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weapon skills and damage
Two thoughts on that:
1) Yes, damage bonuses for skill, like many things, might best be based on relative skill level (B171), not final level. That's how Karate damage bonuses etc. work now in 4e.
2 ) The official Kromm take is that weapons do not need damage bonuses for skill. See this thread:
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=20823
His take: the bonuses for unarmed skills essentially represent overcoming the less-than-optimal features of fists and feet as weapons. Bonuses on weapon damage can be handled with Striking ST.
Sensible enough, especially if high weapon skill levels were made a prerequisite for Striking ST purchases. But the result won't be entirely satisfying to all. Few would deny that real experience with weapons does enable harder, more optimized blows – better follow-through, wrist snap, what-have-you. It seems reasonable to me that if you have Broadsword-18 without any other noteworthy combat skill levels, you should be able to deliver mighty chops with a sword, and not necessarily with all other attacks (as Striking ST would allow).
My suggestion: If a GM does want to introduce weapon damage bonuses for skill, make the bonuses a) dependent on relative skill level (per 4e practice), and b) more modest than the respective bonuses for unarmed skills.
Then again, the new Martial Arts may have something up its gi sleeve to confer higher weapon damage through a technique or some such. Am waiting to find out –