Marc,
It took me a long time to feel comfortable in Reaper also.
And PT does 98% of what Reaper can do, plus some things it can't, so I wouldn't worry about it until you find a need for it.
As for softsynth, lately I just use the CoyoteWT for the quick work, then turn to hardware synths for the heavy lifting.

If I were to recommend another softsynth for you it would likely be the TTS-1 (closest to the old SoundCanvas you were used to).


Make your sound your own!
.. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome