@glitchontwitch yes, Legend or Open Quest are two BRP like systems, d% based with point buy for skills. But they don't have levels you can plan.
Savage Worlds is a good system, with clear advancement across tears and you can make some tactically complex characters, although the overall system is a bit simpler than D&D.
There are also systems that have a lifepath type character generation, e.g. Burning Wheel (but system is overly complex) or maybe some of the Warhammer systems or Traveller.
@sgryphon I’m vaguely familiar with Warhammer(though not so much in a tabletop context), but what’s Traveler’s concept?
Also thanks, this was very informative!