The wording of some of the feats (I'll use Snake Style as the example, because that's what my character has) doesn't specifically state that the skill bonus doesn't apply when not in the style.
"You gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks, and you can deal piercing damage with your unarmed strikes. While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed." I wouldn't think you would get that bonus all the time, but I don't have ultimate combat on hand at the moment to research this further. Am I missing out on a permanent sense motive bonus?
Am I missing out on a permanent sense motive bonus?
Unless stated otherwise it should be a permanent bonus. I always thought it was anyway. Would be sort of weird if it wasn't.
You watch your foe's every movement and then punch through its defense.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Acrobatics 1 rank, Sense Motive 3 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks, and you can deal piercing damage with your unarmed strikes. While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.
Normal: An unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage.
If you only got the bonus while actively using the style, the bold part would have appeared in the first sentence, not the second.
What the Sinner and the Goblin said.