Bardic Knowledge/Lore Affects on Knowledge Checks

[dirkformica]

Do class abilities like the Bardic Knowledge or Lore affect regular skill checks for Knowledge? Would Bards or Cloistered Clerics get bonuses to their Knowledge checks?

If so, where is this indicated?

Thanks in advance.

 

[blargney the second]

In practise, I find a lot of DMs let you use bardic knowledge as a ghetto substitute for whatever knowledge skill you'd like to use. There's typically a -5 penalty to the check, compared to the normal knowledge DC.