Vitalist help

[Zebraoracle]

So I have an odd request.

I need to turn my vitalist into a solo-combat capable character because story reasons. Currently level eight.

I took the Soul Thief method and Life Leech archetype, and I took the Expanded Knowledge feat to gain access to Astral Construct.

I'm aware I can force something into my collective, but that never seems to work out well for me. I normally spend as many points as I can to augment Vigor and give myself a ton of temporary hit points and manifest the strongest astral construct I can. However that's usually about the most I can ever do barring a couple of story moments where my character was solo-fighting for a few rounds. However, a possible full one on one fight involving my character may be coming up and I want to be prepared, as this may be the culmination of a long role playing thing my character has been working towards.

Plus, it'll be nice to contribute more to normal full party combat more than manifesting Vigor on people and then spouting out a Construct (though I realize as a Vitalist that's kind of what I'm delegated to).

Is there anything I can do to make myself a bit more combat capable? I know the Vitalist power list isn't chock full of offence, and buying a bunch of Expanded Knowledge feats probably isn't worth it.

[calyst]

Hostile Empathic Transfer, Empathic Feedback, Wither, Crisis of Breath, are all available at your level. Plus your basic steal health.

[Zebraoracle]

Is crisis of breath a vitalist power? I may be blind but I only see it in the psion/wilder list.

Also thanks for the suggestions. They're obvious but I'm bad at coming up with strategies until someone points out obvious stuff like that.

[Fouredged Sword]

Here is my suggestion. Take the Sadist archtype. This will allow you to kill things within your collective and not suck and the bleed rider on your other damage helps kill things. You get some almost guaranteed damage and self healing each round if something you don't like is in your collective. Cushion the Blow turns you into a beast of a tank as you take one major hit each round and minimize the damage. Collapse deals with high willsave targets and renders them unable to take standard actions due to nausea - great for knocking out casters.

Feats - Ability focus (unwilling participant), overchannel, cushion the blow. Psychic meditation is great for regaining your psy-focus so you can spam cushion the blow and reduce flat damage bonuses alongside reducing the damage roll to one.

[Psyren]

Is there anything I can do to make myself a bit more combat capable? I know the Vitalist power list isn't chock full of offence, and buying a bunch of Expanded Knowledge feats probably isn't worth it.

You really only need one - Astral Construct. This can handle the vast majority of threats you face. Furthermore, they have Wis scores, so you can add them to your collective once shaped.