The best mod load order guide.

[Lil Dragon Chick]

So I've been doing a lot of extensive research on mod lists and order guides and I just wanted to ask what was the best mod load order? Not a list of mods per say, but the order in which mods should be placed in based on their type (Overhauls, textures, weapons & armor...etc). I keep looking up order guides, but keep getting different variations. That's why I'm asking here for suggestions on what's the most accurate one.

[The Void Knight]

Load orders are unique to each and every mod list, depending on the mods installed.

Best bet right off the start?
Use LOOT.

If you are experienced like me, you can manually do things by using xEdit and checking which mod affects which and forward those changes in your own plugin at the last of the list or move it in the load order directly. Otherwise, just use LOOT.

[alexander_dougherty]

ESMs go before ESPs
ESLs seem to have their own rules, but can go before ESPs
The Unofficial Patch goes before most mods, I think RS Children goes before the patch, but don't quote me on it...
Yes, I know people will quote me on it, but it's a turn of phrase <rolleyes>
There is a thread by Ilja that gives more details, but I'm not sure where it is exactly.

[SIMelissa]

Lil Dragon Chick, I'm finding similar discrepancies when browsing modding guides. As you've noticed, they all suggest adding mods in small groups based on their type. But non of them follow an exact INSTALL ORDER (ie: Textures first / Weapons last). This leads me to wonder if INSTALL ORDER is just not that important. (If it is, I do hope someone will chime in and let us both know!)

Now, if you are talking LOAD ORDER, that's another story. LOOT, which you can find on Nexus, is the way to go.

As for guides, I use "Modded Skyrim SE" by CFS111: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=929828423

CFS111's guide is clearly written, fairly easy to understand (even for a newbie modder/tech dummy like me) and contains most of my "must have" mods.

Recently, I decided to branch out, to explore other mods and modding guides. I found some guides that seemed pretty good: Phoenix Flavour; Lexy's LOTD; Nordic Kyrim; TucoGuide. But none of them were exactly what I wanted. Mostly, they included a lot of mods that I'm not interested in having in my game, at least not at this time.

So, I've decided to stick with the tried and true "Modded Skyrim" to create a baseline working game and then add to that, a couple mods at a time, until I have the game I want -- instead of a game dictated by some guide.

[Lil Dragon Chick]

Originally posted by The Void Knight:

Load orders are unique to each and every mod list, depending on the mods installed.

Best bet right off the start?
Use LOOT.

If you are experienced like me, you can manually do things by using xEdit and checking which mod affects which and forward those changes in your own plugin at the last of the list or move it in the load order directly. Otherwise, just use LOOT.

Yes, I use LOOT and so far it's been reliable, but I've been told to not solely depend on it. I use xEdit also, but I mostly use the quick cleaner for most things.

[smr1957]

Mod category as you describe it has absolutely nothing to do with where or where not a mod should load, and guide authors should not be saying it does. As others have said, just use LOOT. Unless you are building an extremely large load order with a lot of record editing and merging of mods, (we are talking well over the plugin limit, and over 400 - 500 total mods), LOOT will do the job, and you should not be changing things unless it is something that LOOT is known to get wrong.

Only use xEdit as a tool to figure out load order if:
1: you have a lot of merges, as you have to determine where to pit these yourself, based upon the location of the merged mods original place in the load order
2: you have edited a lot of records and LOOT's placement will therefore place them wrong
3 (and most important) you absolutely know what you are doing and what to look for in xEdit

For the vast majority of game players, there is really no reason to use xEdit for determining load order.

Basically, just what The Void Knight posted.