I will third the suggestion for Savage Worlds. Good solid system, yet surprisingly lite on the rules. The power for improvising is back with the GM, instead of rule-lawyering players (no offense as your name includes lawyer).
And.. the settings that they offer (including some made by third...
While on the topic of Freeport... are you all aware that the Freeport setting has been recently produced for the Savage Worlds game as well?
http://greenronin.com/2008/04/savage_worlds_freeport_compani.php
I think the key to making these deity specific classes not take over the niches of the other base classes is to include certain limits or behavioral parameters. After all, real world priests of different religions have certain oaths or callings to adhere to such as celibacy, marriages, vows of...
I like the idea of individual base classes built for each deity. A priest of Thor would be very different indeed from a priestess of Aphrodite - and not just in the realm of spell choices or a couple of minor abilities derived from domain choices. A priest of Thor would even be quite different...
Not only have I not read a single Dungeon adventure, not a single Dragon article, but I have not even pulled up the web pages that host such content.
Call me bitter, but I have not been happy with the decision to cancel the print-versions... and according to this poll, numerous 'reviews', and...
I would suggest writing the author/copyright holder for a 'letter' stating it is OK to print for personal use - on company letterhead with appropriate contact info... the few pdfs I have printed which have such a page or passage within them have been useful in making the little minds of such...
This is the clan for Paul Grunyon, my Dwarven Lumberjack character (ftr/rgr axe specialist)
Clan Trefallen:
Essentially this clan of dwarves works around the wood trade. Families within the clan specialize in Woodcrafts (Wheel and Wainwrights, charcoal makers, carpentry, lumber supplies...
I am one who has threatened such a move (as well as to D&D derivatives such as Basic Fantasy RPG and non-D&D Star Frontiers)....
... but unlike many who have said such, I have actually bought the Savage Worlds Explorer Edition in preparation for such move. I must admit, the cost (only $10...
I also suggest waiting for the new edition...
Even though I am not planning on moving into the new edition, I must game when I can... and if I am forced to game with the new edition (due to lack of other options), then at least I would have a copy of new PHB.
Try Star Frontiers. You can get the whole game plus a lot of other great stuff here: www.starfrontiersman.com
other than that, I would suggest Savage Worlds where you can adapt any kind of setting you like.
I would say check out Savage Worlds, not only for the easy fast rules, but for a couple more reasons:
1- price for core rules is $10 print or pdf, you/your group can afford copies for each participant.
2- setting supplements are available - not exactly sure, but sounds like Deadlands and/or...
Happy to hear about such a great change in your life...
stay on the side of good (taking on the bad guys), and not on the side of $$$. Way to many of the other kind of lawyers.
My latest fascination is Savage Worlds. Over time I had realized that even the 3.x editions were very bloated, and I wanted something a tad more fast and furious for gaming. SW gives me that and a degree of setting flexibility that is really not present anywhere else... only the littlest of...
Give the HG a spiked chain weapon, Improved Trip, Disarm, Specialization, etc. and watch him tear through unsuspecting pcs. Have him hog-tie a few pcs, toss them into sacks, and comment all the while about roasting them later over a spit.