What is this on the character sheet?

[Mulsiphix]

The part in question

Okay I'm going through GURPS Lite and filling out a character sheet. I am confused and turned to an example of a full character which I found on page 319 of GURPS Basic Characters. In the skills section I am looking at the skills and am particularly interested in the third entry "Broadsword". It says it has a level of 15, relative level of dx-1, and a third stat which has no category title.

Questions
1. What does the last number for the Broadsword entry mean " [1] "? What stat is that?
2. When I look tried looking up Broadsword in the skill list I was directed to Melee Weapons p.208. In GURPS Lite p.20 there is an entry for the broadword; "BROADSWORD (DX-5)". Does this mean if I want to use the broadsword I need to purchase the broadsword as a skill first? If so, how does that work. Also what is the (DX-5)? Does this mean I need to have a Dexterity score of 5 to use it? Or does it mean the weapon is Average difficulty to use?
3. The Melee Weapons weapon descriptions utterly confuse me. For example: At the beginning of the Melee Weapons area it says "Melee
Weapon skills are based on DX, and default to DX-4 if Easy, DX-5 if Average, or DX-6 if Hard. See specific skill descriptions for other defaults." For the Broadsword entry it says "Broadsword (DX/Average):" but at the bottom of its description it says "Defaults: Force Sword-4, Rapier-4, Saber-4, shortsword-2, or Two-Handed Sword-4." So a Shortsword is a Broadsword which is DX/Average. However it is a Shortsword so it is DX-2 instead? If so, why is the Shortsword on p.20 of GURPS Lite (DX-5)? I'm so confused.
4. On the picture I posted above it says that the Broadsword (p.320 GBC) has a level of 15. Is that a level the character purchased with points or the level of the sword she found/purchased while gaming?

Sorry if this is pretty basic stuff. I really tried going back and forth through my GURPS Basic books but I just couldn't figure this out. Thank you in advance for any feedback you are able to provide!

[Mateus]

It's how many points have being put on the skill =). 1 point gives you DX-1 for an Average physical skill (Broadsword).

[Refplace]

1) the [##] is standard GURPS nomenclature for point cost.
2) Most skills in GURPS have a default that allows someone with no training to use them at the default penalty. In this case an untrained person could pick up a broadsword and use it at DX -5, not good but better then nothing.
Most of the melee weapon skills in GURPS are in one section for convenice and many also default to each other. Lite just tosses out some stuff in far less detail. However you coud write Melee Weapon (Boradsword) on your sheet but most would just write Broadsword.
4) Broadsword -15 [#] would mean that you paid # in points for it and had a skill of 15

[cavesalamander]

The number in brackets at the end is the number of character points the player has spent in the skill. As skill of average difficulty, if you spend 1 point, you know the skill at DX-1 level; if you spend 2, you know it at DX level; and at 4 points, you know it at DX+1. The character in question spent 1 point, so she knows the Broadsword skill at DX-1 level, 15 in this case.

The "level" in this case refers to the base number you need to roll equal to or less than on 3d6 to succeed at a skill check.

The notation (DX-5) after the skill in the book refers to the skill default, or the number you need to roll if you have not spent any points in the skill. If our DX 16 character had not taken the broadsword skill at all and tries to attack with one, she needs to roll an 11 or less on 3d6.

The other skill notations, such as (shortsword-2) refer to the broadsword skill defaulting to other skills a character might have. If our DX 16 character did not have a broadsword skill at all, but did have a shortsword skill at 16, she could use the broadsword skill at level 14 (it can default to shortsword skill level-2).

[Dorin Thorha]

1. It is the number of points the character has spent on the skill. Since Broadsword is an Average skill, [1] point gives DX-1 (Dexterity minus one), which for a DX 16 character would be 15.

2. It is just a reminder that that the default for Broadsword is DX minus 5, so if you don't have the Broadsword skill you use a broadsword with skill 5 less than your dexterity, or 11 for the 16 dexterity example above.

3. The defaults list is other skills that can be used in place of Broadsword if you lack the Broadsword skill itself. So if you don't have Broadsword skill, but you have Shortsword skill at 15, then you can swing a broadsword with 15 minus 2 or 13.

4. That is the level of skill the character has purchased with points. It can be used to swing any weapon that falls under the Broadsword skill, which includes not only actual broadswords but also batons, baseball bats, and a variety of other mid-length balanced weapons.

[Mulsiphix]

Thank you all very much. I understand everything but the Broadsword level. This I am a little fuzzy on. If I have a character with a DX of 16, I have spent no points in the Broadsword skill, then my level with the broadsword would be 11? (DX 16 minus -5 for untrained broadsword skill equals 11). Using the same example if I had spent four points in the broadsword skill then my Level would be 17 (DX+1)?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Mulsiphix

Thank you all very much. I understand everything but the Broadsword level. This I am a little fuzzy on. If I have a character with a DX of 16, I have spent no points in the Broadsword skill, then my level with the broadsword would be 11? (DX 16 minus -5 for untrained broadsword skill equals 11). Using the same example if I had spent four points in the broadsword skill then my Level would be 17 (DX+1)?

Correct. Sounds like you understand it fine :)

The only thing to add as relates to your previous post is that if you want o swing another weapon you could use either its DX default or its default (if it has one) to Broadsword. Which ever gives you the better effective skill or roll.

[Mulsiphix]

Originally Posted by Refplace

The only thing to add as relates to your previous post is that if you want o swing another weapon you could use either its DX default or its default (if it has one) to Broadsword. Which ever gives you the better effective skill or roll.

Could you give me an example?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Mulsiphix

Could you give me an example?

OK.
Sabre defaults to Broadsword at -4
So a DX character with Broadsword 15 can default to DX -5 for 11 or Broadsword -4 also 11. No difference in this case because though he has spent points on Broadsword there not enough to take him beyond DX default yet.
No say he had Broadsword at DX for 16 his DX default to Saber would still be 11 but his Broadsword default is now 16-4 for 12

[Mulsiphix]

Originally Posted by Refplace

So a DX character with Broadsword 15 can default to DX -5 for 11 or Broadsword -4 also 11.

I understand. Same as if I had Rapier (defaults Broadsword to -4) although your equation is off. It is off right? 15 - 5 = 10.