Looking for suggestions on RPG's to own

[Ghostwind]

From purely a collectible standpoint, I'd recommend getting the Dune RPG (especially if you can find it for less than $100).

As far as personal taste for purely enjoyable reading, I like:
- Eclipse Phase
- Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space
- Hollow Earth Expedition
- FantasyCraft
- Alpha Omega
- All Flesh Must Be Eaten
- Deadlands Reloaded (now broken up into a Player's Guide and Marshal's Guide)
- Space 1889: Red Sands (Savage Worlds)
- d20Modern
- Pathfinder

 

[Mark CMG]

And another vote for 316 Carnage Among Stars.

 

[Tarek]

FASA 1e Star Wars - Still the best Star Wars system.

... FASA had a version of Star Wars?! When? Are you sure you're not mixing it up with Star TREK? Or conflating FASA with West End Games?

 

[Celebrim]

... FASA had a version of Star Wars?! When? Are you sure you're not mixing it up with Star TREK? Or conflating FASA with West End Games?

Doh.

You're right. WEG.

 

[Super Pony]

Of the three new systems you mention in the OP, Pathfinder's core rulebook is pretty well organized and laid out (not sure it really qualifies as a fabulous read per se, but to each their own since I read magazines about water treatment). Castles and Crusades is decent and attempts to harken back to a simpler time when gamers had mohawks and flannel shirts were the bleeding edge of urban coolitude and Tony Hawk wasn't a billionaire. Since you already own earlier editions of D&D/AD&D you may not get as much new interest of of C&C (though it is very much a worthwhile system to own). I personally never dove into Hackmaster so I'll leave others to opine on that front.

Newer items that may not get ready circulation in Panama, but can be snagged hot off the presses via the power of the internet:

Eclipse Phase (transhumanism done right in my opinion)
Dresden Files (cool setting, slick system)
Burning Wheel - Gold Edition (Awesome simple narrative system. The basic rules have been compiled, revised and bound into single book that looks like a throwback to the McGuffey Readers)
Cthulhu Tech (tentacles in spaaaaace)
Dread (Jenga tower horror gaming...what's not to love?!)
Airship Pirates (fun quirky steam punk setting, fair to average system...it should be released in mid September for those who didn't catch it at Gen-Con)

 

[Wik]

Earthdawn. Not only is it a great read, with a great setting, but there are a few different edtions and books are relatively easy to pick up. And the system's mechanics are generally pretty good, with the exception of a few wonky powers.