Okay, so I've figured out by now that DS DXi2 is a 32-bit soft-synth that won't run on me 64-bit copy o' X3 Studio… so yes, the title is misleading. SO to simplify, is there a 64-bit-compatible soft synth out there with basically all of the same features as DS?
 
I have Superwave P8 which has all those features and more (and it's AWESOME), but it's quite unstable so I shy away from it. I also use TAL which is fantastic for lots of things, but lacks a few features, especially in the types of waves and transposition and stuff.
 
I'm also looking for a good free drum/sampling tool like Session Drummer except with nearly unlimited key mappings… Any suggestions?)

spend some time with Z3TA+ or PSYNII they should cover everything Dreamstation could do.

With X3 Studio, you have embedded synths. Z3TA+ is the most "tailor able" in my opinion, but many of the 64-bit synths can achieve the same as Dreamstation (and more). Just load up the ones that come with X3S and try them.

Oh, I guess I neglected to mention.. Is there one that's also visually as simple too as far as the interface? ZETA and PSYN have SUCH complicated interfaces imho.. :/ maybe I'm lazy?

Nah... Initially folks love to be able to grab a patch and play it!  Nothing wrong at all... but then suddenly you find something that is "close" to what you want, but not sure how to tailor it... hence all those "knobs and switches."
 
My epiphany came from the realization of "My god, I have thousands of samples... when do I listen to them all?? How do I sort them to find again later???" That realization sent me down a different road... learning the knobs and switches. This "seems painful" at first, but the time spent there is time well spent, trust me.
 
Eons ago, I knew a keyboard player who had an obsession with Van Halen's 5150 album... she would simply hit a chord and within seconds tweak the sound to a clone of the song she wanted to play... then off she went. That is the difference between "finding a proper patch" and "knowing what the knobs and switches do."

Whooooeeee! I guess I get mind-boggled by it all. My three favorite things in Superwave were
1) how EVERYTHING was labelled exactly as it was and there weren't 200 controls
2) it didn't start with a preset, really… Just a sine wave that you could then shape. I'm only recently learning that it's OKAY to use presets
3) the overall feel of the interface was simple, clean, and of a simpler time.
 
I suppose I can only choose to start learning… Are there any guides for PSYN and ZETA? And for that matter, how about Rapture LE, Dropzone, and Dimension? I do wish Pentagon worked, it looks soooo good...

Z3TA+ is the one I will default to if "programming from scratch." I only bookmarked a couple pages though:
 
Top-level intro (8 minutes): http://gabeontherun.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/december-12-2011-z3ta-2-tutorial/
 
More in depth (41 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovre1jS-I0A&feature=youtu.be
 
The second is nicer, since they start the creation "from scratch" so lets you see a lot more for tailoring sound. The "concepts" apply across all synths though.
 
Edit: Google searching is your friend... there are a lot of tutorials out there. The ones above are specific to Z3TA+ 2.

Pentagon works fine, if SONAR is run as administrator and avoid using any patch using the Valley Simulations. Simon Cann's book "Cakewalk Synthesizers" covers all the Cakewalk synths.

Sometimes it's about what does the job with the the least amount of effort. Dreamstation was my 'go to' synth when I needed a mono synth sound and it served me well. I have recordings that still make me smile when I listen back to how well Dreamstation performed for me. Yeah, there are many soft synths that can do the job just as well, but not as comfortably!