[Destriarch]

"In fact, most characters will be best off spending their points solely on Core skills"

Ah you underestimate the power of Munchkinism! Sure it's better to have a broader skill base, but think: how often, during the course of the average game, are you forced to fight with a weapon other than your chosen one? Not very often really. So while it is a good idea to have some points in a generic attack skill, you could plough half of the points into a very tight focus, for example broadsword, and get treble the benefit for the points you spend! That's a considerable rating. Par example:

Melee Weapons 5 (15 points, if I read you right and this is a core skill)
Bearded Axe 15 (Also 15 points, if this is classed as a tight focus)

There! 30 points down, and I now get +20 to my attack rolls with the weapon I use 90% of the time, as opposed to +10 which I would have gotten if I spent all those points on Melee Weapons. And I still get +5 with things other than the bearded axe too. Sure that's less than +10, but when you consider that I won't often be caught without my Bearded Axe (which my character has probably named, and at a guess sleeps with) that's +5 10% of the time versus +15 90% of the time. No contest.

Ash