Small humanoid at relatively low levels (see level 1). It won't be any larger than your space, and if you affix it with trapdoors that your psicrystal can open and shut, you can manifest out of it with no problems. It won't block line of sight, but it will block line of effect...meaning that you have full cover against everything. You're safe from all targeted effects, and from most area effects (since they'll have to go through your hamster ball before they get to you). It's also easy enough to escape from, as it's dismissible, and you can also use powers like dimension swap to trade places with your psicrystal after it escapes and moves off.

You can also create food, weapons, armor, keys, masterwork tools, holy symbols, and whatever else you might need in a pinch. Combine with Link Power for speedy manifestations.

And energy wall is a good way to protect yourself from projectiles; most will dissolve on contact with a sonic wall, meaning it's just as good as a wind wall or protection from arrows, if not better. And since it's opaque, it blocks line of sight, which is quite nice.