2015 Gaming Blog: Skill vs Skill.

I thought we would take a moment to explore a couple of skills that appear in most Gaming Product and that illicit a lot of confusion.

Those skills are, at least as they appear in D&D/Pathfinder known as. Knowledge Arcana, and Spellcraft.

Of course the big confusion is Arcane vs Spellcraft? Aren’t they the same thing? It's like asking is the Art of the Occult the same as the Science of the Occult

First hear is the description of each of the two skills as they appear in the Pathfinder SRD/OGL
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Knowledge Arcana
You are educated in a field of study and can answer both simple and complex questions about the Arcane.
 Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).
You can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster's CR. For common monsters, such as goblins, the DC of this check equals 5 + the monster's CR. For particularly rare monsters, such as the tarrasque, the DC of this check equals 15 + the monster's CR, or more. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information. Many of the Knowledge skills have specific uses as noted on Table: Knowledge Skill DC's.

Identify auras while using detect magic	Arcana	15 + spell level
Identify a spell effect that is in place	Arcana	20 + spell level
Identify materials manufactured by magic	Arcana	20 + spell level
Identify a spell that just targeted you	Arcana	25 + spell level
Identify the spells cast using a specific material component	Arcana	20

Now lets take a look at Spellcraft.

Spellcraft(Int; Trained Only)

You are skilled at the art of casting spells, identifying magic items, crafting magic items, and identifying spells as they are being cast.
Spellcraft is used whenever your knowledge and skill of the technical art of casting a spell or crafting a magic item comes into question. This skill is also used to identify the properties of magic items in your possession through the use of spells such as detect magic and identify. The DC of this check varies depending upon the task at hand. Also you can use it to Identify spells as they are being cast (hey that's a Fireball, run!) Identifying a spell as it is being cast requires no action, but you must be able to clearly see the spell as it is being cast, and this incurs the same penalties as a Perception skill check due to distance, poor conditions, and other factors. Learning a spell from a spell book takes 1 hour per level of the spell (0-level spells take 30 minutes). Preparing a spell from a borrowed spell book does not add any time to your spell preparation. Making a Spellcraft check to craft a magic item is made as part of the creation process. Attempting to ascertain the properties of a magic item takes 3 rounds per item to be identified and you must be able to thoroughly examine the object.

So, yeah they are a lot the same. Each seems to complete the other and shares many of the same ideas. Arcane lets you identifies magic and magical threats, Spellcraft lets you identify magic and magical threats. The main difference is Time.
A Wizard is the Scientist of Magic so he would require some understanding of both the History of Magic and how to recognize the use of magic in the field. While a Sorcerer, the artist of magic might not ever take any Ranks in either skill.

In the end it's a matter of Flavor I think. In most Games a player is asked to make a Arcane roll as many times as he is asked to make a Spellcraft roll.

They are in a way the same, some GM's might even tighten up there game by House ruling they are the same skill?

Its one of the many mysteries of our beloved RPG, each of you have there own idea on how to incorporate them.

Till then.
Be excellent