I have builds planned for ranged and melee charcters specializing in one combat style or the other. They all have the choice of whether or not to switch to a stronger combat skill. For example, ranged characters start with Small Guns, then switch to either Energy Weapons or Big Guns. Hand To Hand characters start with Melee Weapons and can choose to switch to Unarmed later on. Small Guns and Melee weapons are far more common early to mid game than the others. Energy Weapons and Big Guns aren't available until much later in the game and the Unarmed weapons that appear early in the game are too weak to be of any use against most of your opposition.

Now I know that Slayer requires 80% in Unarmed for Hand To Hand characters. Small Guns needs an investment of 80% to qualify for Sniper. Energy Weapons can be used in single shot, targeted shot, or burst fire mods. Big Guns has only burst fire mode. Energy weapons has pistols and rifles while Big Guns have no one handed options.

What I want to know is if I am switching to another combat skill later on, how can I do so effectively? How high should I raise Small Guns before stopping when planning to invest in either Big Guns or Energy Weapons. If planning to switch to Unarmed later on if going Hand To Hand, how much should I invest into Melee Weapons? Should I even bother tagging Small Guns if planning to switch to Big Guns or Energy Weapons?