This game never get’s old.
Somehow I only found out about NorthernUI adding proper controller support earlier this month, despite playing and modding this game since before OBMM and BOSS where a thing. Used to be a Darnified fan but this won me over 🙃.
I’d highly recommend the +5 leveling mod, as it’s the most near-vanilla way to make the leveling not require you to keep a notebook with which skills you leveled and plan out exactly everything you do to prevent underleveling. You can check the UESP page about leveling if you won’t know how it works. But the thing is, going in blind and just playing without thinking and keeping track will likely end up with enemies leveling more than you.
Otherwise I mainly use a shit ton of graphical mods to improve the looks and the unofficial patches. I preffer a near vanilla experience as well, so gameplay mods are minimal in my list.
Yes when I played I definitely underleveled. I remember not having points in the combat categories I needed several times. After leveling about 5x in a short time period because of leveling my conjuration a bunch with a cheap spell, suddenly every time I approached an Oblivion gate I was getting 2 shotted by spider daedra. I will definitely check out that +5 leveling mod if it will help with that problem.
I’m a bit iffy on the unofficial patches. Obviously I don’t want my game to crash or to fall through the ground and other annoying bugs, but I also want to keep the features that add humor and character. I will probably keep playing without it unless other mods require it.