Sine this thread will, apparently, not go away on its own, I will give the
reasons why the status quo will not change:
1) As was pointed out, the guilds that currently get any plant lore are the
only ones that have a real reason to use it. Druids for spells, merchants for
lumberjacking, alchies for potions, etc. Game balance generally insists that
only players who need/use a skill get it, no matter how useful it is. Sure, it
would be nice if a druid, having some familiarity with letter openers and
vegetable peelers, had skill in short blades. You think they haven't seen a
dagger before? But just because it would be nice doesn't mean they get it.
They are a non-melee guild, and get one weapon skill, bludgeons (because of
their staves).
2) As those of you earned your E%, rather than got dragged for it, already
know, there are plenty of sources of fruit and vegetables out there from a
more domesticated source. We have potato farmers, amazon fruit trees, apple
orchards, and mantis-ridden cornfields (which give us carrots for some
reason...but that's not the point). Most people are familiar with many basic
fruits and vegetables, yes, the ones they find in the supermarket. You don't
honestly think that's the only breed of carrot in existance, do you? There are
dozens, possibly hundreds, of different carrot breeds. While I'd trust even a
3rd grade child on the short bus to correctly identify a carrot in a
supermarket compared to, say, an apple and a chimichanga, I wouldn't trust
myself to pick a wild carrot (and yes, the ones you pick are wild) out of a
lineup with a parsely root, a chicory root, and a mandrake root by sight or
smell. And I _have_ seen them all before. Until I take a wilderness survival
course or two, I'll stick to the stuff in the market, and I know just about
everyone reading this does the same. If you want to take your chances on the
four roots mentioned above, bear in mind, one of them will kill you.
3) I admit, it seems odd that the typical ogre coming down off the mountain
can identify a rough diamond stone from a pebble, but can't tell an apple from
a strawberry. I will admit I had thought about changing that with raw
materials -- but then, the same ogre can tell steel, highsteel, mithril and
duraluminium apart on sight in finished weapons and armour, too. And removing
that ability would put a serious hurting on most players cash runs, as well as
a few other things. Perhaps it is more important to the average adventurer to
know the difference between materials in their armour and weapons (which
everyone uses on a daily basis) than the fruits and vegetables picked from the
woods (which most players don't see as often, even in my areas). Ogres don't
grow crops, dwarves live underground, catfolk are carnivores, etc. A lot of
existing races/players don't have any previous experience with plants, but
they all have experience with weapons and armour almost immediately.
4) I usually reserve tunes until I see a strong, compelling reason to change
the status quo. A drow evil priest has neither the racial inclinatino to know
plants, nor the guild-basd need to learn about them. I'm not giving everyone
plant lore just because one of them thinks it'd be a good idea. There's plenty
of other food out there, eat that.
5) When I was a mortal, I made it a point to stick to guilds that used plants
and plant lore, because I liked them and I thought they were useful. That
meant I was merchant, alchie, druid and ranger. It generally meant I sucked in
combat, but I never went hungry. Most players have, instead, decided to set up
their character to blow smoldering holes in walls, raise the dead, or beat
people senesless with their bare hands, even if that means they can't tell a
wild blueberry from a nightshade berry. This game is about choices, and you
can't have everything. Losing "plant lore" skill for "shatter spine" skill is
a trade most players are willing to make. I'm not goig to cheapen their
choices, or mine, by homoginizing the guilds till they all look the same.
Blueberries aren't worth it.

Shinarae Lluminus