If you had to buy just one pedal that did near enough everything, you would likely go for something like the relatively new Elektron Analog Drive - with its 8 independent wholly analogue circuits.
In fact all my overdrive and distortion pedals run into the front of the amps, through Alchemy Audio modded Boss NS-2 Noise Gate and modded Boss GE-7 Equalizer - with Strymon Modulation and FX added at the end of the chain.
I have my Xotic EP Booster on permanently to add a little warmth and extra dynamism and headroom into the signal path. I use the Strymon Riverside for my actual lightest level ’Boost’ gain stage - the lightest of barely there gains with just a little added colour via the tone controls.
Best for me though is the One Control Persian Green Screamer which has a switch for TS808 Vintage Mode, as well as TS9 modern.
My choice here is an excellent mini Japanese pedal (sister company to Xotic) - the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive - this has two toggle option voicings - regular and fat - giving you a tremendous range of tones from such a small format.
ENO Myomorpha, Mooer Black Secret
Chase Bliss Brothers Analog Gainstage,
I have my Riverside set to two quite different gain stages - Brown on the favourite switch, and a very mild, smooth boost-like overdrive on the manual dials. The Riverside has a fairly smooth profile, it does do high gain distortion, but not with that really dirty grit that certain analogue pedals are so capable of.
When I bought the Strymon Riverside I was hoping that this would be the solution to all my overdrive / distortion needs. As reported variously above though, it has its weaknesses as well as its strengths. The Elektron Analog Drive pedal by contrast is what the Riverside should have been - 8 separate analogue circuits which give you everything from the lightest clean boost tones, through fuzz overdrive, and onto genuinely thick metal-like distortion (but not quite BE-OD or Diezel level).