Oh man, I've completely massacred skills. These are my house rules related to skills.
There are no skill lists by class/prestige class. You choose 10 skills that you consider class skills. All other skills become cross-class skills. Exclusive skills can not be chosen unless it is exclusive to your class.
Fighters and barbarians get 2 skill points per level. All spellcasting classes get 4. Minstrels and archaeologists get 6, and rogues still get 8.
Alchemy is a required skill for brewing potions. Talk to me if you want to brew potions.
Bully is a new skill, which is the same as Intimidate, except it is strength-based. If you have other exceptions, talk to me.
The following skills are a special case: Balance, Climb, Jump, Listen, Profession, Ride, Spot, and Swim. These skills are lumped into a special category called “things I learned as a child”. At first level, you get 4 skill points to spend on these skills and 2 additional skill points every level to spend on these skills. These skills are always considered class skills for everyone. You can use your regular skill point allotment to increase skills “you learned as a child” if you desire.
At first level, rogues get 6 skill points to spend on “things I learned as a child”, and then 2 skill points each level to spend on these.
Languages are a separate skill. So, you could have 5 ranks in Elven. When you speak with an Elf, you will be forced to make an “Elven” skill check. If you botch it, you might inadvertently tell the Elven prince that his shoes taste like water, instead of asking for safe passage through his land.
Each character starts with 10 ranks in Common.
Druids get +1 free ranks in Druidic (Fey) every level starting at 1st.
Rogues get +1 free ranks in “Thieves Cant” every level starting at 1st.
Barbarians have 10 ranks in Common, but can only speak it. Reading/writing common is a separate skill for them, which they can put points into if they desire to.
Clerics gain +1 ranks each level in the following languages: Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal. This includes read/write as well as speaking.
Paladins gain +1 ranks in Celestial each level.
Tumble: must be rolled separately for each threatened area. You may not move through an enemies square with a failed Tumble check.
Spellcraft: Divine casters get a -4 circumstance penalty when using this skill on arcane spells. Arcane casters get a -4 circumstance penalty when using this skill on divine spells .
New Knowledge skills exist centered around monster knowledge. These are based on the category of monster. So, knowledge (aberration), or knowledge (undead) would be examples. Having ranks in such a skill allows you to identify creatures in that category, and to have knowledge about possible weaknesses. The following DCs apply:
DC10-14: Common man's knowledge about the particular kind of creature.
DC15-19: Actual habits and behavior of the creatures in questions.
DC20-24: Actual weaknesses and powers of the creatures.
DC25: Anything obscure not covered by the above
Perform is split into multiple skills, and the Perform skill no longer exists as a generic skill. Instead the following skills are available in its place: Slight-of-hand, Voice, Dancing, Strings, Winds, and Other.
Slight-of-hand allows you to perform card tricks, juggling, games of chance, and magic tricks.
Voice covers all voice-related activities, including singing, chanting, poetry, auctioneering, whistling, and humming.
Dancing includes all bodily feats. This skill is either modified by your Dex score, or your charisma score, depending on the situation. Tightrope walking (Dex), dancing (Cha), ladder balancing (Dex), and pantomime (Cha), are all examples of the Dancing skill.
“Strings” allows the character to played string instruments – lute, violin, guitar, mandolin, and harp are all examples.
“Winds” allows the character to played wind instruments – fife, horn, recorder, and pennywhistle are examples.
The “Other” perform skill allows the character to play all other instruments not covered by the other two, including harpsichords, organs, and all percussion instruments.
(Minstrel and Archaeologist are classes unique to my game)