Where to even begin with my ink collection... I mean there is a lot....

But I am now definitely moving into ink cubes rather than full pads and can then get a full size pad if it's a colour I use so much that it dries out...

I've also moved into dye ink for all my stamping except when using Versafine or white ink and Distress Oxides. As you say Susie pigment ink takes longer to dry, basically it sits on top of the paper and creates an opaque look (so more vibrant on non-white card like kraft or black). You can dry it with a heat gun but also when still wet apply embossing powder. But I found that no matter how long I left it drying it never really did in the end. Dye ink seeps into the paper. It can look splotchy at first but when you come back to it it'll have evened out and possibly lightened when it dries. Depending on the surface you've stamped on it can take a little time for this to happen, but doesn't smudge like pigment ink when still wet.

For sentiments I have the following full size pads:
Versafine black/grey
Hero Arts Charcoal grey - I have quite a few of their dye inks ink cubes too, but find they stain my stamps more than other dye inks
Lawn Fawn Black Licorice
Plus full size Versamark for conditioning stamps/stamping with Distress Ink/heat embossing

Favourite dye inks in cube form:
Lawn Fawn hands down! I am so glad they have started releasing their inks in sets as the colours are just great
MFT - I have about 4 sets of their cubes in the pastel shades that fit nicely in between other brands
Altenew cubes - these are hybrid inks so dry quickly like dye inks and come in sets of 4 colours in the same family. I especially love the Sea Shore set and am hoping to get the new green and grey sets with my Christmas voucher.
Distress Inks - I use these for stamping quite a lot as the colours are great - they are harder to stamp with clear stamps compared to other inks, so if it's a new stamp I usually ink up with Versamark a few times and stamp on scrap paper before inking with Distress Ink. If you have Distress Inks in your ink collection but have never stamped with them it's well worth a go. I especially love using Festive Berries, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough and Mowed Lawn on Christmas foliage.

I also have older ink pads that have been discontinued like Adirondack which includes my favourite colour of all time Salmon pink - when that ink pad finally dries up I hope some company will have come up with a perfect match for it!

Mind you, no matter what inks you use you need the right paper/card to stamp on.
I mainly use my left-over SU Whisper White for 3-step stamping but it's a think paper rather than a card in the weight I have. Otherwise I use Neenah solar crest white from Crafter's Companion and the 110 lb version which I managed to get from the US in a pack last year that I use very frugally. Otherwise I am still using Bazzill Cardshoppe Marshmallow. I have tried so many cardstocks over the years and used to think splotchy results were my doing, but it was the paper coating and formula that played a big role. I have finally found what works for me. It's only taken 15 years!