Synesthete vs Blindsight?

[gadren]

Does the Synesthete (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/synesthete.htm) psionic power provide all the benefits of having blindsight (in addition to the other applications of the power)? Is there any benefit that blindsight grants that the synesthete power does not?

[Troacctid]

Not even close—synesthete only allows you to see what you could see with normal vision. It doesn't work in darkness or against invisible enemies, it doesn't automatically detect hidden foes, etc. If you can already see normally, it's basically just a +4 bonus to Spot and Search.

Of course, it is quite nice at replacing sight if you are blind.

[Telok]

Synesthete is an odd power. The text covers what are probably the most normal uses of it but ignores a number of things. What happens if you choose to taste light or to see touch? You can smell sound or hear taste.

Just odd.

[Troacctid]

Synesthete is an odd power. The text covers what are probably the most normal uses of it but ignores a number of things. What happens if you choose to taste light or to see touch? You can smell sound or hear taste.

Just odd.

Those aren't valid choices—the power only lets you feel light, feel sound, hear light, or see sound. The latter two have no effect if you are not blinded or deafened, so one assumes that even if the power could manipulate other combinations of senses, it would have no mechanical effects.

[Telok]

Those aren't valid choices—the power only lets you feel light, feel sound, hear light, or see sound. The latter two have no effect if you are not blinded or deafened, so one assumes that even if the power could manipulate other combinations of senses, it would have no mechanical effects.

I've always read the first sentence as the base case and understood the following paragraphs as explanation. If you read it as only what is explicitly written after the first sentence as what can happen then the last two uses don't fall under the 'swift action to change' clause and actually prevent it from being used, using one of those options must be chosen at manifesting time and locks that choice in for the duration. And of course you can have staring matches with medusa and basilisks with impunity since having the 'feel light' option up makes you flat out immune to all gaze attacks.