Relatively early we started using alternative dice rolling methods for PC creation as listed in the DMG & Unearthed Arcana, but I was going through an old set of those green B/X character sheets last night and found a thief that was one of my brother's characters and was clearly created with the good old 3d6 in order method.  Here are his ability scores:
Str: 7
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Cha: 6

Funny thing is that according to the record sheet this mediocre bastard reached 13th level, going through several of the Dragonlance modules, the Desert Nomads adventures (X4-5) and some homebrewed stuff.  Shows a couple things.  Ability scores weren't that big a deal (at least for us) back in the day.  And we didn't really care about world building or consistency.  We just played the latest module that fit our character levels.

This actually brings up two things I found I liked upon returning to TSR D&D.

First was bonuses from stats were nowhere as consistent in progression, and often having a big central band of 'normal'. So no "+/-1 every two points." This meant chargen was not something you could fail, per se. It was roll it up and get to playing -- now!

Second, the Christmas Tree Effect -- PCs eventually adorned in magical gear -- provided not only aspiration of stuff, thus spurring adventure, but gave variable load-outs to optimize your logistics, strategy, and tactics without fixed PC-build commital. So you wanted to find treasure. And once you got a lot of treasure you wanted to keep a lot of it in case you needed different combinations of tools to best exploit a new challenge. And with hirelings and henchmen excess gear became a form of loyalty incentive and power projection, creating attachment to and management of support NPCs.

Little things I dismissed when young caught me by surprise when I relooked at it with more mature (observant? grasping potential?) eyes.

Quote from: Opaopajr on January 22, 2022, 02:58:08 PM
Little things I dismissed when young caught me by surprise when I relooked at it with more mature (observant? grasping potential?) eyes.

This is a huge thing for me too.  There was actually a fair bit of elegance in the older systems that were very easy to miss.

Quote from: KingCheops on January 22, 2022, 03:43:28 PM

Quote from: Opaopajr on January 22, 2022, 02:58:08 PM
Little things I dismissed when young caught me by surprise when I relooked at it with more mature (observant? grasping potential?) eyes.

This is a huge thing for me too.  There was actually a fair bit of elegance in the older systems that were very easy to miss.

And it was generally a matter of continually trading up.  There was no weapon specialization or whatever to lock you in at 1st level.  So you used that +1 sword until you found a +2 spear and ditched that +1 leather as soon as you found the +1 chainmail.

Quote from: Persimmon on January 22, 2022, 04:14:37 PM

Quote from: KingCheops on January 22, 2022, 03:43:28 PM

Quote from: Opaopajr on January 22, 2022, 02:58:08 PM
Little things I dismissed when young caught me by surprise when I relooked at it with more mature (observant? grasping potential?) eyes.

This is a huge thing for me too.  There was actually a fair bit of elegance in the older systems that were very easy to miss.

And it was generally a matter of continually trading up.  There was no weapon specialization or whatever to lock you in at 1st level.  So you used that +1 sword until you found a +2 spear and ditched that +1 leather as soon as you found the +1 chainmail.

Or you had enough money for mules and lackeys and you kept all 4 items because sometimes you need a spear sometimes a sword.  And chainmail and leather have different pros and cons.

Quote from: Persimmon on January 22, 2022, 10:42:56 AM
Relatively early we started using alternative dice rolling methods for PC creation as listed in the DMG & Unearthed Arcana, but I was going through an old set of those green B/X character sheets last night and found a thief that was one of my brother's characters and was clearly created with the good old 3d6 in order method.  Here are his ability scores:
Str: 7
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Cha: 6

If you played B/X, you could have increased either Wis or Dex to 13, getting a bonus.

Quote from: KingCheops on January 22, 2022, 04:35:39 PM

Quote from: Persimmon on January 22, 2022, 04:14:37 PM

Quote from: KingCheops on January 22, 2022, 03:43:28 PM

Quote from: Opaopajr on January 22, 2022, 02:58:08 PM
Little things I dismissed when young caught me by surprise when I relooked at it with more mature (observant? grasping potential?) eyes.

