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About this mod
One loot list to rule them all and in poverty bind them.
Most item categories no longer constitute randomized loot in containers.
Reduces the amount of loot dropped per monster and how often pack monsters drop loot.
Preserves all handplaced items in their original locations.
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Trigger warning: videogame poverty. No more diamonds in random peasant huts.
Developed as part of LEGO - Loot Economy Gear Overhaul.
The game uses two different kinds of loot lists : handplaced-loot lists where the outcome isn't random (where you always get the same specific items from the same specific container or loot drop - handplaced loot) and randomized outcome loot lists (used by most generic containers and enemy drops- where the same peasant barrel can contain either a diamond or a goat hide depending on random luck/reloads). This mod only changes the randomized outcome loot lists, leaving the handplaced loot intact (so you can still follow a guide/wiki on where to find specific items that are always in the same location)*.
Tries to provide a more sensible & SIGNIFICANTLY POORER loot item distribution by making most item categories no longer be part of randomized loot, reducing the amount of loot dropped by creatures, and reducing the quantity of handplaced food per container.
Does not affect herb-shaped containers as what kind of herb you can loot from a given herb-shaped container isn't random.
Enemies will also still drop their equipped weapons as loot as those aren't picked from a random loot list ( but you can use No Junk Weapon Drops to get rid of the common ones).
Food is preserved in food-shaped containers, but its amount is reduced to 1 per loot list/container (so you won't come out from a banquet table with hundreds of food items in your inventory, and velen will feel famished).
The goal being to make handplaced loot & the other item categories feel more distinct as well as make randomized loot a poor enough source of wealth in order to get the economy under control so that Geralt might actually have to wrangle contracts for a living, haggle prices, buy food or hunt for it and not so easily be able to turn down nilfgaardian coin (particularly when paired with No Decorative Containers and Shops don't Pay for Junk.
Includes the changes of Handplaced Rare Items (with delayed Yoana) and an improved version of No Junk Food
Reduced container loot:
Removes randomized weapons, armor, recipes, schematics, books, repair kits from randomized loot lists. These items' loot entries are replaced by crafting or alchemy ingredients picked from their corresponding recipe/dismantling list (and if paired with Shops don't pay for junk the replacement ingredients can't be sold for more than 1 coin by default so Geralt still won't be getting rich off the replacement loot). You may not get that a sword spawned at random, but you'll get a crafting ingredient that would help you craft it.
The low value loot lists used by peasant containers have had all loot entries disabled other than low value junk (this allows the No Decorative Containers mod to effectively disable peasant hut containers)
No Junk food:
Food is preserved in foodshaped containers. The quantity of handplaced food per nonrandom loot list/container is reduced to 1.
Monsters no longer drop raw meat. Non hostile animals (deer, rabbit, pigs etc) & boars still do.
Reduced creature loot:
Monsters & monster nests no longer drop non-monstrous crafting ingredients, non-monstrous alchemy ingredients & upgrades(runes/glyphs).
Monsters & animals don't drop more than 1 copy of each item(if a bear previously dropped 1 bear fat and 3 claws he now drops 1 bear fat and 1 claw). This means you should no longer be able to easily accumulate large amounts of valuable monster loot that you don't really need.
Monsters and animals no longer drop junk items (for compatibility with my No Junk Drops mod).
Wild Hunt footsoldiers & minions (monster hunt minion excluded) no longer drop randomized loot as they are fought during mass battle story sequences where you're supposed to keep it moving.
Pack-type monsters(nekkers, wolves, dogs, ghouls, sirens etc) and non-hostile animals drop 1 item per monster. The goal is to allow the player to acquire the monster item he needs as early as before, but to prevent him from accumulating hundreds of copies he doesn't need and that would otherwise break the economy.
*Implementation details:
Optional add-on mod: Reduced Pack Monster Drops:
Script-based mod that reduces how often pack-type monsters (wolf, dog, boar, drowner, harpy, siren, endrega, nekker, ghoul, rotfiend,wraith, spider, archespore, barghest, centipede, kikimore) drop loot at all. Mod menu configurable so you can set your own drop rates per pack monster type. Default monster type drop rate % are set to 1 drop per average pack size for that monster (so 1 in 4 for drowners, 1 in 8 for nekkers etc). The goal being to reduce the amount of repeated monster items you accumulate & don't need as well as drastically reduce the amount of time spent looting after each pack fight (often more time spent in the looting process than in the pack fight itself).
