How many ranks?

[Nail]

I'd rather always max 'em out and make up new skill uses for higher level checks, like letting Heal actually, y'know, heal.

Shocking!

Perhaps you could crib from 4e: High heal checks give the recipient a Second Wind, i.e. about 1/4 of their hp back. DC of the heal check equals some fraction of the total damage suffered. Usable once per encounter.

 

[Machiavelli]

Except for UMD

Actually, you have to fail UMD on a natural 1 to suffer the quoted effect. If a 1 isn't a failure for you, then you're golden.

 

[Klaus]

Shocking!

Perhaps you could crib from 4e: High heal checks give the recipient a Second Wind, i.e. about 1/4 of their hp back. DC of the heal check equals some fraction of the total damage suffered. Usable once per encounter.

Or I could just take a page from Star Wars Saga:

First Aid (once per 24 hours, DC 15): heals 1 hp per character level, +1 per point above the DC (so a 10th-level character healed with a check of 35 gets 30 hp).

Heal skill being used to heal: so crazy, it might just work!

 

[nittanytbone]

I generally have a few thresholds for skills:

1 rank is worthwhile so you can attempt the check: Trained only skills like Knowledge or Tumble, even if you have to buy them cross class

5 ranks for the synergy: Certain knowledges, Tumble, Bluff, etc. Might be worthwhile cross-class, but only for a really hot synergy

X ranks to hit a certain DC: Some skills are useful if you can hit a certain fixed DC. Craft (DC 20 for MW gear) or Diplomacy (fixed DCs to influence NPCs) are good examples.

Max ranks: A few skills are only useful if maxed. Usually, opposed skills. Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently are a few examples.

 

[Kat']

Skills worth 5 ranks:
Balance ('cause if you don't have 5 ranks in Balance, you're flat-footed while making Balance checks...)
A few Professions (Miner, Sailor...)
Synergies

Skills worth maxing:
Concentration (ever suffered damage while casting?)
Diplomacy
Escape Artist (unless you have access to magical effects like teleportaion or Freedom of Movement)
Forgery (VERY campaign-dependant)
Gather Information
Intimidate
Jump - Situational, but you never know... Plus Tiger Claw martial adepts need this very bad.
Knowledge - Arcana, Religion, The Planes, Nature, Dungeoneering, Psionics
Perform
Ride (only if you use Mounted Combat a lot)
Search
Spellcraft/Psicraft (if you have access to 9th level spells/powers only)
Sleight of hand
Survival

Max it or leave it:
Bluff/Sense Motive
Hide/Spot
Move Silent/Listen
Disguise

Stop once your modifier reaches...
Craft - 24
Decipher Script - 29
Disable Device - 24
Handle Animal - 20 for druids and rangers, 24 for others
Heal - highest poison or disease DC you can find minus 3. Shouldn't be that high. Be sure to have a healer's kit
Swim - 19
Tumble - 29
UMD - 33 (24 for Warlocks)

Who cares
Appraise - Uh... frankly, have you ever used it?
Climb - Spider Climb comes early enough. Plus it is untrained and strength-based, so use a lot of Aid Another and ropes and it should work.
Open Lock - Oh, come on. Knock is a 2nd level spell.
Use Rope - It's Dex-based. Just take 10.

 

[Bad Paper]

A few Professions (Miner, Sailor...)

what? Since 3.5 killed the Herbalist synergy, why take any profession?

Climb

hmm. Let's look at the Jump skill:

If you fail the check by less than 5, you don’t clear the distance, but you can make a DC 15 Reflex save to grab the far edge of the gap. You end your movement grasping the far edge. If that leaves you dangling over a chasm or gap, getting up requires a move action and a DC 15 Climb check.

I'm...going to put a few ranks in Climb, thanks.

Also, I'm glad to see that your list includes some love for Heal. It's damn handy, since just about no one carries around neutralize poison or remove disease, even at high levels.

I always put a couple of ranks in Forgery, but I've never been in a campaign where it finds use. <sigh>

 

[kigmatzomat]

Who cares
Appraise - Uh... frankly, have you ever used it?
Climb - Spider Climb comes early enough. Plus it is untrained and strength-based, so use a lot of Aid Another and ropes and it should work.
Open Lock - Oh, come on. Knock is a 2nd level spell.

I'll argue these. Appraise is used frequently IMC. The thieves (meaning those who steal stuff) use it to figure out what they should grab first, especially when time is limited. The social characters use it to evaluate the apparent wealth of whoever they are dealing with.

Climb is one of those skills that when you need it you rarely have time for ropes and teamwork. Dropped in a pit, reverse gravity, and just generally running away vertically are all good.

As for open lock... have you never put manacles on the mage? If the rogue doesn't know how to open locks, the mage isn't getting out.

 

[lottrbacchus]

Who cares
Appraise - Uh... frankly, have you ever used it?

Our method is somewhat unrealistic, but effective- the Appraise check sets the actual value of the item. That is, better or worse rolls result in a higher or lower item value.

We also use it for the snap judgement of what items are worth more (as mentioned above)