Zapp, two pipes will do you for most of your needs (Like razors a few more is always handy), four would be ideal for someone who doesn't know what they like in tobacco choice though. Ideally you want to rest your pipe after a days use, and also smoke either aromatic tobaccos in it or non aromatic. It's one or the other. So by having two pipes, one for each of the two main tobacco styles, you can swap around each day to learn what you prefer, and that will also rest the other pipe.
Pipes need to dry a bit after a days smoking (so I've heard), as you can imagine that hot, moist climates aren't real healthy for dry wood and eventually that dry wood is no longer very dry. I also practice a frequent internal cleaning regime with mine (I don't worry what the outside looks like, but I probably should!) thus keeping the pipe a little dryer inside throughout the day.
By the sounds of it you like an Aromatic tobacco (as do I). My fall back is a Cherry Cavendish, but they vary from company to company. I've had good and bad. GH Top Black Cherry is great, but I found I was having to unclog the bowls stem after every second bowl...Heavily cased tobacco obviously. Borkum Riff Cherry Cavendish is a good 'drug store' blend, and my 'go to' blend, but we are limited for choice here so it might not be that great in the grander scheme of things.
You can only learn by trial and error and your tastes may change as you go (Mine essentially hasn't after 20 years though), just enjoy yourself whatever way you go.


Mick