maybe Temple of Elemental Evil? its character gen is a bit formulaic, too, but more detailed compared to Baldur's Gate. since it's based on AD&D 3.5, it has a lot of attributes, skills and feats to pick from.

Darklands. You pick multiple careers for your character and can easily make a young monk/archer or a veteran farmer/soldier geezer.

Thanks! I'll try out Temple of Elemental Evil first, I think - bought it yesterday, along with a lot of other games :)

If you liked Baldur's Gate's system you could try the Icewind Dale games - they use the same overall system with a few additions, and you create your entire party from scratch rather than encountering NPCs that join you along the way.

Arcanum has a good character customisation system that's a bit different to the one used in the D&D games - you gain skill points each level that you can put into your Stats, Skills, the various circles of Magick, and Technological disciplines.

The Fallout games also have a decently in-depth character generation system, however they are post-apocalyptic / science-fiction rather than fantasy.

The Realms of Arkania games should be very detailed if they're anything like Drakensang. They use the same rules, but I haven't played them, so I don't want to assume anything.

Darklands certainly has one of the most interesting character generation ever.

The Realms of Arkania series is ridiculous for stats on character gen. The game itself is a little unforgiving at times, and there are a few design decisions that really remind you you're playing a pen-and-paper game that just happens to be on a computer. But the second and third games in the trilogy are quite well done If you like turn-based combat and control over a whole party of characters, then you could do a lot worse than to drop the $6 it'll cost you during the sale to pick up the whole trilogy.

But, really. Skip the first game. It's not that it's bad - it's just that there's nothing there for you if you start at the second game.

Also, Icewind Dale is good if you liked Baldur's Gate character creations; again, party-based.

Realms of Arkania is actually more detailed, even though Drakensang is based on the much more complex 4th edition of the pen&paper RPG "Das Schwarze Auge" (the dark eye), while Realms of Arkania is based on an older edition.

The reason for this is that the developers of Realms of Arkania incorporated far more skills and spells from the pen&paper game. Unfortunately, this results in some skills/spells that have almost no purpose at all. There actually is one spell that seemingly can not be used at any point in the game. And another one that is only usable in two places in all three games. If I remember correctly, they should be called Summon Ghosts and Banish Ghosts.

I don't really know about Fallout 2, but Fallout 1 also had it's share of pointless stats. For example, Science is a total waste of points, likewise Charisma, but Agility is God.

To be a bit more constructive: I think, most games based on Dungeons&Dragons 3rd edition (Neverwinter Nights, Temple of Elemental Evil, Icewind Dale II) have quite detailed character creation and development. The only exception is, I think, Pool of Radiance.

Wizardry 6-8 are great too: 6 and 7 are very luck-based, but there are lots of different races and classes and you have the option to change classes. (In 6 and 7 you should use it. A lot.) This allows you, for example, to create a warrior that uses stealth, a priest that wears heavy armour and stuff like that. Too bad those are not on GOG. You might try ebay for finding "The Ultimate Wizardry Archives" (which contains parts 1-7), but stay away from Wizardry Gold! This is just Wizardry 7 with better graphics and a lot more bugs.

Wizards & Warriors (NOT the game for Nintendo ;) ) also has a good character system, sort of an improved version of Wizardry 6/7, but you have to get past a couple of bugs and general awkwardness.

Oh yes, and Arcanum! And Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic I+II, very D&D-like.

In my opinion Fallout has the best character cuztomization with Special, Perks and all them traits.

Arcanum has quite the detailed character generation system, with plenty of fun options and the tech/magic conflict adding an additional twist. Overall excellent game as well.

....Science and Charisma are only useless if you think Fallout is a shooter.

That's not a sterling advertisement of your RPG chops. >.>

Arcanum,Fallout and Baldur's Gate have a pretty detailed char gen

Agree here. Arcanum lets you really make an interesting character for an interesting world... a gentleman pistol smith or a robed magician, or whatever in between.

the goldbox series used it.and it was a very good char gen