I've come across a few references and reviews of BW from which it sounds like it supports the style of game play I'm wanting very well - even though krunchy, evidently it has a good degree of realism and the krunch is geared toward storytelling, the character backstory that I encourage being an integral part of the character creation mechanics. What I'm wondering is how well BW will reflect some of the integral concepts already in place - some of which reflect some specific facets of 3.5, primarily class usage and to a lesser degree abilities (e.g., Khurorkh khurpakh as a function of WIS & CHR), that is can characters fulfill essentially the same type of roles in the setting in a similar fashion fairly readily. If anyone is familiar with running and/or playing BW your input would be appreciated.
It's been a while since I looked at BW, and I don't have the books with me. But being classless is one of the defining features of the system. What abilities you develop is based on what abilities you use.
BW is, I believe, a response what the designer's group didn't like about D&D. It's not going to map real well onto an existing system based on D&D.
I recognize that it's classless - in the present top-down development Panisadore is still pretty much at top. Some social concepts were originally perceived in terms of classes - Khurorkh always multiclass with one class which can cast divine magic (even if, as ranger, it's not immediate) and one other class which doesn't. (Monk is preferred and can fill either category or simply be single class). Now this actual concept would not require a class system game to play - essentially they emphasize both a strong spiritual component in their lives as well as a strong practical skill set - so the question would be whether the lifepath system is such that this mentality and values can be expressed in the characters.
Some of the others, Thanuir I think, have way more BW experience than I, so you might want to check with them. I can't think of any reason it would restrict your roleplaying opportunities to play a spiritual character, but I don't recall the system giving any mechanical benefits for it either.