There is something to remember : although the EQEmu server can implement whatever it wants, the EQ client is kinda frozen. It is the Titanium client, and we do not own the source code for it. The good thing is that not many things are hard-wired in the client, but still some are.
HP/Mana/ATK/AC calculations are re-done on the client. It means the server and the client's view may differ unless the server code computes those values as the client does.
In the end, what the player sees in the EQ client for those values does not matter (let's say it's psychological). The server uses the values it computes for combat etc. Of course over time the server formulas have been tuned to match what the client thinks (based on the stuff equipped, the level, the class etc). For example (chosen at random !), you could code your server to consider that all halflings suck and have AC 0 for mitigation purposes even in full armor, and the client would still show you your great 2500 AC. You would still eat damage like a level 1 wizard, the server decides there.
From my experience the skill caps work in the same way : the client has its own view of what the skill caps are. The server can have another view, and it is this one that matters most of the time... Except in those few situations when the client has control, like when trying to pick locks, hide, equip two weapons : if your class/race/level cannot dual wield in Live EQ you will not be able to dual wield whatever the skill caps you have put in your server DB. The EQ client does not ask the server whether the character can equip two weapons, it considers it "knows" it all from the start.
Hence your "red skills". The EQ client will only abide by the skill caps that Live EQ had back then, at the time of Titanium. You can hit as if your 2-H Slash is 300 no problem but the client will show you 200 if it thinks it is your normal cap.
If someone could deny this I would be very happy, more freedom to us, but that is my experience with the Emu. A few things are hard-coded by the client, you have to live with them.
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