I think alot of people are going to miss those bonus's. I'd hope that the abilities replacing it are are nice as what you get for level 8 and 12 Shorin Ryu.
Peronally I think it's a shaft. If anything, force it to BG only skills. That way you can deny as many people as you want, but still say you're being fair. I can't imagine any “ability” replacing a +6 to attack. People spend good pts for stuff like that.
Can I deal ? yeah. Do I have to like it ? Naw. Will I shut the hell up about it ? Probably. I'm Gemini, I get bored easy.
Like I said before, hopefully whatever replaces it is just as enticing as those numbers are. I don't know many people that buy melee fighting styles for anything less than those numbers;when they can so easily turn to a ranged weapon with abilities of their own, and stay clear of an axe to the head.
The Scoundrel