Fantasy Alternatives to DnD/PF

[Jamin]

I have recently started DMing again for Pathfinder and playing the d20 system again has caused me to remember why I stopped playing DnD in favor of WoD stuff. I just don't like that every conflict has to to end in bloodshed and that I feel like I have to give the players something to fight even when it really does not make sense or flow with the story. So my fellow play grounders I ask your help in identifying a system that is a better fit for me based on the following points.
1) Allows players to resolve threats without violence while also not having them feel cheated or that their new abilities and powers are being wasted
2) Is in a Fantasy setting or would be easy to mod that setting.( I thought about just using WoD but I would have to do some serious modding).
3) Somewhat simple. I tend to like complex systems but my players less so

[Acanous]

Numinera maybe?
You could also just run a non-combat-focused DnD campaign. Rogue, Bard, Enchanter and Cleric doing political intreague works.

[VoxRationis]

Have you played L5R? There's a fair amount of focus on social encounters.

[Tsa'Bakr]

Savage Worlds should work for you as well. It is published by Pinnacle Entertainment Group.

The Savage Worlds Deluxe core rule book has enough info for a fantasy setting, and there is a separate fantasy compendium the publisher has with more options.

It's a classless based system where XP isn't tied to fighting.

I've been playing the system for a while and enjoy it.

EDIT:

If you'd be interested in watching a live-play using the Savage Worlds System, let me know, and I can give you a link to my groups' YouTube channel.

[Koo Rehtorb]

Dungeon World.

[kyoryu]

Savage Worlds
Dungeon World
GURPS
Fate

and lots others.

Pretty much any of those have a bit more non-combat support than D&D/PF. I find Savage Worlds and GURPS to hit semi-similar design spaces, just with either more (GURPS) or less (Savage Worlds) crunch.

Dungeon World is super-influenced by D&D, but using the Apocalypse World engine.

Fate is a fairly different beast, but is really good if you want your games to "play like" serial fiction (like TV shows).

[AMFV]

I have recently started DMing again for Pathfinder and playing the d20 system again has caused me to remember why I stopped playing DnD in favor of WoD stuff. I just don't like that every conflict has to to end in bloodshed and that I feel like I have to give the players something to fight even when it really does not make sense or flow with the story. So my fellow play grounders I ask your help in identifying a system that is a better fit for me based on the following points.
1) Allows players to resolve threats without violence while also not having them feel cheated or that their new abilities and powers are being wasted
2) Is in a Fantasy setting or would be easy to mod that setting.( I thought about just using WoD but I would have to do some serious modding).
3) Somewhat simple. I tend to like complex systems but my players less so

You don't need too much serious modding for WoD since there are rulebooks for medieval era stuff (and Roman Era stuff) so it'd only be a little modding to put into a fantasy setting. Races and classes might be difficult although I think Infinite Mirrors has you covered there.

[Knaight]

Chronica Feudalis should be right up your alley. You might need to beef up the magic a bit, as it's more a historical game than a fantasy game per se. It fits reasonably simple perfectly though; it fits having combat alternatives better. Instead of one main subsystem it has four, covering combat, chases, parley, and subterfuge (in this case mostly meaning stealth). It has a well thought out system for handling tools in non combat situations. It's a really fun read because of how the prose of the system was made, and that actually helps speed up the learning process.

[Mutazoia]

Have you looked at this thread? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?495667-A-better-D-amp-D-Swords-amp-Sorcery-game-for-me)

[Khedrac]

RuneQuest / Basic Roleplaying

Yes it can be fairly combat-centric, but combat is very lethal so it's not a good tactic...

[Thrudd]

D6 Fantasy from West End Games. It's free on the Open D6 SRD site.

No modding or refluffing required to make it fantasy. It is a skill based, classless system meant for D&D style fantasy/swords&sorcery settings.

[JeenLeen]

Some Systems that Partially Fulfill your Requests #1, 2, and 3

oWoD has some middle ages settings. Sorcerer's Crusade and Dark Ages are very fantasy-esque (Dark Ages moreso).
The rules aren't any more simple than other WoD, but if you're used to WoD, it shouldn't be hard to master. Dark Ages should be easy to adopt/mod to another setting.

You could also port WoD Mage (new or old, I imagine) into a fantasy setting without really changing how the magic works.

Arcs Magica is also good, from what I've heard, but the rules are complex (at least to me, from reading the rulebook). I think it'd be easy to mod.

Exalted is cool and fantasy. Combat can be very lethal, but there's a lot of non-combat options. However, the system is not easy to port/mod to another setting. (Note: I only know 2e, not 3e.) It's a d10 system like WoD, so probably close to what you're used to, but it might be more complex than your players like.

[tombowings]

What about BareBones Fantasy (http://dwdstudios.com/barebones). It's a great simple, intuitive, and incredibly flexible system.

It's a skill-based D100 system, except there are only 8 skills. They are Cleric, Enchanter, Leader, Scholar, Scout, Spellcaster, Thief, and Warrior. Sound familiar? Each skill has its own score and provides at least four specific uses, and possibly many, many more.

The magic system is very flexible, while not being overpowered. It, however, doesn't really make a lot of in-game sense if looked under a microscope. I consider this the biggest failing of the game, but it possible to work around by forcing every spellcaster choose a theme (fire, storm magic) and interpreting every spell (there are only 17 of them, and they cover a lot of ground) through that lens. For me, it work.

The magic-item creation system is GREAT and gives Enchanters a lot of flexibility and fun to play around with.

The softcover is only $13.99 and comes with a free PDF so you can get started right away.