[Kromm]

I'd be careful just adding points. "Social guy" is an obvious niche for certain professions – especially the bard and the innkeeper! Also, a mind-game-playing mentalist will end up with Acting, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Public Speaking, etc., while a thief can be "urban" and rather good at Carousing, Fast-Talk, Merchant, and Streetwise. Even some specialist clerics are manipulators. You don't want to go too far in the direction of diluting their importance . . . people choosing to play "faces" might feel a little cheated if everybody can be a "face" but not everybody can be, say, a caster, stealth expert, or warrior.

My advice would be two-pronged:

1. All professions may use the advantage and disadvantage allowances on their templates for Wealth and/or the traits discussed on pp. 4-7 of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds – Allies, Claim to Hospitality, Clerical Investment, Rank, Reputation, Status, Tenure, etc. – as well as for the usual traits. They don't get extra points for this! Players must decide for themselves what balance of hack 'n' slash ability and social effectiveness they deem important.

2. Everybody must have at least 5 points in skills the GM agrees are "social."* This would require nothing extra of the bard! Heck, a suitably-built knight would sacrifice nothing. For most, this would mean sacrificing a few quirk points . . . but almost nobody would have to give up all 5 points. Even a "crude" barbarian has some social skills. Only the standoffish scout might be strained – which is arguably logical, given the disadvantage profile. Again, this wouldn't involve extra points, just a change in the balance between hack 'n' slash and social capability.

* On the standard templates, I'd count Acting, Body Language, Carousing, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Gambling, Gesture, Interrogation, Intimidation, Leadership, Merchant, Panhandling, Propaganda, Psychology, Public Speaking, Savoir-Faire, Sex Appeal, Streetwise, and Teaching.