your Dice pool cap is (Keep in mind) Attribute + Skill x2 (assuming a 5 agi 5 skill its 20)
meaning at 10 dice you still have another 10 you can get through modifiers ...2 from specalization ... 2 from Smartlink ... 1 from Synch (cant think of any others off my head)
Well, if you use that option. . .
Optionally, gamemasters may choose to cap dice pools (including modifiers) at 20 dice, or at twice the sum of the character's natural Attribute + Skill ratings, whichever is higher.
Emphasis in the original.As to the OP's question, it's pretty cut and dry:
Raising a skill costs 4 BP per rating point. Skills can only be improved to a maximum rating of 6.
The maximum skill rating for starting characters is either one skill at Rating 6 (with the rest at Rating 4 or less) or two skills at Rating 5 (with the rest at Rating 4 or less). Your character cannot start with both one Rating 6 skill and two Rating 5 skills.
Makes sense, I can have a skill at
Rating 6, or two at
Rating 5. All other skill
Ratings must be 4 or less.
A specialization represents a focused field of training or education in one aspect of a base skill For example, a character with Pistols skill can specialize in Semi-Automatics, improving her ability when firing any semi-automatic pistol. A specialization grants the character a dice pool modifier of +2 dice on tests using that skill when the particular specialty applies (see Specializations, p. 84). This is noted on the character sheet by adding "(+2)" after the skill rating. Only one specialization can be taken per skill
Underline mine.So, per the RAW, a specialization doesn't do anything to your skill
Rating, it provides a dice pool modifier on those tests where the speciality applies. Thus, it's not limited by the restriction on starting character skill levels. mentioned above. If it were, they'd probably say something to that effect on page 84, which they don't.
If your GM wants to house-rule it, that's his prerogative, but he shouldn't tell you that's the original intent. And as Wraith235 said:
but TBH if his argument that 2 BP for a +2 is too good .... point out that it is also only 2 karma during play ... and point out the cost of a smartlink to him (which does the exact same thing)
If he does house-rule it, I guess you, Wraith 235 and I all know where your first two Karma are going. . .