Yes, yes - this all confirms my gut on how starting values for sneak attacks work (for specialists and everyone) but it still doesn't really address the logic for omitting the (1 in 6) for everybody on pg. 17. I was thinking I must have missed some reason why it was left off that list that was specific to the specialist (since it appears in that section) - but seeing that the specialist also gets the default (1 in 6) to start with that skill, I guess it might just be a typo (?).
I guess what really threw me (well, to be honest, still throws me a hair) is the suggestion later on that the specialist might not get that default (1 in 6). If you keep reading through the sneak attack section it continues, "If a specialist has ANY points in sneak attack, then he also gets a +2 bonus to hit above any other bonuses..." Sooooo, if they already get the automatic (1 in 6) starting value - then don't they automatically start with that +2 bonus to hit automatically? Why spell it out...unless it is meant to imply either A) specialist don't start automatically with the (1 in 6) in sneak attack but must invest in it (which doesn't make sense) or B) that this notation is meant to imply that the +2 to hit bonus stacks per point invested.
Again, I'm not losing (much) sleep over this. I've interpreted it all this way: everybody gets that initial 1 in 6 for sneak attack. Specialists get the +2 sneak attack to hit bonus AFTER they have invested at least one additional point into the skill. The +2 to hit bonus is non-stacking, while the damage bonus stacks.
I guess others do it differently maybe...
Thanks for all the input. Good stuff.
CP