I've got .012-052s on my Tele, and haven't touched anything else on the setup as it came from the factory.
As for the advantages of playing in standard tuning, the big one is being able to quickly and conveniently play in any key. Very useful in a band setting, not as important for solo play. Drop D can be an advantage over standard because it's always got a "power chord" on the 3 low strings on any fret.
I still do my sliding in open tunings, but I've learned different patterns for different tunings, and some tunes fit a tuning, others don't. It can be a pain to stop and retune. I plan to learn how to do it Kirk's way in Drop D.
My teenage boy (a huge Tool fan, not a bluesman) has figured this out. He never changes out of Drop D. Plays
slide a lot. He can eat my lunch.
