Knowledge clerics, Blessings of Knowledge, and the limits cleric skill list

[Greywander]

The cleric skill list is very, very short.

The Blessings of Knowledge feature for Knowledge clerics lets you choose two out of a list of four skills to gain expertise in, but two of those skills are on the cleric's very short skill list. Blessings of Knowledge doesn't specifically say so, but I'm curious if anyone would allow a Knowledge cleric to choose History or Religion as cleric skills, then take expertise in one or both of those skills, and, since you already had proficiency, go and choose any two other skills to be proficient in.

Or, in other words, as long as I end up with at least two skill proficiencies that are on the cleric list, can I choose any other proficiencies from all the skills? It works this way for backgrounds, but nothing says class skills would work this way. Honestly, the more I think about it the more class skills don't make a lot of sense, as they seem to artificially limit what sort of character concepts are possible.

[Chronos]

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Naanomi]

I allow that with any duplicate skills... otherwise it encourages avoiding your character concept to avoid losing out (future scouts making sure not to have survival or nature for example)

[Tanarii]

The Blessings of Knowledge feature for Knowledge clerics lets you choose two out of a list of four skills to gain expertise in, but two of those skills are on the cleric's very short skill list. Blessings of Knowledge doesn't specifically say so, but I'm curious if anyone would allow a Knowledge cleric to choose History or Religion as cleric skills, then take expertise in one or both of those skills, and, since you already had proficiency, go and choose any two other skills to be proficient in.I allow selecting the skills they don't get from Cleric & Background, then applying 'expertise' to any of the four that you have, regardless of source.

In other words, a Knowledge Cleric Sage gets Arcana & History from Background. I allow a Knowledge Cleric to take Religion & Nature from their Blessing, and apply 'expertise' to any of the four. If you were a Knowledge Cleric Outlander, and chose History and Religion from the Cleric list, can choose Arcana & Nature from their Blessing and again apply 'expertise' to any of the four. If you were a Hermit, Religion & Medicine from Background, and History from Cleric list, you could again take Arcana & Nature from blessing and apply 'expertise' to any of the four.

But no, I don't allow a Cleric to select from outside their skill list. In the first example I just gave, the 2 Cleric skills are still limited to Persuasion, Medicine, or Insight. In the latter they'd have 1 skill from Persuasion or Insight.

[Man_Over_Game]

I allow selecting the skills they don't get from Cleric & Background, then applying 'expertise' to any of the four that you have, regardless of source.

In other words, a Knowledge Cleric Sage gets Arcana & History from Background. I allow a Knowledge Cleric to take Religion & Nature from their Blessing, and apply 'expertise' to any of the four. If you were a Knowledge Cleric Outlander, and chose History and Religion from the Cleric list, can choose Arcana & Nature from their Blessing and again apply 'expertise' to any of the four. If you were a Hermit, Religion & Medicine from Background, and History from Cleric list, you could again take Arcana & Nature from blessing and apply 'expertise' to any of the four.

But no, I don't allow a Cleric to select from outside their skill list. In the first example I just gave, the 2 Cleric skills are still limited to Persuasion, Medicine, or Insight. In the latter they'd have 1 skill from Persuasion or Insight.

This is how I'd do it. Maybe I'm a jerk, or maybe I lack creativity, but I like that Clerics have an identity about them, and skills are one way of solidifying it. They already have an expanded list of options from the Knowledge Cleric, there's no real problem with requiring Clerics to stay in their skillset, like any other class/subclass.

[Nagog]

I'd recommend taking the Skilled feat for other proficiencies or Expertise outside of your class skills. Keep in mind that does take up a feat so... It's a tradeoff.