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Yet another question for you magnificent rules pros out there:
How do class skills interact with multiclassing? Say I'm making a fighter/wizard, and at first level I start off just as a wizard. I spend my skills as normal, but come up short on ranks (don't we all...) for Knowledge skills. Picking one at random, I'll say I want him to be able to make Knowledge (Religion) checks.
At second level, can I put a rank into Knowledge (Religion) and still gain the +3 for it being a class skill, even though it's a Wizard CS and not a Fighter's?
This isn't a huge deal for me, but the answer might affect when the character takes levels of which class. Thanks as always for being so helpful.
If it is a class skill on any class that you have levels for and you have a rank in the skill you get the +3 trained skill bonus regardless of what level you take the rank in that skill on. If you don't have it as a class skill from any class that you have levels in you don't get that bonus. Max ranks is always equal to your character level regardless of the skill's status as a class skill or not. The trained skill bonus does not stack with itself since it is the same bonus. So if you have a skill that is a class skill in two classes that you have levels in you only get the bonus a single time for that skill.
Example:
Fighter level 5
Acrobatics ranks: 5, no class bonus
Spellcraft ranks: 5, no class bonus
Craft(armorsmithing) ranks: 5, class bonus
Fighter level 4 Rogue level 1
Acrobatics Ranks: 5, class bonus (rogue skill)
Spellcraft ranks: 5, no class bonus
Craft(armorsmithing) ranks: 5, class bonus (not increased, just the same +3 as the straight fighter)
At second level, can I put a rank into Knowledge (Religion) and still gain the +3 for it being a class skill, even though it's a Wizard CS and not a Fighter's?
Yep, you're right. Once skills become class skills, it doesn't matter what class is currently gaining a level; if you're taking your first rank in the class skill you gain the +3 bonus.
The PRD doesn't make it very clear but I believe the big book does have a thorough explanation.
Yeah, it has been streamlined significantly:
Skill ranks ALWAYS cost 1 skill point now. (used to be: "costs 1 if the class giving you that skill point has it as a class skill, otherwise it costs 2")
Max rank is ALWAYS equal to your level (used to be: "level+3 if it is a class skill for any of your classes, otherwise half that)
Class skill now means that if any of your classes has this skill as class skill and you have ranks in it, you get +3.
Doesn't really matter when you got that rank, how many ranks you have (as long as it's not 0), and when it became a class skill. As soon as the two conditions ("have it as class skill in any class you have" and "have 1 or more ranks in it") are met, you get the one-time +3 bonus.
The upshot I was looking for, and I think I read this correctly, is that when selecting traits, it's kind of wasteful to select ones that make certain skills a class skill if one of your classes already has it. e.g. Selecting Devotee of the Green when you have Druid (or Ranger) level(s) is only good for the bonus on checks and for RP flavour.