Ok, personally id be fine if there was no skill condensation, but, sense some people are hell bent on it, im presenting what i think are equitable skill condensations:
-Open lock and disable device become one skill: Disable Device.
-Balance and Tumble become the same skill: Acrobatics
-Use rope gets absorbed into sleight of hand.
-Bluff, Intimidate, and Diplomacy REMAIN THEIR OWN SKILLS, for both combat mechanics as well as the mere fact theyre so different. And each of these three skills gets 'gather information' absorbed into it, as all three have means to get information.
-Move silently and hide become "stealth"
-Spot, listen, and search REMAIN THEIR OWN SKILLS. The perception system is just as if not more complicated than the 3.5 version, having to be split and recalculated for listening bonuses, smelling bonuses, tasting bonuses, and hearing bonuses... i think ill just keep it 3.5
-Concentration becomes a wisdom skill.
-Use magic device... dunno what to do with this one
-Furthermore, knowledges could have other skills absorbed into them:
-Knowledge Arcana gets spell craft
-Dungeoneering, Planes, Nature all get versions of survival
Climb, Swim, and Jump all one skill? Err... no. Why not just make the game have 5 skills?
Strength Skill
Dexterity Skill
Intelligence Skill
Wisdom Skill
Charisma Skill
Oo better yet!...
Social Skill
Physical Skill
Mental Skill
Skill condensation/getting rid of ranks is the exact reason im not playing 4th ed, paizo, jason, others, please think clearly and dont go crazy on all these skills.
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Funny. Skill condensing was one of the few things I liked about Star Wars Saga (the rest of the skill system sucked).
On the other hand, I agree that too much condensing makes too many changes (suddenly the Rogue becomes mega-skill monkey). Reading the Alpha boards, I have been convinced to un-condense certain skills in my home game (Appraise as its own skill again), while some I am undecided still (such as Search as a part of Perception).
I feel that Pathfinder is headed in the right direction. Just be patient.