Best Mods for First-time playthroughs?

[OverProf]

I know a common advice will be "none", but I've played just enough BG1 years ago to know I'd probably want what some mods offer for an optimal "first time" play through.

So a good way to phrase my question would be: what mods "should have been" part of the original game?  Or at least close to that ideal?

Another way to think about it would be what mods would you want to include in a Super-deluxe Extra-Enhance Remaster of the infinity engine games?  (general or game-specific)

I'm thinking in rough order of priority:
1) mods that fix problems, improve the UI, remove annoyances, with no significant change to gameplay, mechanics, balance

2) mods that are largely cosmetic (better NPC dialog, portraits, etc) without altering the "flavor" of the game

3) mods that improve some game mechanic to make it more interesting/fun, without damaging game balance making quests way too easy--though perhaps this could be offset by going to "hard" or insane" difficulty)
     :: Highly subjective what is "more fun" when it comes to changing mechanics, I know--so please explain your reasoning.
     :: And example mod I'm looking at is one for better familiars (I forget the name at the moment) which are not too weak to do anything but hide in your pack.
     :: a mod I haven't seen but think should exist: pickpocket failure should not so easily result in hostile mob, and the hostility should not be permanent--should be possible to make amends. Maybe you take a reputation hit, and you always get the lowest charisma reaction with that mob from now on.

   [edit] 3.5) Making the game harder, more realistic or more challenging in interesting ways is definitely on the menu. A great example would be better combat AI for NPC, monsters, preferably both. I guess party-NPC AI would make it easier in some way, but you get my point. The game behavinig more intelligently would be good. [/edit]

4) content that is good without badly altering the main story/quests or giving rewards that break the main story, but perhaps adding more sidequests, more possible NPCs, make the world feel more "full"...

5) mods that may actually alter significant aspects of story or balance, but you think it actually makes for a better play experience and better balance (please explain)

Or mention any mods that might seem tempting to fit the above, but you think I should definitely avoid for 1st time play through.

Anything that feels like a "cheat" is of course not what I'm looking for. And I understand that different people have different feelings about what kind of balance feels like appropriate challenge vs. cheat, so please discuss/explain. There's no right or wrong answers here.

Bonus if there was a mod you used for your first time through any one (or all) games and you can recommend it (or recommend against it).

I'm poking through mod readmes to make my own best guesses as to what I might like. But curious what the community here has to say.

Thanks!

Note: I'm a long time gamer grognard, and a software developer myself, so I'm not daunted by "hard" or "complex" in games, nor "technical difficulties" of working with mods.

P.S.

Hail! And well met.  I'm new here...

Edited November 11 by OverProf

[DiesIrae]

If you don't want to change the story too much but want to make some areas more interesting Shades of the Sword coast is very good.
https://downloads.weaselmods.net/download/shades-of-the-sword-coast/

actually Lava makes lots of great mods.

Sword Coast Stratagems makes the AI less dumb but  makes no changes to the store and is found on this website

The Tweaks Anthology is useful for tweaks to game play also on this site

Balduran's Seatower is a great area for the city. a whole area with quests but no changes to the main plot or feel.

Currently not using NPC/banter mods but there is loads that a good NPC'sbut the following are useful for improved banter BG1 NPC Project and Baldur's Gate Romantic Encounters (if that's your sort of thing.

[lynx]

There's also the bg1 fixpack, but it has become hard to get.

[DiesIrae]

Also Unfinished business https://www.pocketplane.net/bg1-unfinished-business/

 

[OverProf]

"Sword Coast Stratagems makes the AI less dumb but  makes no changes to the store and is found on this website"

This is a great example of what I'm looking for. Making the game harder in interesting and fun ways is also a plus. And a smarter AI in combat is an excellent example if it is a true improvement, not buggy etc.

Another example might be more interesting/realistic inventory. Small items like rings take no more space than a coin, while large items take multiple slots. Might make game a bit harder, but the slight improvement to realism improve immersion, and the resource management of inventory a bit more of a challenge.
 

