Skill Focus Feat and Ranks

[IceThorn]

I was wondering if the following:

Skill Focus
Type of Feat: General
Prerequisite: Able to use skill being focused
Specifics: A character with this feat is adept at a certain skill, gaining a +3 bonus on all checks with it.
Use: Automatic. This feat may be selected multiple times, but it applies to a different skill in each case.

added to the rank amount or only modified rolls such as the ability modifier? The description implies that it's the latter, but I wanted to be sure.

The Wiki shows the following modifiers for artificing:

Scribe Scroll Modifiers

+1 per your spell casting ability modifier bonus
+1/5 points (ranks plus bonuses) in Lore
+1/5 points (ranks plus bonuses) in Spellcraft

So I'm guessing that it would still help there.

There are two main reasons that I'm wondering:

1) The Automatic Metamagic feats all require 24 ranks in Spellcraft - except Automatic Quicken which requires 30 ranks (typo or is 30?).

2) Spellcraft Skill: The character also gains a +1 bonus for every 5 ranks in this skill to all saving throws against spells.

Thanks.

[Wyrmwing]

It counts as a bonus, not as actual ranks. So it would be taken into account for artificing, but not for being able to select the metamagic feats.

[IceThorn]

A similar question.

There's

Skill Focus
Type of Feat: General
Prerequisite: Able to use skill being focused
Specifics: A character with this feat is adept at a certain skill, gaining a
+3 bonus on all checks with it.

and

Epic Skill Focus
Type of Feat: (Epic) Spell
Prerequisite: 20 ranks (chosen skill), 21st level
Specifics: The character gains a +10 on all skill checks with the chosen
skill.

I don't see the appropriate Skill Focus as a pre-req for Epic Skill Focus. Is it? Do they stack (so if pick both get +13)?

[ninja]

I don't think that skill focus is a prerequisite for epic skill focus, and the two should stack.

Some one smite me if I'm wrong.

renedq