A perfect(ly arbitrary) set of twenty skills for Pathfinder 1e

[Nerth]

I've refactored the skill system and any feedback would be appreciated. The only caveat is that the real meaty removals (Appraise, Fly, and Use Magic Device in particular) might be something I find I don't need at my table, but that others might want to keep. From the top, the changed and removed skills:

• Acrobatics: Jump is removed, now part of a new Athletics (Str) skill.
• Appraise: Removed.

Spoiler: Rationale

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First, as written, no 1st-level NPC class can determine the value of a common item (DC 20). Their bonuses will range from -1 to +6 (+1 rank, +3 class skill, +2 modifier from Int 15). This means a 1st-level commoner farmer can't tell you how much their turnips are actually worth at market. I find this unacceptable.

Second, it leads to an awkward gameplay loop of bookkeeping. The GM needs to keep in mind what an object is actually worth, and what they told a player who failed their Appraise check. Then we get to the bartering or haggling part, which is handwaved to be "50% market value" anyways unless the barter or haggle is plot-relevant so that the non-Appraisers at the table don't get bored.

I find myself struggling to care whether a 50 gp jade statuette appears to be worth anywhere from 40 to 60 gp, or worse, 0 to infinite. The plan is to just tell the PCs what things are worth. If something's worth is in contention in a plot-relevant way, substitute Appraise with an appropriate Craft or Knowledge check.

• Climb: Removed, now part of a new Athletics (Str) skill.
• Craft: Now "--" instead of "Int." Includes Profession. Trained only.

Spoiler: Rationale

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One of two skills that has a weird key ability in my house rules.

The DCs should probably be way lower so that NPCs are still proficient at their jobs. The goal is to make a skill that is clearly a "background skill" that is useful as a downtime or character-specific check ("I'm a weaponsmith, so I inspect the orc enemy's weapons to see where it was crafted").

• Disguise: Removed.

Spoiler: Rationale

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Disguise to me straddles an awkward spot between Bluff and Perform. It's also one of the three skills that are supposed to be rolled in secret by the GM (the other two being Disable Device and Linguistics), and running it RAW feels bad ("Ooh, that was some great roleplay and planning. Unfortunately the guards saw through your disguise immediately.").

The plan is to keep Disguise as part of putting on a costume for acting without deceiving as Perform (act), and as part of actively trying to deceive someone as Bluff. Maybe keep the Disguise table of modifiers for different race, age, gender, etc. as a Bluff modifier.

• Escape Artist: Removed, now part of Acrobatics.
• Fly: Removed.

Spoiler: Rationale

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If Concentration as a skill was changed to a special check for spellcasters, why does Fly need to exist, especially as a class skill for only the druid, sorcerer, and wizard (and derivatives)? The plan is to make Fly checks a special Dexterity check—maybe HD + Dex for creatures with natural fly speeds, and caster level + Dex for magical effects that give flight. In any case, it makes little sense as a skill.

• Knowledges: Engineering, geography, history, and nobility weren't as important as the rest. Identifying monsters has been redistributed into eight.
  
  • Arcana: Dragons and magical beasts.
  • Dungeoneering: Aberrations and oozes.
  • Engineering: Constructs.
  • History: Named NPCs. (Obviously varies from campaign to campaign. Otherwise just grab bag for campaign lore?)
  • Local and nobility: Humanoids, monstrous humanoids.
  • Nature and geography: Animals, fey, plants, vermin.
  • Planes: Outsiders.
  • Religion: Undead.
• Linguistics: Crafting a forgery is removed, now part of a Craft (scribe) skill.
• Perception: Finding concealed doors or traps or investigating a room has been moved to a new Search (Int) skill.
• Profession: Removed.
• Spellcraft: Changed from "Int" to "varies." For spellcasters, it's their spellcasting ability score (Int for wizards, Wis for clerics, Cha for bards, etc.); for non-spellcasters or in general, it's Int. Removed the ability to craft magic items; relegated to the appropriate Craft check instead.
• Use Magic Device: Removed.

Spoiler: Rationale

Show

Just let anyone use scrolls, wands, staffs, or spell trigger items without having to roll for UMD. They've already burnt their gold (or their share of the loot), do they really also need a skill tax on top of it?

On the other hand, don't let people emulate ability scores, alignments, class features, or races. I'd say if a player must for a MacGyver theme it might as well be a feat, but not a skill.

At the very least consider making it a "trained only" skill.

Without further ado, I present to you the perfect(ly arbitrary) list of twenty skills:

1. Acrobatics (Dex)
2. Athletics (Str)
3. Bluff (Cha)
4. Craft (--)
5. Diplomacy (Cha)
6. Disable Device (Dex)
7. Handle Animal (Cha)
8. Heal (Wis)
9. Intimidate (Cha)
10. Knowledge (Int)
11. Linguistics (Int)
12. Perception (Wis)
13. Perform (Cha)
14. Ride (Dex)
15. Search (Int)
16. Sense Motive (Wis)
17. Sleight of Hand (Dex)
18. Spellcraft (varies)
19. Stealth (Dex)
20. Survival (Wis)

[calam]

On craft: by " weird key ability " do you mean that its subskill or action based now?
on linguistics: I think this weakens linguistics far too much
On search: so its a new skill just for looking for traps and hidden stuff?

[rferries]

I like most of these. Just a couple suggestions/comments:

-fold Fly into Acrobatics (perhaps as a subtable of modifiers, as you suggest for incorporating Disguise into Bluff)

-fold Knowledge (Planes) into Arcana and/or Religion (depending on Inner Planes vs Outer Planes)

-re: Spellcraft - I'm generally obsessed with breaking spellcasting into total MADness (i.e. Cha for save DCs, Int for spells known, Wis for spell points/slots) but your "varies" fix is absolutely brilliant, kudos!