Stupid PHB2...
So, I've gone though a number of analyses of the PHB2 and the PHB1 classes in the hope that they were fairly well balanced. I was shocked that they actually were in most cases, sometimes the PHB1 classes owning the other ones (paladin, I'm looking at you!), sometimes... not so much (shaman).
Well, I was looking through the skills today and suddenly noticed that the selection of skills that are allowed for the PHB2 classes is much larger. On average, they have almost 2 more skills that they could choose as class skills compared to the PHB1 classes. By far the worst of the group is the bard, who only don't have Endurance, Stealth and Thievery on their class list. Bards also have the most skills of the leader role and only have 1 less starting skill than rogues, who are meant to be the skill-monkeys. Also, on average, the PHB2 classes have a choice of 2 (or more) skills for every starting skill they have.
Essentially this means that the PHB1 classes have more difficulty being different from each other in terms of skill set (i.e. if you've seen one fighter, you've seen them all), while the PHB2 classes have much more variety in how they're perceived. Avengers don't all have to be stealthy Batman-types, but they could be that or be smashy tough guys.
The only thing that PHB1 classes have over the PHB2 classes in terms of skill variety is that only rogues and warlocks can take Thievery as a class skill. Stealth remains the skill for rangers and rogues, with avengers allowed in. Perception used to be the realm of the rogue and ranger and then suddenly 6 more classes had access to it. SIX more! Sheesh. Similarly, Acrobatics was opened up to barbarians, avengers and bards, again breaking a rogue-ranger monopoly.
I just hope that they don't keep this trend going and half the PHB3 classes have the entire skill list as "class skills".