Geas

Does anyone have a good idea of the Dexterity's role in melee combat? I want to think that it gives a bonus to hit chance and parry chance, possibly affects fencing, two handed etc., as well as helps with certain specials (such as disarm), but I have nothing really to back that up with. I know it interacts with missile hit chance and damage.

Is it a worthless stat that's only good for crafts and theft skills, or does it play a part in melee combat?

Very important for missile and trap skills. those are combat related, but not melee combat.

thief skills also use dex and can be combat related.

fencing and two handed and parry and stuff is agility and not dex.

btw this is all anecdotal first hand evidence. i have no looked at game code and this should not be taken as gospel.

If it's not combat-relevant it should be taken off appraise.

Pretty certain dexterity plays a role with two handed, because you need to be equally adept with both hands to dual wield effectively.

Would not surprise me if fencing and disarm and skills of that nature also used dexterity.

Keep in mind that skills don't necessarily have only one parent stat, some will use multiple stats. So it's possible for some skills to use both dex+agi (as well as possibly other stats, depending on the nature of the skill).

Indeed, just like thief skills use both Dex and Int (and possibly something else too). This is even written in the skilldesc of... think it was 'pick pocket'.

I would expect the instrument skills to use Dex as well (and they definitely do use Int). Throwing is another one I'd think is Dex.

I'd disagree with removing dex from the appraise. It should be as apparent to see if someone is dexterous as it is to see if they're tough. Ideally you'd have to see someone using their hands to know if they're good with them so it's a bit meta, but so are all the other stats.