This is a huge thing for me too.  There was actually a fair bit of elegance in the older systems that were very easy to miss.

And it was generally a matter of continually trading up.  There was no weapon specialization or whatever to lock you in at 1st level.  So you used that +1 sword until you found a +2 spear and ditched that +1 leather as soon as you found the +1 chainmail.

Or you had enough money for mules and lackeys and you kept all 4 items because sometimes you need a spear sometimes a sword.  And chainmail and leather have different pros and cons.

We never had lackeys and rarely bothered with mounts or pack animals.  Extra stuff generally got stashed at home and only came back out if the "better" item was lost or destroyed.

Quote from: Pat on January 22, 2022, 04:46:59 PM

Quote from: Persimmon on January 22, 2022, 10:42:56 AM
Relatively early we started using alternative dice rolling methods for PC creation as listed in the DMG & Unearthed Arcana, but I was going through an old set of those green B/X character sheets last night and found a thief that was one of my brother's characters and was clearly created with the good old 3d6 in order method.  Here are his ability scores:
Str: 7
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Cha: 6

If you played B/X, you could have increased either Wis or Dex to 13, getting a bonus.

Could have, but didn't.  Not sure why; maybe he didn't know.  My brother was always a much more casual player than me.

Old Elf character had these stats
STR  6 -1 melee and doors
INT  9
WIS  8 -1 saves
DEX 14 +1 to hit range, -1 AC, +1 init
CON  8 -1 HP/die
CHA 16 +1 reaction, 6 retainers, 9 morale

2 points docked from WIS to get INT from an 8 to a 9 and thus qualify for elf.
Since was pretty flimsy I focused on range combat. And as usual, rolled a 16 for CHA to was also the groups spokes-elf.
Not easy, but made it to level 10 and retired. That -1 on saves was worse than the -1 HP per level.
110 starting gold sure helped. Bought Chain Mail, a sling with 30 stones for it and a spear for melee emergencies. Some of the rest went into backpack, food etc and what was left helped get some equipment for the party's destitute Magic-User who rolled triple snake-eyes for starting gold. His character had a 6 for INT but a 17 in WIS and the rest of his stats were 8s or lower, especially CHA. Joked was really a kobold in disguise. Didn't want to play a cleric and a low INT in BX was not an impediment for a wizard. Thus he reasoned a high WIS would come in handy. Which it did. Blew all his gold on a silver dagger. Which later ended up saving the whole party. Wights when you are low level and already dinged up from prior fights are rather mean.

Quote from: Omega on January 22, 2022, 10:41:04 PM
Old Elf character had these stats
STR  6 -1 melee and doors
INT  9
WIS  8 -1 saves
DEX 14 +1 to hit range, -1 AC, +1 init
CON  8 -1 HP/die
CHA 16 +1 reaction, 6 retainers, 9 morale

2 points docked from WIS to get INT from an 8 to a 9 and thus qualify for elf.
Since was pretty flimsy I focused on range combat. And as usual, rolled a 16 for CHA to was also the groups spokes-elf.
Not easy, but made it to level 10 and retired. That -1 on saves was worse than the -1 HP per level.
110 starting gold sure helped. Bought Chain Mail, a sling with 30 stones for it and a spear for melee emergencies. Some of the rest went into backpack, food etc and what was left helped get some equipment for the party's destitute Magic-User who rolled triple snake-eyes for starting gold. His character had a 6 for INT but a 17 in WIS and the rest of his stats were 8s or lower, especially CHA. Joked was really a kobold in disguise. Didn't want to play a cleric and a low INT in BX was not an impediment for a wizard. Thus he reasoned a high WIS would come in handy. Which it did. Blew all his gold on a silver dagger. Which later ended up saving the whole party. Wights when you are low level and already dinged up from prior fights are rather mean.

This is what the game is about.

Omega, that old elf story is, as the youth say, based.  I would subscribe to those PCs' 'zine, or as they do nowadays, read their web comic.