Is Spot/Notice/Search/Perception Really the “God Skill?”

[tensai_oni]

They're god skills because if you fail to detect the trap, the DM may declare you dead. And then you have nothing left to live for in real life.

Sarcasm aside, it depends on the paranoia factor of the game. That's more GM-specific than system specific - everyone has a horror story or two (possibly second hand) about adventures where everything is trapped and every seemingly innocuous object or NPC is actually a doppelganger/succubus/invisible assassin. Basically, if it's a game you can't play without a ten foot pole at the ready, then perception skills are a must. Otherwise, like Darth Ultron said, falling into ambushes is more fun and interesting.