Quest-connected pack monsters are generally not affected. Exceptions are also made for when a pack monster happens to carry a rare/unique item (defined as a quest item, relic or better gear, a new readable item, horse gear, gwent card).
Since every mutagen you can get is important & needed later on for Blood&Wine this mod tries to preserve the overall amount of mutagens you get by increasing their dropped quantity from pack monsters in proportion with their drop rate reduction (if a drowner is set to drop loot only 1/2 of the time then when it happens to drop a mutagen it will drop 2 mutagens instead of only 1).
Mod menu lets you turn the mod on/off and set drop rate % for every pack monster type (5 = 1 out of 5 monsters of that type drops loot, 1= every monster of that type drops loot, 0= no loot drops).
Optional add-on mod: Delayed Asian Gear
Moves the tacked-on next gen "White Tiger" and "Dol Blathanna" asian-themed relic sets from the chest in Yennefer's vizima room to the master armorer and master swordsmith shops. Their accompanying oddly written notes are also gone. For the sake of more coherent progression in terms of gear quality and economy (and writing).
Highly recommended mods for use alongside this:
Shops don't buy Junky Junk and No Decorative Container Looting to make sure that random junk is indeed worthless -making the looting of random peasant huts a pointless endeavor- and that you spend a lot less time looting. Well Stocked Craftsman makes sure you can still find the items you need in shops, and Cheaper Lore Friendlier Shop Prices makes them relatively affordable.
Includes part of the Melusine Aard fix from the Community Patch Besserwisser by KoalaNalle for easy compatibility with Besserwisser.
Install:
Same as installing most other TW3 Mods. Avoid Vortex, TW3 Mod Manager recommended if you need a manager. Any \modxxx folders need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\Mods (or \mods) folder, any \dlcxxx folders need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\dlc (or \DLC) folder. Any \bin folder needs to be directly inside your <TW3 game install> (where your \bin folder is).
Merge all the conflicting .ws script files and .xml bundled text files with Script Merger. That means you have to MERGE BOTH THE .WS FILES AND THE BUNDLED .XML FILES!
How to install most simple TW3 Mods for newbies/klutzes:
Uninstall:
Unmerge the files if you merged them before. Delete the \Mods\modlorefriendlierloot\, \dlc\dlclorefriendlierloot folders and also the \Mods\modnopackmonsterdrops\, bin\config\r4game\user_config_matrix\pc\nopackmonsterdrops.xml folder & mod menu file if you installed the optional mod.
Compatibility
Community Patch: Besserwisser and Nitpicker/Brothers in Arms: Compatible. Give this mod load order priority for the one conflicting file that can't be merged (the besserwisser/BIA changes to it are already included).
Changed files:
TODO:
Fix the bovine blues and empress contract monster sword drops thanks to Akatoshka7's tip.
Restore even precious crafting and alchemy ingredients to the list (gems excluded) for an upcoming version of shops don't buy junk.
Change the randomized high value pelts and hides to their lower value versions.
Developed as part of LEGO - Loot Economy Gear Overhaul.
The game uses two different kinds of loot lists : handplaced-loot lists where the outcome isn't random (where you always get the same specific items from the same specific container or loot drop - handplaced loot) and randomized outcome loot lists (used by most generic containers and enemy drops- where the same peasant barrel can contain either a diamond or a goat hide depending on random luck/reloads). This mod only changes the randomized outcome loot lists, leaving the handplaced loot intact (so you can still follow a guide/wiki on where to find specific items that are always in the same location)*.
Tries to provide a more sensible & SIGNIFICANTLY POORER loot item distribution by making most item categories no longer be part of randomized loot, reducing the amount of loot dropped by creatures, and reducing the quantity of handplaced food per container.
Does not affect herb-shaped containers as what kind of herb you can loot from a given herb-shaped container isn't random.
Enemies will also still drop their equipped weapons as loot as those aren't picked from a random loot list ( but you can use No Junk Weapon Drops to get rid of the common ones).
Food is preserved in food-shaped containers, but its amount is reduced to 1 per loot list/container (so you won't come out from a banquet table with hundreds of food items in your inventory, and velen will feel famished).
The goal being to make handplaced loot & the other item categories feel more distinct as well as make randomized loot a poor enough source of wealth in order to get the economy under control so that Geralt might actually have to wrangle contracts for a living, haggle prices, buy food or hunt for it and not so easily be able to turn down nilfgaardian coin (particularly when paired with No Decorative Containers and Shops don't Pay for Junk.
