Good Mods and Cheese Mods?

Chippy

So as the title suggests, it's always been annoying when you read a mod description, get it to work alongside other stuff (or find an incompatiblity a few hundred hours in/but that's another issue) and then find out the modder has a particular concept of difficulty.

Case in point: Years ago I loaded a mod, went up against a spell caster, only to find she had Godzilla HP and started casting an instand death spell (for my low level party) that was un-interruptable. So even though I was pelting this caster with ammo like the original robocop death scene, she just continued casting with the 1-shot death spell.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the efforts of modders, but think they should make it clear - or people could mention the ones - that ignore the rules, or just sandwich a bit of cheese in here and there.

Aerakar

Mods I use and recommend:

Gameplay - BG Tweaks, SCS
Kit changes/items (mainly thieves and bards) - Rogue Rebalancing, Song & Silence
NPCs - Isra, Finch (not sure if she works in BGEE, liked her in Tutu), Vynd
Quests - Assassinations

Before the EEs, I tried a lot of mods but found most of them over the top like you describe, e.g. staffs of striking on every other brigand. I now tend towards minimalism in my set-ups to try mainly to enhance the battle AI and maybe add some non-overpowered items.

Others can comment with much more wisdom than me and I am sure they will

Phooey

Recommended> I can't play BG1 without the NPCProject. Makes your companions feel much more alive and BG1 companions needed that, badly.

The Unfinished Business mods do a great job putting "cut" content back into the game. Minsc's "The Kidnapping of Boo" quest is one of my fav's

BG2 friendship and extended banters mods are amazing must haves imo. The BG tweaks mod, Ascension, Wheels of Prophecy, Quest Pack (by simding0 and others), Flirt packs all are used in my games (some aren't EE compatible).

Ive come across some mods that weren't for me, and imo I thought were terrible/overpowered/bad writing/yada yada yada but the authors put a lot of time into their creations so I won't make a list or name them.

Zanso

Strategems. Makes the enemy actually smart not bunch zombies and it doesn't change hp and such... only AI and it has a lot of options available

lunar

I too also think scs is the best thing happened to bg. Yes even more so than enhanced editions. But why not have both, enhanced edition plus scs is the bestest best thing ever!

With scs, enemy casters become like living persons that think and react according to the situation. They try to protect themselves, try to strip your buffs, focus on vulnerable targets, kite, hide, retreat, heal, and come back. They also have some sort of randomisation to their spells and triggers. It is never boring like in the vanilla game 'oh look, a yuanti mage, he will cast true sight and then chaos. Every. damn. time.' With scs you always need to be on your toes, and react to the situation at hand, as enemies will do so too and decimate you if you are careless.
Scs is also so modular that you can customise your game to whatever your tastes want.

Item randomisation is also another mod I love, makes every gameplay a different one. You don't know where the usual best items will be in the game world so each discovery feels exciting. Finding a coveted item for your pc build becomes very memorable. Or you may never find the one item you want, and have to cope without it. Until your next game where you may try your luck again.

Rogues rebalancing and atweaks are also ace mods that bring so much sophistication and attention to detail to the game, vanilla game seems too crude and basic without these beautiful, top quality enhancements. They are all compatible with scs too, but a strict installation order must prevail, readmes and forums offer installation ideas.

Spell and item revisions also bring new fresh air to the game by changing how most spells and items work. It becomes like a new game as most memorised strategies change, there are more useful spells and items with these mods! If you install scs after spell revisions, scs enemies will know about this spell revision changes and use the new spells accordingly, too! It is a testament of the two modders greatness, respectfully and succesfully combining their hard work to create a very delightful, interesting and all-new gaming experience.