Otago has made two changes from the side which drew with Central Districts in Napier last week for the Plunket Shield match against Wellington in Queenstown tomorrow.
Left-arm strike bowler Neil Wagner returns from a back injury and fast bowler Anthony Bullick gets another opportunity.
Green Islander all-rounder Mark Joyce drops out of the 12 and McSkimming is being rested.
McSkimming is in his 11th season with Otago and has been a vital cog in the attack for a good chunk of his career.
He has taken 195 first-class wickets at an average of 25.48 but this season his eight scalps have cost more than 46 runs apiece.
However, Otago coach Mike Hesson said the decision to spell McSkimming was not performance-related.
"Not at all. His last innings against CD was one of the best he has bowled all year," Hesson said.
"Warren is an important part of our side and with the extra games we have this year we have to be careful how we use players.
"He had a large workload up in Napier last week and we are basically looking after him."
Otago bowled more than 200 overs in search of its first four-day victory in over a year and a-half and, with the four-day tournament expanded from eight to 10 matches this summer, Hesson believes it is in Otago's best interest to protect its key players from burn out.
With Black Caps Nathan McCullum and Aaron Redmond both sidelined with muscle strains, Otago can ill afford further problems.
Hesson hoped McCullum would be back in action before Christmas but feared Redmond would be sidelined until the New Year.
The Volts' success in limited overs formats has tended to gloss over what it a disappointing record in the four-day competition in the last three seasons.
Its last win in first-class cricket was against Wellington back in March 2008.
That was also the last time the attack took 20 wickets, until its match against Central Districts last week.
Otago declared its first innings eight down for 534 and skittled Central for 190 with University-Grange all-rounder Sam Wells emerging as the unlikely hero with five for 26.
A rare victory seemed in sight but Central fought back, scoring 517 in its second innings.
That left Otago needing 174 from a minimum of 32 overs.
The target proved too steep.
