Originally Posted by Zandel

I'm almost 100% sure that the skip does NOT use the beam unless your bar is full. The damage numbers I have seen and the amount of bar being full seems to indicate that it does not use it. Another thing is when you skip and build up WAY more than 1 bar (say a bar + 50%) but you start the next round with only 1 full bar not the 50% you really should have if the blast was used.

^ This

And skipping only activates the beam if you're sitting on 100%. If you're at 99%, then no, it won't activate. I've been in situations like this before, and was able to use the beam TWICE at least 40% of the time (I had a freaky moment when I almost was able to use the beam THREE times for one team's turn)