Character trait, gives +10 to skill yet when I start the game with a character that has this trait, my power levels are still 50/50/50/50. Now when I start a toon without it I have the same power levels.

I see the +10 in the character screen, but does it not give you the power level boosts?

Put one point in engineering warp core skill and you'll see it when you are in a system. My energy levels are 52/52/52/52

I believe it's +10% to your Warp Core Engineering skill.

Not +10 to power levels in general.

Neither of you read the post.

The character trait gives you +10% just like putting in 2 skill levels in the beginning. When you put the actual skill points into the skill you get an instant + to power levels,

HOWEVER the character trait doesn't.

In short:

Character with Warp Theorist gets +10% more in skill (basically starts at rank 2 of the skill) and power levels are:
50/50/50/50

Character withOUT Warp Theorist starts at normal and starts with power levels:
50/50/50/50

Understand now? The character trait is supposed to give you +10 to the skill (which is the EXACT same as spending 200 points in the skill).

It isn't exactly free ranks in the skill. Perhaps it should be, but right now it isn't. As Smackumz indicated - I believe you still need points invested in the actual skill.

If that's true, what is the point of the character trait then? In the profile page it shows +10 when you start. If you get 1 tank of the skill, it says +16.

Several player skills/traits/abilities seem to not be working quite right. I've noticed this with the Warp Theorist trait, and also that the Tier one Tactical Team skill doesn't actually give a bonus to the Tactical Team I skill.