I've used a few mods:

Epicloot is a content mod that adds loot drops from mods. The drops are organized by tier and only if you've unlocked the recipe. For example, if you haven't made linen thread yet, you won't have the recipes for blackmetal weapons or padded armor, so they won't drop even from high level mobs. So one benefit right away is that sometimes enemies will drop a weapon or armor you have unlocked, but haven't made yet....so saves you some resources sometimes. The other, more obvious aspect, and the namesake of the mod, is magic/enchanted items. More durability, more armor, "waterproof" capes, "slow fall" legs, "no move penalty", more damage, Throwable versions of normally non-thrown weapons, etc. are all possible effects on magic items. Items can be broken down into magic components, used for enchanting OTHER items. It makes the game easier for sure....but imo, its also a lot more enjoyable as you seek out new items. It also adds some trader functionality....trader can flag mobs for "bounties" that will be effectively 2.5 or 3 star versions of the mob (bounty serpents are YIKES!). Those can be turned in for tokens and a bit of gold. gold+tokens can buy random highly enchanted items from the trader

Better Trader is another content mod technically. It lets you buy most items and sell many many more items to the trader. Same limitations....have to have grabbed or unlocked an item to buy it, so no jumping progression. Sell honey and buy scrap iron. put the glut of beehives to use and save yourself from the abysmal scrap iron drop rate all at once!

Armor + quickslots mods add special inventory slots for you that hold your armor. the quickslots add a Z, V, znd B quickslot to hotkey more items.

Valheim plus is a quality of life and modification mod. It can change....LOTS of stuff. including changing crafting and placement rules to allow more fine tuning, turning off or changing structural integrity, modifying stamina drain for different activities, modifying skill experience gain per skill, turning off food decay (I LOVE that one) so foods give the full benefit for the whole duration, allowing you to craft using items in chests, altering the size of your inventory and chests, altering the weight of items and how much you can carry, allowing kiln/windmill/spinning wheel/smelter/etc. to pull items from, and place finished items into chests (that's a really big timesaver, not having to babysit each station), modifying map explore radius.....and a bunch of other little similar things to customize the game, but not really add new content. Love the game but think you should be able to swim farther than 10 yards without drowning? modify swim stamina drain. Absolutely hate death skill loss? remove it. Want to play without having to play inventory management simulator and manage carry weight? make items weigh zero and double inventory size. Think the game is too easy with more people? Make the enemies scale higher per person in the game.

I also used some gamma/brightness mods, since I REALLY struggle to see in the swamp and tombs.



Basically, browse mods and see if stuff catches your eye. If something looks cool, make a new game/character/world and try it out and see if you want it.