Right... so out of the pages and pages of mods on steam workshop I've grabbed stuff that appeals to me and hopefully to others.
I've already managed to tweak a merge pack that is so far playing well with a lot of stuff ( currently with my own choices and also no issues with LOA 100 and Viz's Variant pack ) so I've got the method right for merging and as Phanjam and a few others helped clear up I now know that RAW conflicts can be disregarded and hand editing will only take place when we hit the DAT or LAYOUT conflicts so they can be merged.
Where I could do with some feedback is at the moment making sure I'm applying tiering correctly for the merged packs and also for their place in the launch list and then also any known issues with other commonly used mods or with binding ( I'd prefer to have everything non-binding so folk can uninstall without losing characters to respec or mod bugs ).
Obviously if the merge packs hit a final form that is going on the workshop and moddrop as "TorchMod approved community MP bundles" or whatever we call them any help with sourcing authors permissions would be good too, and like most folk if need be it'll be a tweak if we can't get permission for a specific thing and end up swapping in a similar mod from someone who is happy with it.
Final part will obviously be a set of documentation showing suitable launch orders and also conflicts/issues/mods not needed due to already being in the packs or having a similar, and often better or more stable, variant in it.
Planned Core Bundles are the following
- Core Engine Overhaul : Things like chest fixes etc and I'd like to see the Dex = ranged damage boost incorporated if it can be fixed to affect everything but cannons and wands so that you no longer get the stupidity of shootlanders for example dumping into str. Also stuff like Use LMB as it fixes a massive QoL issue in the base game.
- Class Overhaul : Various small QoL fixes here rather than major shifts, that is for personal choice with mods, like Haettes' engineer fixes etc and also maybe an adapted version of the Improved Summons ( both mage and engineer ) with tweaked damage/durability to offset the now permanent durations. Possibly also Wand Homing projectiles?
- UI/Stash Overhaul : let's face it... no one that can follow simple modding instructions is playing with standard stash these days. I propose that 1600 shared & ESO is the basis for stash/equipment and then for UI I'd like to fold in the various indicator mods. Not sure if I would have fishing and health as defaults as a lot of folk like lurkers. After that possibly stuff like FatStacks if it doesn't conflict.
Please note that UI skins will be personal choice, this is not intended as a way to force everyone to play a D3 skin for example 
- Art overhaul : Blanks/Chunky, whatever the preferred Retex is, Aesthetics Pack and personally I'd like to see Ubuntu Font as a default. My biggest niggle with vanilla TL2 is that font is hard to read and combat is just ugly. Open to suggestions to anything else to go here
- QoL bundle : Petnag, 6 enchanters in 1st Town, Lorms Fishmonger, whatever the preferred Respec mod is, possibly zoomy, unique beams etc etc as examples.
- Class Bundle : Not needed it seems as we have Viz's Variant pack which does everything I'd planned anyway.
- Pet Bundle : Not sure if it would be doable. Basically a roundup of all the various pets like Gao's and Vex etc that allows proper selection at creation without the issue of it stealing slots from vanilla pets or having wonky mesh/frame calls.
Now to my brain the load order would be like this as an example
any UI skin
any class mods over bundle changes
Pet BundleVariant
Art BundleUI BundleQoL BundleClass Overhaul BundleCore BundleSynergies
If I've got that tiering wrong please tell me and also preferably a quick explanation why if possible, I've already found out by trial and error that for some things my ordering logic is flawed.
If that lot seems right and also seems like something that folk would be willing to help with questions on as a possible TorchMod Approved MP release ( and ofc folk can use it single player ) then I'll start fleshing out the bundle contents and options before testing.
Also later on any tips on how to stop synergies/TLE conflicts will be greatly appreciated as will any advice on stopping things binding to saves.