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I assert that mastery of the semi-bluff (including good laydowns after such a bet) is THE essential skill because by definition, THIS skill incorporates mastery of a great many other very important and often quite subtle poker skills such as
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Solid starting standards (by position and number of players),
Reading hands,
Choosing your victim,
Isolating him,
Ability to make tough laydowns,
Changing gears etc.
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I believe that "reading hands" is by far the most important skill. Indeed, wouldn't it be extremely easy to show a large, long-term profit if we could literally see our opponents' cards? For if we could see our opponents' cards, we would: value-bet our better hands with impunity, have a very good sense of when it would be profitable to semi-bluff, and be in a position to pick off others' semi-bluffs. Since we can't actually see others' hole cards, we try to use all available information in order to "read" others' hands--after which we have some idea as to how play our hand.