Vanilla of course... or wait I like chocolate ice cream too. But I prefer one or the other, not something in between the two! 
Why didn't use Black Industries/ FFG the D20 System for DH/RT/DW?
I love the DH system.
Concerning XP and incompetent rank 1 PCs: Raise the starting XP if you're GMing. Or if you're not, try to talk your GM into it. I personally allow my players to start off with 600-800XP for initial character creation. It helps make them less squishy without breaking the early encounters of a campaign.
D20 sucks, and that's all I've got to say on that.