I just use my GNX3000 and, of the effects on it, the ones I consider absolutely essential to my sound are: distortion (I use 3 different kinds of distortion depending on the song, one based off of a triple rectifier, one a combination of multiple amps and cabinets for a completely unique sound, and one that I got from TDW) and wah-wah. I use other effects (such as delay and reverb), but those are the only ones essential to my sound. I use my GNX3000 more for changing and sculpting my sound than for "effects." Hell, my main 5 banks are #1. Clean (with a bunch of effects like reverb, chorus, and delay to enhance the sound), #2. Distortion number 1, #3. Distortion number 2, #4. Distortion with heavy delay, #5. Distortion number 3 (triple rectifier).
I think effects can be used in a really cool way to make your music sound more interesting and I used to own about 15 different effects pedals, but I lost most of them (I had a phaser, flanger, delay, rotary, etc.) and it seems now I use mostly clean (with a bunch of effects to make the overall sound better) and distortion (with some wah-wah occasionally in the distorted tone for some solos and parts of the song that just sound better with wah) and OCCASIONALLY some other effects (such as delay).
