Building an Egoist; Input Appreciated

[Viskocity]

I am looking to create a new character to replace my last one who just recently but the dust. She was a blasty telepath who was normally more than a little squishy. However, she died after eating a full attack and a half, which she nearly survived because of share pain+psicrystal shenanigans. This made me wonder about the possibility of creating a psion gish, using share pain, buffs etc. This is my second time creating a psionic character, and my first with any sort of melee build, so I was hoping to get some input from you guys.

The game uses 32 point buy with no flaws. Pretty much everything except Dragon Magazine and Tome of Battle is ok (although the DM did seem fine with the idea of taking the martial stance feat).

So far I see three main routes; straight egoist, egoist 8/slayer X, and ranger 1/egoist 6/slayer X. Because I'll be starting at 10th level, I don't know if the BAB is worth losing so many manifested levels. So, what do you guys think?

[eggs]

With Egoist gishes, a large part of the strategy is shapeshifting, which provides natural weapons and makes base attack less important. Unless Favored Enemies are a big deal, Ranger and Slayer's biggest contributions are that BA, but it's a pretty steep price to pay. I'd skip them.

For what you're looking at, I'd go one of two directions:

Either going manifestation-heavy with:
Egoist 5/Anarchic Initiate 10/Egoist 5 as a base, possibly replacing the last 5 levels of Egoist with Hyperconscious's Ghost Breaker, the Psionic Adaptation of Abjurant Champion or a 3.5 translation of Archpsion. At low levels, this would use a reach weapon (Outsider type is probably something you'll want for Metamorphosis, anyway) and Dimension Hop (take Hidden Talent for it if necessary, it's completely worth it) to flutter in and out of melee range, and at mid-levels, it can Metamorphize, run its Share Pain sillyness, and just tear things apart.

Or go with a low-level base like Crusader 1/Egoist 4/Iron Mind 5/Anarchic Initiate 10, which would work in a more traditional sense, but would at least get some useful survival-related abilities out of its lost ML.

In either case, a Skillful Weapon (CArc), Knowledge Devotion and basic in-class buffs will make up much of the attack bonus lost from avoiding slayer.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Don't forget about Sanctifed Mind in Lords of Madness, the less popular Iron Mind in Races of Stone, and the psionic adaptation of Abjurant Champion in Complete Mage.

Control Body with Solicit Psicrystal is better than anything an Egoist can offer. Your psicrystal can concentrate on that and control your physical actions, making you attack and using your own Int bonus for attack and damage rolls and AC, leaving your own actions and your mind free to manifest powers and regain psionic focus. Between this, Energy Missile to deal sonic damage to opponents' weapons and armor (and holy symbols and spell component pouches), and Fiery Discorporation, you'll probably have a lot more fun with a Kineticist gish than an Egoist gish.

Don't forget to use Vigor, it's half of the the Share Pain: Psicrystal trick and if you skip it, that trick is only half as effective. With your mind free to manifest powers every round while you full attack, you can easily refresh that whenever it's needed. I'd actually consider using Elan with Improved Elan Resilience and spend two pp toward that every time you take damage, so you and the psicrystal will take equal damage after its hardness is factored in. You can even pick up Expanded Knowledge for Schism and have that use Vigor for you.