Why bother with mods?
Obsidian built The Outer Worlds 2 to be picky about your choices: tight skill points, nasty skill checks, and a push to replay the game with different builds. That’s charming…until you miss a sweet piece of loot because your Speech is sad. Mods are like little game-life coaches — some make things easier, some make things fancier, and a few will straight-up ruin your first run if you go wild. Use them wisely (or don’t, and enjoy the chaos).
More Skill Points Per Level
Want more choices when your character levels up? This mod bumps the skill points you earn each level. You can crank it way up if you want to be an unstoppable jack-of-all-trades, but the modder even suggests just nudging it from two to three to keep things balanced. Set it too high and those tense dialogue locks and tricky encounters turn into speed bumps — set it moderately and your character feels more versatile without turning the whole game into a cakewalk.
Better Companions
If your party members behave like delicate houseplants in a firefight, this mod is the fertilizer. It boosts companion HP, healing, weapon damage, and tightens ability cooldowns. There are flavor options — from subtle to beefy — so you can pick whether allies should merely be helpful or basically walking tanks who don’t need babysitters.
Near 3rd Person Camera Overhaul
For folks who prefer watching their character strut through the galaxy, this camera tweak moves the viewpoint a bit down and to the left and zooms in for a tighter, more cinematic feel. It gives off action-game vibes (think big-sweeping shots and dramatic gear reveals) — perfect for players who want their armor and facial expressions to get top billing.
No Level Cap
Completionists rejoice: this mod raises the level cap so you aren’t forced to stop improving mid-adventure. It extends progression without changing the vanilla scaling, so the XP curve still climbs — you’ll just have more levels to chase. Great if you want to squeeze every perk, stat, and weird build into a single heroic (or chaotic) playthrough.
Simpler N-Ray Visuals
The N-Ray scanner is useful but flashy — neon overlays and dramatic transitions that can make your eyeballs file a complaint. This tweak tones down the gaudy colors and flashy effects so you can actually see enemies and wiring without feeling like you’re inside a disco rave. Cleaner, calmer, less headache-y exploration.
Quick modding tips
Back up saves before experimenting, try one gameplay-changing mod at a time, and avoid stacking major changes on your first run if you want the original experience. Read compatibility notes, test after each install, and don’t be afraid to uninstall something that makes your ship feel weird. Mods are tools, not curses — mostly.
Final thoughts
Whether you want a friendlier world, tougher teammates, prettier cameras, or endless levels to grind, there’s a mod for it. Tinker responsibly, laugh at weird bugs, and remember: the best mod is the one that makes the game more fun for you.
