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This has come up a few times in recent sessions, and I've been specifically vague about it. But I'd really like to know if there's an official (or just good) rule. The power discusses how long the memory is retained for, but not how long the "attack" is. Does any other book it's in offer a "trance" duration?

Is it just one action and bam! All memories transferred in both directions?
Since the range is touch, can a psychic just brush up against someone else and do it?
If it lasts more than one action, can the psychic and the victim be physically separated in order to cancel it?

Unless otherwise noted, one psionic attack action.

Seems pretty nasty for one action, in combat you slap a baddie and know their entire evil plan, but that's Rifts.

Officially it is one "action" after reviewing HU2E, PF2E, RMB, and RUE. There isn't a trance time. That doesn't mean it couldn't have had one at an earlier point in time or with another line (PF1E or Nightbane or BTSN), as I recall the powers used to be "level" based instead of "category" in PF1E (Mind Bond was Level 6 per the GM Shield on PB's cutting room floor).

However, if you think there should be a contact time requirement, I could certainly see that as a house rule. I mean simultaneously downloading a copy of the mind of 500-year-old Elf likely involves a lot more "data" than from a 20-year-old human.

Rules as written, one action. I know a GM I had liked to try for a two-action combo... mind bond them, then erase your data block from their mind... but that could fail if the target made the save against psionics the second time.

As far as I can see, one action, like everyone else says.

As far as doing it in combat, I would say that it would require a strike roll to touch the target - and, because a strike costs an action, and activating a psionic power costs an action, you couldn't just strike and activate the power together. I would rule you need to be able to grab the other person or otherwise remain in contact with them until your next action, at which point you can activate the power. A small addition, but one that could be significant.

Activating an ability includes all actions needed to use it, including the initial touch. That would require an attack roll, but would not be an extra action.

By your rule, no power or ability that required touch could be used in one action, including attack spells designed for that purpose.

Now, I like the idea of grapple required to use it, because slapping a guard getting you all the base codes and guard schedules is a lot OP. That would be a house rule, though.

wasn't there something about how you could use Mind Bond to learn the true name of demons? Then you could just write it down and control them

it isn't specified anywhere, but if you try absorbing the life experience of a demon that has lived for hundreds of human lifespans and has been obsessed with causing misery and suffering for that entire time period (and in turn has likely spent much of that time being tortured for entertainment by other demons) while I'm GMing, I make no promises that there will be a lack of side-effects.

of course, as a bare minimum of courtesy, the moment you start considering that plan I'm going to let you know that there are potential drawbacks. I'm not going to tell you *exactly* what they are, but I will make the point that even temporarily coming in contact with something so alien and hateful towards you may have negative implications for your mental well-being.