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Mod Load Order - A deception broken into pieces.

By Kepos and 1 collaborators

A short guide to Stellaris mod load order, which was inspired by ShadyDemoness and his quite unique The Great Plan II mod anthology (offline).

Be sure to keep in mind, that PDX often changes rules to their games...so even this load-order guide might get outdated sooner or later. A long time I was quite satisfied to set load order from Z -> A, but mods get more and more complicated, do have their unique dependencies, so you might even alter this load-order guide manually to fit for specific mods.

As I was often questioned and answered it in the comments a few times already, how PDX organised their mod load order, so I'll point it out directly. PDX mods are actually (!) loaded from top to bottom by their engine, where later mods in common could overwrite the earlier ones. There are some few exceptions in the code, but to solve and sort that out you might want to use tools like Irony Mod Manager and/or understand coding yourself. So, my guide should be read from #1/I to be the first mods in your launcher's list down to #10/X. The higher numbers overwrite the lower numbers. Since I spare #10/X for universal patches, you should place any usual mod in the sections #1/I to #9/IX according to their short description.

I love playing Stellaris with a load of mods. Without collections I often was limited by ~120 active mods, while more and more we get mod compilations that include an incredible number of mods in single file or only splitted into a few mods. Every single modded start creates a quite unique gaming experience.

Hope this guide may help you to create that special mod setup you personally like Stellaris to be played the right way!

Have fun!

* Just a little status update *

Managed to start stable mod game with 199 active mods using this mod load order.

* Cheers! *

** SHARED PLAYSETS **

Instead of reading all the explanations, you also could use SHARED PLAYSETS following this guide.

** HAVE FUN! **

Award

Created by

Kepos
Offline

ShadyDemoness
Offline

Category: Workshop

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

17 Nov, 2020 @ 8:11am

12 Jun @ 10:41am

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Guide Index

Overview

I - Visuals - 1

II - Flesh on the bones - 2

III - Shipsets - 3

IV - Galaxy is huge - 4

V - Traditions - 5

VI - Social enviroments - 6

VII - Diplomacy - 7

VIII - Misc-ellaneous - 8

IX - Big Stuff - 9

X - Patches - 10

Comments

I - Visuals - 1

In the first section of the load order, you should place the most basic mods regarding UI, visuals, (technical) extentions of basic stuff.

For me it was always the best to place stuff in first section, that you would also patch in for any Ironman variation you play Stellaris with.

This is ment to be the very basic stuff you want to load, that in most cases doesn't even change checksum. Besides UI-mods like Orrie's outstanding UI Overhaul Dynamic and it's submods + modpatches, colors and such, you want to include also building slot extentions and alike.

In 2025 it is reported that some mods want UIOD to be placed after their mods to work properly, so you have to consider and test if you re-place it into section #9/IX after all other mods (don't forget to move depending mods too) or count on one of the compatibility patches.

II - Flesh on the bones - 2

The second sector is related toward any stuff you like to color up your gameplay.

This should include any namelists like Cyberxkhan's namelist, star names, flags, species, pre-scripted empires, AI enhancements like Starnet AI or the new Beachboys Fair AI 2, origins, sound files, also advisors and more.

III - Shipsets - 3

Ships, fleets, shipsets, visual enhancements to ships or shipnames.

Namely you should place here any shipsets, like Machine Shipset, you like to include, except mods that need a special position in the load order (like NSC, differnet blueprints, patches to them, aso.).

IV - Galaxy is huge - 4

Here you place any mod, that would alter the galaxy shape, numbers of stars, hyperlanes + visibility, different system views, any planetary modifiers (growth rates, extra conditions for planets or peoples) up to Gatekeeper's wonderful Planetary Diversity + submods + UI patches.

V - Traditions - 5

This sector is related to traditions like More Traditions + possibly UI patches for more traditions, traits, as well as standalone civics and other society mods.

VI - Social enviroments - 6

At this point you might consider to include different ethics, Petruxa's post-successors like Ethics and Civics Alternative - FunEFork or Ethics & Civics: Bug Branch and others + UI and other patches.

VII - Diplomacy - 7

Here you put in everthing related toward Diplomacy like Government Variety Pack, Leaders enhancements, altered Federations or Laws, Vasal modifiers, Events like Caligula Ceasar's MEM mod and Stories packs you like to enhance your gameplay with.

VIII - Misc-ellaneous - 8

This is the great dump, you'll include anything that doesn't fit into the other sectors.

If you like your Rulers proceed or upgrade differently, if you have new weapons or tech you like to test, if you have different battle behaviors or rules for your fleets up to the latest NSC mod and possible alternations for the game's pace by using Shio's No Space Race 3 or more dramatic affected engine or ship speeds ....just put it all in this sector and don't forget the obvious needed UI and other patches.

