Scout missing disable device in skill list?

[Majoru Oakheart]

Anyway, the flavor text really isn't what bothers me- it's the Flurry of Blows requirement. The flavor text is a direct carry-over from Sword & Fist- but in 3e, in Sword & Fist, "Flurry of Blows" wasn't a requirement at all (simply the Evasion class ability, and some skill ranks).

Ya, this is one thing I see fairly often in WOTC books, rules text seems to be proofread more than flavour text. It also appears that they tweak the game mechanics until the last second before the book is sent to the editor (or even after it comes back from the editor is my guess).

My guess on the scout situation is that someone decided "Let's make a class that's like a rogue but who doesn't make sneak attacks, more of a scout type!" "Yeah, that sounds good, they'd be able to do most of the rogue stuff, but wouldn't really be about fighting so much as skirmishing." "Yeah, so we give them the ability to find and remove traps, and open locks, so they can scout ahead and do the rogue thing." "Sounds great!"

Then, 3 months later:
"Ok, the book came back from the editors already, but we've noticed our playtesters in the group complaining that Scouts are too good, no one wants to be a rogue anymore when they can have more hit points and still do all the things rogues do now. No one NEEDS sneak attacks and given the choice, they all choose scout." "Umm, simple enough, we just remove open lock and disable device from their skill lists, and now there is a reason to be a rogue again, simple and not a big enough change to send it back to the editors. We are GOOD." "Yeah, the class is much better now."

Done, then no one noticed that there was a section of flavour text referring to removing traps as well as a rogue.

Sure, it's a guess, but I think it's a good one.