[OverProf]

"Also Unfinished business https://www.pocketplane.net/bg1-unfinished-business/"

This is a great example of what I'm thinking about. Unfinished business completes work the devs commented/orphaned in the code & content files, yes?  So it clearly is stuff that more or less should have been in the game but they didn't have time/budget for. (of course some of it may have been removed for design reasons, but seems more likely most would be due to deadlines and limited resources).

Edited November 11 by OverProf

[lynx]

SCS is radically different and harder, I would not pick it for a first run at all.

[OverProf]

17 minutes ago, lynx said:

SCS is radically different and harder, I would not pick it for a first run at all.

I like Souls games. This is a selling point. 

[moggadeet]

SCS is a knowledge assessment that relies on knowledge you don't yet have. Installing it with zero prior knowledge of the game is likely to be unpleasant. If you're absolutely dead-set on it, then stick with the AI components and avoid the tactical challenges, but I wouldn't recommend that.

If you must have content mods, I would maybe suggest:

Balduran's Seatower

Baldur's Gate Quests and Encounters

BG1 NPC Project (possibly also the Ajantis, Coran, and Xan friendship mods, if you plan to use any of those characters)

Lure of the Sirine's Call

BG1 Romantic Encounters

Endless BG1

Basically everything else that I'd recommend is packaged in Tweaks Anthology for quality of life.

If you plan to play Siege of Dragonspear, then I would recommend Jastey's mods (SoD Tweaks + Boareskyr Bridge Scene for a first playthrough).

Edited November 11 by moggadeet

[Connelly]

Cut content isn't necessarily always cut because it was unfinished. It could also be because it wasn't as good as the devs hoped.

[OverProf]

1 minute ago, Connelly said:

Cut content isn't necessarily always cut because it was unfinished. It could also be because it wasn't as good as the devs hoped.

I think I said that.

[Connelly]

Blargh, teaches me to read and comment so late.

[OverProf]

2 minutes ago, Connelly said:

Blargh, teaches me to read and comment so late.

It's all good.  Any thoughts on best mods for first playthrough?

[Connelly]

16 hours ago, OverProf said:

It's all good.  Any thoughts on best mods for first playthrough?

Well, among the most list I have at the IE discord, there's a minimalist "Baby's first modded install" list. It includes the most I'd feel comfortable recommending to a new player.

• Bubb's Pathfinding Revert. As the pathfinding previous to v2.5 works better, so this should alleviate frustrations.
• IWDification: Expanded Polymorph Self and the IWD Class Updates. Overall, just basic class fixing.
• Tweaks Anthology: Force All Dialogue to Pause Game, Unique containers, Enhanced Overlays for Colorblind Players, Outline white spell icons for accessibility, More Interjections, Alter HP Triggers for NPC Wounded Dialogues, Send BioWare NPCs to an Inn, Personalize Automatic Save Names, and Create Interval Saves. Merely QoL and accessibility elements.

There's also BG:EE Classic Movies, but I think that's too subjective of an addition. And Candlekeep Revisited once it gets fully released will probably make for a pretty good overhaul of the BG1 prologue act to fix its dryness.

Edited November 12 by Connelly

[OverProf]

17 minutes ago, Connelly said:

Well, among the most list I have at the IE discord, there's a minimalist "Baby's first modded install" list. It includes the most I'd feel comfortable recommending to a new player.

...

There's also BG:EE Classic Movies, but I think that's too subjective of an addition. And Candlekeep Revisited once it gets fully released will probably make for a pretty good overhaul of the BG1 prologue act to fix its dryness.

I probably will go with more than that, but it's great to know such a basic list exists.

Also -- there's a IE discord?

The mods do need to be released & stable. I don't want to try something for a 1st playthough that is not well tested.

Did EE update all the cutscene movies?  Possible the originals have an "old school limited graphics" flavor I'd prefer. Would need to compare.