Yeah. Ever notice how a win percentage will determine who goes on (after the number of wins)? So a bye will screw you up unless you are a terrible player who never wins anything.
Actually, if you get a Bye in the first round, you can rejoice. Because if you do good, the Bye actually helps your tiebreak. If you get it in a later round, THEN its crud to have.
Not. Just like a pairing against someone from another division.
When it comes to Resistance, it can be good and bad. The better you do, the better your bye treats you. I once went 4-1 with a starting bye, ending me to be the highest 4-1 of them all. But go 3-2 and its already a lot less good for you.
I can speak with experience because I have been playing for a looonng time. Now, byes are NEVER bad, and DO NOT effect your opponent's win % AT ALL. You may think it does but really, but it is the person that you did not play who "helps" your resistence. For instance, you lose the first round, then you get a bye; and you did not have to play against the person that is 0-2.