IX - Big Stuff - 9

Reserved for any mods that tendent to do real gamechanging, that are big and bloated or need to be placed at the bottom, so it could overwrite any of the before included mod changes to their special needs. For me it was reserved for very unique and big stuff like Gigastructural engineering and similar mods.

X - Patches - 10

Last and least you put here any unspecific and unrelated common patches like Universal Ressources Patch that are ment to be a base for several other mods to function correctly.

But you also might want to include quite unique stuff or hacks like No limit for influence that didn't fit to one of the above sections or at least should not be overwritten by any of the above mods.

221 Comments

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Kepos [author] 31 Jul @ 1:25am

@† Jeanne d'Arc †
My personal modlist varies very often. I make use of several mod storage lists, where I put all those mods I use or have used before. Mostly to sort them in case I'm looking for a specific mod.
Every single modded game is different from that before. In most cases I found incompatibilities with current game version or mods not working with the one I really want to use, so I have to test with try-and-error to find a working solution. In the description above, I lined out how to share actual playsets, if that's what u are looking for. You may have a look HERE on some mod collections, but I fear I lost the intention to sort them any longer.

† Jeanne d'Arc † 30 Jul @ 6:41pm

hi, do u have modlist? I want to see all mods what u are using

DaViper 12 Jun @ 1:20pm

I used Lutris for LoL until Riot decided to use their 'big brother' anti-cheat...on a game that didn't need it. lmao.
It's a nice launcher, but for me, Steam is just far more convenient.
My current War of the Chosen campaign is rocking 592 active mods. THANK THE GODS for 'The Community Highlander' mod patches. The community made the 'UGRP' for the entire ecosystem and makes modding in that game FAR simpler for the end user. This load order stuff really threw me for a curveball when I dropped into these parts. Heh.

Kepos [author] 12 Jun @ 1:17pm

As for compatibility patches...some need to be placed right behind their corresponding mod and if they are needed to be placed on let's say #4/IV. But you could regroup them all just into #9/iV, but lately you will be ending to have all mods in that chapter. So...

Kepos [author] 12 Jun @ 1:14pm

Well, over the years I used Irony Mod Manager a lot to get more than the usual ~120 mods running without major issues. Actually it seems that border is now gone up to ~199.
What helped me a lot was to migrate Stellaris on one of my NVME's. It brought 75% faster loading times and I felt a slightly piece of stability.
As for computing, I'm an old AMD user and the best solution for me was always to go big. Bigger graphics card, more RAM, bigger CPU, 144Hz screen aso. In comparison to let's say a shooter or simulation, Stellaris has only quite low requirements.
Never used MangoHud so far, but..hm..how about running it with Lutris?

DaViper 12 Jun @ 12:59pm

Answering re: compatibility patches. 95% of mine are NSC3 patches, and I keep the patch under and with the main shipset, with NSC at the bottom of that class.

The ONLY patches below UIOD on my system are the UIOD multi-patcher and the Civic patcher which run below UIOD's main mod. (plus the usual !!!, progress bar, and icon stuff that has to be below UIOD.
Irony's "merge" is a godsend. It's the ONLY reason I'm not crying. Heh.

DaViper 12 Jun @ 12:53pm

@kepos, yeah I ALWAYS use one. I'm a linux user since my 2nd year herding cats in EVE Online back in the day (2010'ish). And while not as important any more, it still REALLY helps with troubleshooting 'add-ons' that seem to work, but turn your system into a rusty brick while doing so.

As any FYI, if you can get mangohud working with Stellaris, lemme know.

.

DXVK_HUD=full %command% works great, but you have to bash script an on/off toggle which is sooo 10 years ago. :-D

Kepos [author] 12 Jun @ 12:47pm

But...on the other hand...I can see some problems if you need compatibility patches, while they are placed above UIOD. I guess that isn't really working.

Kepos [author] 12 Jun @ 12:45pm

@DaViper
Never had a fps-counter running, but I think I'll give it a try.
Also added a note about UIOD. Well this guide is never ment to be a fixed corset, but only a frame one could better place his own mods in it.
Grok read my guide...puh...hope I could live with all the glory and the fame...

DaViper 12 Jun @ 12:04pm

part two of deux...
As a veteran of the pile on that happens with games of this nature (see: Cities: Skylines for molasses-ville fps in the latter stages of the game.

), having optimal performance at the beginning will help with the later number-crunch-fest.

The portraits are still evil, but cutting the FPS in 1/2 with those numbers isn't an issue as the fps jumps back to normal when you dismiss the windows.

I even tried to have grok take a swing at this...and (drumroll)...he read YOUR guide, so I had to 'futz' on my own. Orrie's statement on his mod's page convinced me to try it.

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