Off the top of my head would Taurog be more useful if you could get CP from the items? I can't get into game still from my laptop to verify if you can. So make it useful for early players as a staightforward deity, and then for advanced players balance picking up items for later CP advantage(or even immediate but that is harder).
Overall I think it is ok that some gods are very niche, some gods are useful for advanced and some for basic. Balance is a funny thing. If they were all "balanced" you are looking at one of three scenarios in my mind: Either choice and selection of god has no impact on your game other than knowing what they do, all gods make the game equally more complex and therefore only worth using once you are a vet, or all gods make the game easy and you just hope for the one that best fits your current class each time(but don't worry if you don't get it because they others will do).
I am probably over simplifying to a degree.