Dealing with terrible skill lists

[Extra Anchovies]

If a character has a good number of skill points but a very limited list (e.g. Magus), what do they do with their skills? Is it worth spending both traits to get more class skills? Should I suck it up and put points into Craft, Profession, Knowledge (Dungeoneering), and other such limited-at-best skills? Or can a character get by well enough without that +3 in some skills, and if so which ones?

[daryen]

While the +3 is great, it isn't necessary. Put points in the skills you need. Class skills are not the only skills you can choose, just the ones that get you the bonus. Pick whatever skills you want.

[Spore]

While the +3 is great, it isn't necessary. Put points in the skills you need. Class skills are not the only skills you can choose, just the ones that get you the bonus. Pick whatever skills you want.

In compared skill checks, +3 is quite the advantage. So I suggest using your traits to get class skills in: Stealth (compared with Perception), Sense Motive (compare with Bluff), Bluff (compare with Sense Motive), Perception (yes, just yes), Sleight of Hand (compare with Perception) or Acrobatics (high rolls required for some of the nifty stuff).

[Geddy2112]

+3 for a trained class bonus is strong early game, but won't matter much late game. There are usually only a few class skills you want to "max" and other useful skills are self evident. Most skills are worth putting a point in(namely knowledges or other trained only skills) to get the bonus but that is that.

[Abd al-Azrad]

I'd suggest picking up obscure Knowledges. I feel like that might be more from my own experience with my own group, but the +3 to a Knowledge check against a given CR is less important in general, and given you're already fielding a powerfully high Intelligence score, you could really stand in as a Giles.

Also, maybe a few really obscure Linguistics ranks that you share with the party? Convincing your lifelong friends to learn Ignan and Aquan so that you can metagame freely in combat isn't the worst use of skill points.

[atemu1234]

+3 for a trained class bonus is strong early game, but won't matter much late game. There are usually only a few class skills you want to "max" and other useful skills are self evident. Most skills are worth putting a point in(namely knowledges or other trained only skills) to get the bonus but that is that.

Yeah, by 10th level, not much matters.