07 Sep 2006 at 22:53 - 4
As long as the requirement is met, the damage is at 100% of the weapon's capacity. So, with say, 12 Swordsmanship, you will do the same amount of damage with a req 8 sword that you will with a req 12 sword.
However, increasing the attribute increases the damage. So on a req 9 weapon, an attribute of 12 in the required attrib will do more damage than if you have 9 in the required attrib. In case this is confusing...
With a Swordsmanship (or other weapon attrib) of 12:
100% damage on a req 8 weapon.
100% damage on a req 12 weapon.
On a req 9 weapon...
x damage with weapon attrib of 9.
More than x damage with weapon attrib of 12.
Also...
Req 9, 9 in attrib does x damage.
Req 12, 12 in attrib does more than x damage, only because the attribute is higher. The requirement makes *no* difference so long as it is met.
To sum up...
The requirement of a weapon has no effect on the damage it does. The only thing that changes it is the number of attribute points you've invested in that attribute. So 15 Swordsmanship will always deal more damage than 11 Swordsmanship. But, a req 8 will deal the same amount of damage as a req 11 with Swordsmanship 15.
I hope that wasn't too confusing.