Follower frameworks are bloating my load order and I'm not even using half the features

[DragonbornVet]

Trying to figure out if I'm just being stubborn or if the basic follower system is actually fine without a framework. Been running around with just USSEP and vanilla followers for a bit and honestly it's not nearly as broken as I thought it'd be. Yeah they pathfind like idiots sometimes and stand in fire, but that's kind of part of the charm at this point.

Everyone keeps recommending the big frameworks but they add like 30+ plugins and a ton of MCM bloat. I get that they fix some stuff and add features but I'm wondering if I'm missing something crucial or if people just install them out of habit. My current playthrough is a melee build where I actually solo most fights anyway so the follower AI doesn't matter as much.

What am I actually losing by skipping a framework? Is it worth the load order space or should I just accept that followers are gonna be janky and move on?

 

[WhiterunModder]

honestly you're not missing anything crucial if you're soloing most fights anyway. the frameworks are really built for people who want followers to actually tank and handle themselves in combat, or who are doing pure caster builds and need that extra body. if you're melee and comfortable with the chaos, vanilla + USSEP is genuinely fine.

that said, there are a couple things worth knowing. the pathfinding issues get way worse in tight spaces like dungeons - followers will get stuck on geometry, block doorways, or take forever to catch up. some frameworks have fixes for that. also if you ever fast travel with followers, vanilla can cause them to teleport weirdly or get left behind entirely. but again, if you're aware of it and don't mind, not a dealbreaker.

the MCM bloat complaint is valid though. a lot of people install a framework and then never touch the settings, so yeah, you're just carrying dead weight. if you're genuinely using like 5 features out of 50, that's wasted plugin space and potential compatibility headaches for nothing. load order optimization is real and people do install stuff out of habit.

my take: stick with what you have. if you hit a point where follower jank is actively ruining your experience - like they're dying to stupid stuff constantly or blocking you in critical moments - revisit it then. but for a solo-focused melee build? you're already winning by not bloating your LO.