I'm not sure whether or not this has been discussed, but I've always thought it would be neat if empathy had some direct functionality in combat. Imagine if after a successful empathic touch attack (perhaps an empath only tactics-based maneuver? Grapple based?), the empath could attempt to manipulate the link between yourself and your target, to make them feel what you felt. Imagine that scene in "Powder" where he makes the man feel the deer's death throes. The targets mind would make it real, a la "Matrix", functionally allowing an empath to reflect some percentage (or even at a bonus, based on the success of the check?) of damage received by the empath to the target. Perhaps at a reduced percentage to players. I also see doing damage this way training empathy, with experience similar to manipulate. One link at a time, for balance.
