Warhammer Fantasy RP 1E would be my second choice after (4E) D&D
This is not a troll, simply an observation...
It never ceases to amaze me that people have time to learn, never mind play, more than one RPG system at a time. I've been playing D&D since 1979. Since that time I investigated Gamma World (still basically D&D) and Traveller, but D&D always felt the most "comfortable".
I had a new player lurk in my game, the other night. He had followed a link from another RPG registry website. Apparently, he was neither enamored with undersea setting nor infatuated with hags. He simply wanted something "different".
<ducks behind cover>
I prefer the Palladium Fantasy RPG. I like that it IMHO supports a more narrative (less tactical combat) style of play. I like that warrior types don't HAVE to wear armor just to survive. The combat is more granular (attack, parry/dodge, roll with impact, etc). Since it uses a 3-18 stat range it is fairly easy to convert older D&D material to it. A large number of PC races and an even larger number of PC classes. It has a great setting. The books are about half the price (or less) of WOTC books.
<waits for the anti-Palladium lynch mob to come after him>
This is not a troll, simply an observation...
It never ceases to amaze me that people have time to learn, never mind play, more than one RPG system at a time. I've been playing D&D since 1979. Since that time I investigated Gamma World (still basically D&D) and Traveller, but D&D always felt the most "comfortable".