Random: No choices or as few as possible (gender and overall 'class' for example)

Random: some choices (Attributes are randomly rolled but players chooses where to put them for example)

Random: Lifepath: Character's mechanical aspects are determined by rolling/choose from tables that describe elements of their background.

Allocation: Set number of options but player chooses

Point Buy: structured costs for various attributes (GURPS, for example)

Other

4D6 take the best 3, swap 2

I said "other" because my ideal method is options (including some options for randomness) usually with some sort of constrained point-buy with lifepath (either a system, playing it out, or just taken into account).

Random: Lifepath for me. It gives hooks for backstory and how the PC is integrated into the world.

Depends on the system.

Select race and profession, record cultural skill ranks, roll for points, spend points on temporary attribute scores, roll maximum attribute scores based on temporary scores, spend background option points from race on stat gains, talents and items with option to roll for a lower cost, calculate development points, purchase training packages rolling for items and recording skill ranks, spend remaining development points on skills, total bonuses.

Depends on what we're playing.

For D&D and castles & Crusades 3d6 in order..., re-roll ones or twos exactly once, keeping what you roll. This is for all editions. Point buy and picking attribute values sucks, and is for milk drinkers.

For Traveller 2d6 straightup

For Chivalry & Sorcery, 1d20 straight up

Star Wars 3d6, in order, re-roll 1's and 2;s just once, keeping the best of what you roll.

Fudge & Fate 4df straight up, Both by the book...

The others pretty much as written in the rules, leaning towards highly random, instead of chosen or scripted.

People like to say, Oh, you like to play with gimped or substandard characters. No, I like to play with characters that are mostly normal, with a few being really heroic or capable, and with a few being really weak, and not so heroic, who have to compensate using their wits, skilled, or trained abilities instead of natural abilities. Both are equally valid methods of roleplaying, and WHile I'm sure there are some fantasy worlds with superheroes everywhere, you won't find that in most of my game worlds. In most of my Worlds, you have to learn how to be heroic!!! That's part of the fun!

For anything with a long campaign - I hate randomized character creation.

It's okay for one-shots - like CoC (at least I've only used it for one-shots).  But part of what I enjoy about TTRPGs are the tactical elements, and randomization at creation generally throws all balance out the window.

Random-Lifepath and/or Allocation, which is why I chose other.  But I'm a filthy new schooler.

Quote from: GameDaddy;1026021For D&D and castles & Crusades 3d6 in order..., re-roll ones or twos exactly once, keeping what you roll. This is for all editions. Point buy and picking attribute values sucks, and is for milk drinkers.

To me this doesn't make even a bit of sense, because different editions have different ranges for bonuses. Some are fine for 3d6 because bonuses start at 13. But in AD&D, they start at 15 or 16

Quote from: JeremyR;1026060To me this doesn't make even a bit of sense, because different editions have different ranges for bonuses. Some are fine for 3d6 because bonuses start at 13. But in AD&D, they start at 15 or 16

The only stat that I know of that starts at 15 for AD&D is Con.  No, wait.  Hold on, Charisma starts at 13 with a reaction bonus of 1.

Always lifepath, whether random or not.

I prefer random mixed with choices. The randomness element I find often leads to inspiration which, in turn, takes me away from stock choices I might make or inbuilt biases that guide me too firmly.

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;1026016Depends on what we're playing.

But if you have your druthers or if you were designing a perfect system what would you use? Or do you mean you don't have strong feelings for any particular method?