10 minutes of Fallout: New Vegas

[Faceless Stranger]

There's still an energy weapons skill, science just helps in making more EW ammo

 

[your evil twin]

.....though I'm now thinking about how perhaps a perk where science gave more damage with energy weapons may work b/c they understand how targeting certain spots on an enemy may allow a laser to have greater effect...though again this knowledge would also work for conventional weapons - so still not a huge fan of the idea.

An expert in energy weapons would be an expert at knowing the power and accuracy of his/her weapon and how to use it for maximum effectivness... but it would make sense that a scientist could actually modify the weapon's reactor or lenses or magnetic coils to make it more powerful or more accurate.

The same can't be said of a conventional weapon, unless the scientist assembles a load of new components.

It's like big tough Klingon security officer Worf in Star Trek The Next Generation is a crack shot with a phaser and is probably an expert at maiming and dismebering and vaporising with one, but if you wanted the phaser to cut through a certain type of armour or force field, or to recharge faster, or something, then you'd want a scientific character like Data or Geordi LaForge on the case.