Know-skills rant -- but also a question

[MoonRaven]

I agree with the original post to a point:
Not all knowledge skills should be available for everyone: Example: Arcana should be left for the magic-users. It doesn't make sense to me that a Rogue, though, could know all of the knowledges as class skills and a wizard, for instance, couldn't.
More skills I think should be class skills for everyone: Swim, Ride, Search, Spot, Listen. These are basic skills that a class would not prevent knowledge of (hell, Search, Spot, and Listen are sensory skills, and shouldn't be relevant to class at all).

 

[Nightchilde-2]

I'm planning on playing an Akashic (Arcana Unearthed, for those not familiar with this class) with ranks in several knowledge skills.

I think the biggest problem with Knowledge skills is the total lack of guidelines as to what you can do with them. Just how much information can you come up with at various DCs? Diplomacy and Intinimate tell you what happens when you make various checks, for example. Even Bardic Knowledge checks tell you a certain level of knowledge gained from the check. Why are there no DC guidelines for the Knowledge skill checks?

I'm Quote the SRD Boy today. Note that it will still take a bit of judgement (just what *is* a basic question?), but...

Check: Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).
In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster.
For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.