Pielorinho said:
Freaky. In my circles, the DM *cannot* cheat. The DM can run a better or worse game, of course -- but for us, the DM isn't relegated to a referee role, an interpreter of the rules. The DM *makes* the rules.
I'd much rather my DM put time into coming up with character motivations, plot twists, and spectacular scenes than into making sure every skill point is spent, every combat modifier taken into consideration. For myself, that's how I handle it: I use an NPC generator and then play very fast and very loose with the results, creating somebody with a fun amount of stats.
Daniel
Smarmy answer: I put a lot of effort into motivating my NPCs! This one is motivated to kill for vengeance, another for greed, and still another because he wants to stand on a mountain of the dead!
More serious: Motivations and spectacular scenery is a matter of description. Whether or not you can make your players laugh, cheer, groan, or weep is a testament to your oratory skill and the type of campaign you're running. Doing so using the same rules your players use (acknowledging the need for Rule Zero's occasional use as a club) is a mark of skill.
Some skills like Tumble, Jump, and Climb are
very important in the right circumstances. Skill definition also reflects your character's depth, too - a fighter renowned for playing the lute better have Perform (stringed instruments 3.5, alas) or you're doing something strange.

Of course, how those affect his other skills (like the Jump he'll need to take an assassin unaware) is more important when he's in combat, but throwing skills at him willy-nilly or ignoring level caps on skills is not the way to deal with those trade-offs.
That's cheating.
I can't say I haven't done it, but I try not to. The players can't bend the rules to their advantage; why should GMs?
And that's not on-topic, unless you count the reference to the stupid Perform skill changes.
- Ket