When I am playing OD&D or B/X, 3D6 in order. It is one of the main reasons for playing the old games...

Since everyone and their mother has already said Beyond The Wall (which would also be my first response), I'll throw Crypts and Things 2E into the ring.  Not as intricate/in-depth as BtW, nor does it create bonds between your and other players' PCs, but still provides a fun glimpse into your character's history.

You make three rolls.  The first determines where you come from in Zarth (the game's default setting).  For the second, you roll on a table that provides some history and bonus based on your homeland.  For the third, you roll on another table that does the same thing but based on your class.

The tables are nice, but all the tables are a D8 roll (except for one which is a D10 but only has 5 options, so basically a D5).  I would have liked to see more choices (a D20 for the homeland and class history/bonus tables would have been nice, but that'd be a lot to come up with).  Even 2 more options per table would have been nice.

EDIT-Hmm...I've toyed with the idea of making some Sword and Sorcery flavored playbooks for Beyond the Wall.  It just occurred to me that I could probably crib a bunch of stuff from Crypts and Things' tables for that purpose.

The other not quite OSR character generation that I really find fun is Gamma World/Metamorphosis Alpha if you use random mutation generation. There is something about the swinginess between awesome power and near helplessness that makes creating characters a hoot. Early editions of Stormbringer had this same feature. You might get a Melnibonean Warrior-Noble-Sorcerer-Priest (near demigod) or you might get a blind, amputee begger.

These are not particularly mechanically interesting character creation systems, they are just fun to play with.

I thought Beyond the Wall was a Pendragon supplement.

It is. The other BtW is fully titled Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures published by Flatland Games.

Just been reading White Star Companion today, basking in the awesomeness that lets you play a King of the Impossible who'll Save Every One of Us - I note it has a great looking lifepath section that can give you your own secret planetoid base - or kill you in chargen.

Quote from: S'mon;966950Just been reading White Star Companion today, basking in the awesomeness that lets you play a King of the Impossible who'll Save Every One of Us - I note it has a great looking lifepath section that can give you your own secret planetoid base - or kill you in chargen.

And...sold!

Dark Albion has characters roll on random tables for social class origin, and for a random pre-campaign event.

In Lion and Dragon, this is expanded to include early/family careers too.

Quote from: JeremyR;966567I've never understood the obsessions with the 3d6 in order thing.

So the new definition of an obsession is "something someone else likes that I don't"? Have you called Merriam-Webster?

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;9665723d6 in order.  Strength, intelligence, wisdom, constitution, dexterity, charisma.  3d6 x 10 for gold.

That's what we do if and when we play D&D or its spawn.

I'm a huge fan of 3d6 in order, guys, but that doesn't mean you can't also do stuff like 'prior history tables'.

Point buy from the Rules Cyclopedia. Funny thing is, when I started running my Mystara 5e game I was going to use point buy, but the players coming from BECMI/RC D&D just started rolling 3d6 a bunch of times, so I went with that.

ok so now i have to ask - how does Beyond the Wall do PC generation?

My pick - for most fun - is DCC and the funnel. But not for a more serious, longer campaign, where I want to choose my PC.

Quote from: Psikerlord;969213ok so now i have to ask - how does Beyond the Wall do PC generation?

Two stats starts at 10, the rest is 8. Then you pick your Storygame style playbook and randomly roll (or choose if allowed) on the life path options, each of which will give a series of +1 to +3 to specific stats.  Some of them also help determine some of your gear and skills as well.

Quote from: Christopher Brady;969224Two stats starts at 10, the rest is 8. Then you pick your Storygame style playbook and randomly roll (or choose if allowed) on the life path options, each of which will give a series of +1 to +3 to specific stats.  Some of them also help determine some of your gear and skills as well.

hmm ok I think I understand better, thanks - are the life path options random them by default? I assume they are things like; apprentice blacksmith add +2 Str, or studied in the library a lot gain +2 Int, that sort of thing?

I shall have to try and check this out further