Skill-based Damage Stacking?

[Eddie T]

Does damage from combat skills stack? For example, Karate at DX+1 gives a bonus of 2 points of damage and Brawling at DX+2 gives a +1. Does that character get +3?

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Eddie T

Does damage from combat skills stack? For example, Karate at DX+1 gives a bonus of 2 points of damage and Brawling at DX+2 gives a +1. Does that character get +3?

No. The attacker just gets the skill bonus for the skill they are using. Karate and Brawling are not the same skill.

[Eddie T]

Thanks! That's what I was hoping the answer would be.

[Refplace]

Nope.
Cant find a cite in Basic, though its strongly implied based on use of skill but I did more specific and bullet resistant mentions in Martial Arts.
P. 55 under Boxing says it does not stack and same under Karate on p. 57.

[Anaraxes]

You don't really need a specific cite to say that the bonuses don't stack, because it's not possible to use them both at the same time. Karate doesn't grant some always-on +1 to any and all damage just because you happen to know Karate. It means that when you attack using the Karate skill, you do a little more damage than you'd get with the usual ST-based thrusting damage. Same with Brawling -- it applies when you attack with Brawling. Any given attack isn't rolled against both skills at the same time, so there's no way for both bonuses to apply the a single damage roll.

A multi-skilled fighter doing some sort of razzle-dazzle with Extra Attacks could conceivably rolling different attacks using different skills in the same turn. But the bonuses still can't stack, because each individual attack is carried out with one specific skill.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

You don't really need a specific cite to say that the bonuses don't stack, because it's not possible to use them both at the same time.

Some people prefer citations and some, especially rules lawyers wont accept anything less than a full cite if it disagrees with their goal. I had no idea which the author was plus I try to reply for those reading, not just the op posting the question. So I stand by my efforts to usually try and find a cite when I have the time and books available. Also helps me to insure I am reading or remembering the rules correctly.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Some people prefer citations and some, especially rules lawyers wont accept anything less than a full cite if it disagrees with their goal.

RAW seems pretty clear to me:

... add +1 per die to basic thrust damage when you calculate damage with Karate attacks

Brawling attacks are not Karate attacks.