Seeking a stable Skyrim mod list: graphics, hunger/cold survival, faction quests

[Jeffrey71]

I've played through Skyrim multiple times over the years, but I want to do a completely fresh playthrough with game mods that overhaul the experience without breaking it. I'm looking for recommendations for a stable mod list that focuses on improving graphics, adding meaningful survival mechanics like hunger and cold, and expanding the faction quests, especially for the Companions and the Thieves Guild. I'm using Mod Organizer 2, but I'm worried about load order conflicts. What are some essential compatibility patches or tools I should use, and are there any must-have mods that serve as a foundation for other mods to work properly?

[KevinAW]

Nice topic for a modded Skyrim run. Start by building a stable core before layering in everything else. A practical baseline would be SKSE64 + Address Library for SKSE64, Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP), and SkyUI. These are the reliable foundation mods most everything else expects. Use LOOT (or MO2’s built-in sorter) to get a sane load order, then create a small “core” patch file (a merged patch) with xEdit to fix obvious conflicts at the plugin level. Keep your core list tight (6–12 plugins) before adding larger overhauls so you can spot conflicts quickly.