From what I can tell, the mind blade effectively IS a "real" object, and it can copy the properties of any object it mimics. I've seen people use whip builds with it.
This also mean things like Harpoons or Mancatchers right?
What about mundane thing. I would thing if I could make a scythe or hammer, I could also make a crowbar and use it as a crowbar as appose to a weapon.
Great swords are pretty tall, could one even assume it could be made to actually make a ladder, or a rope, since you can turn it into a whip.
What about a parachute, since it is actually still "physically" there one would assume it would have the same resistance towards "or rather" against wind.
I assume you mean our buddy the Soulknife's ability? Even though that is a third party product, you might want to take note of this clause in the ability:
"A soulknife must choose the form of her mind blade at 1st level. She can either form it into a light weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a two-handed weapon."
Harpoons, mancatchers, scythes, hammers, crowbars... sure, they are all weapons. Ropes and ladders are not and thus cannot be formed. Improvised weapons are a special category of weapon that does not fit under the category of light, one-handed, or two-handed weapons. Same with parachutes; not a weapon thus cannot be formed.
Furthermore, the mind blade doesn't really form into a specific weapon; just a category type with one of three damage types. The rules say nothing of special weapon qualities like reach or grab. Just as the damage, crit range, crit multiplier, and the range for throwing it are all properties based on the category of weapon and not the actual weapon form constructed.
I'd say you can't make a harpoon. It can look a bit like one, be used as a one handed medium weapon, and of course can be thrown like all mind blades can be thrown, but it wouldn't have the harpoon's special grappling ability. On the plus side, you don't need the exotic weapon prof. to use it!
As a GM, I'd allow emulation of all bonus qualities of a specific weapon only if my player paid for the exotic weapon feat for that specific weapon. This would be a house rule however.
Why was this moved to advice, it was a question on how the rules work.....
Anyway, I know the 3.5 version said " The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder. " So I am guessing that was changed for pathfinder for clarification?
I get as far as rules I get why they did this, but If one could make a weapon the emulates something, like a wipe to rope, it makes little sense why you could not just make a rope.
I was also under the impression, that you do indeed get any abilities the weapon got, like if it got trip, then your mind blade would also get trip. Even so, there are a few blade skills that could also help.
I agree that maybe a feat or a blade skills could be added to this to do this, multi-purpose mindblade, but its odd that I could make a warhammer, but I couldn't make say, a bucket.
What if someone got one of those many 3.5 classes that gave "improvised weapon become proficient weapon, abilities."
The rules questions forums are all about 3rd party material.
Especially third party material for 3.5 by a 3rd party company that is something like Cakezo :)
I suggest checking out DreamscarredPress.com and ask the experts on psionics themselves