Includes the changes of Handplaced Rare Items (with delayed Yoana) and an improved version of No Junk Food
Reduced container loot:
Removes randomized weapons, armor, recipes, schematics, books, repair kits from randomized loot lists. These items' loot entries are replaced by crafting or alchemy ingredients picked from their corresponding recipe/dismantling list (and if paired with Shops don't pay for junk the replacement ingredients can't be sold for more than 1 coin by default so Geralt still won't be getting rich off the replacement loot). You may not get that a sword spawned at random, but you'll get a crafting ingredient that would help you craft it.
The low value loot lists used by peasant containers have had all loot entries disabled other than low value junk (this allows the No Decorative Containers mod to effectively disable peasant hut containers)
No Junk food:
Food is preserved in foodshaped containers. The quantity of handplaced food per nonrandom loot list/container is reduced to 1.
Monsters no longer drop raw meat. Non hostile animals (deer, rabbit, pigs etc) & boars still do.
Reduced creature loot:
Monsters & monster nests no longer drop non-monstrous crafting ingredients, non-monstrous alchemy ingredients & upgrades(runes/glyphs).
Monsters & animals don't drop more than 1 copy of each item(if a bear previously dropped 1 bear fat and 3 claws he now drops 1 bear fat and 1 claw). This means you should no longer be able to easily accumulate large amounts of valuable monster loot that you don't really need.
Monsters and animals no longer drop junk items (for compatibility with my No Junk Drops mod).
Wild Hunt footsoldiers & minions (monster hunt minion excluded) no longer drop randomized loot as they are fought during mass battle story sequences where you're supposed to keep it moving.
Pack-type monsters(nekkers, wolves, dogs, ghouls, sirens etc) and non-hostile animals drop 1 item per monster. The goal is to allow the player to acquire the monster item he needs as early as before, but to prevent him from accumulating hundreds of copies he doesn't need and that would otherwise break the economy.
*Implementation details:
Spoiler:
Over 99.99% of the items in the randomly distributed loot lists could otherwise already be found handplaced as loot somewhere, for sale in shops, craftable, or obtainable as a quest reward.
The very few items that existed only in the randomized loot lists and required some arbitrary relocation/changes, were handplaced as follows:
Recipe Dye Gray
Recipe Dye Turquoise
Recipe Dye Brown
Recipe Dye Green
Recipe Dye Blue
Recipe Dye Orange
Recipe Dye Pink
Recipe Dye Yellow
Recipe Dye Black
Recipe Dye White
Recipe Dye Red
Recipe Dye Purple
^Added to the Dye Trader, Beauclair Port, Toussaint.
Light armor 01r
Light armor 02r
Light armor 03r
Light armor 04r
Light armor 06r
Light armor 07r
Light armor 08r
Light armor 09r
Medium armor 01r
Medium armor 02r
Medium armor 03r
Medium armor 04r
Medium armor 05r
Medium armor 07r
Medium armor 10r
Medium armor 11r
Heavy armor 01r
Heavy armor 02r
Heavy armor 03r
Heavy armor 04r
Heavy armor 05r
Boots 012
Boots 022
Boots 032
^Relic variants of common armor, added to Yoana, Crow's Perch, Velen. For smoother item progression she only starts selling items at a later stage in the game (when she starts offering crafting services).
Beasts vol 2
Cursed Monsters vol 2
Draconides vol 2
Insectoids vol 2
Necrophage vol 2
Relict Monsters vol 2
Specters vol 2
Ogres vol 2
lore_tyromancy
lore_nilfgaardian_transport_orders
lore_unfinished_war_annals
^Added to the book merchant Marcus T. K. Hodgson, Hierarch Square, Novigrad.
Horse Saddle 1v3
^Slightly better-than-starting saddle, added to the Griffin Merchant, Woesong Bridge, White Orchard.
lore_yennefer_journals
^Part of a non-random unique 2-item loot list where it might never show up since the list's draw minimum was set to 1(bug?), increased it to 2.
One random invisible item tagged as NoShow,NoDrop("Armor maintenancet") in the loot list "_unique_books_other" was replaced as it had a higher priority than and was overriding the remaining entries in that list, leading to some containers being empty when they shouldn't.
Only 1 item gets picked at a time from random container loot lists.
The following food-shaped containers used random loot lists that were also used by non food-shaped containers and whose contents had been replaced with coins, so they were switched to use non-random food loot lists:
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__plate_a_.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a_shadow.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_f_.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_a.w2ent
environment\decorations\decoration_sets\rich\wine_rack\decoration_set_rich_wine_rack_a.w2ent
In order to prevent issues with monsters & animals potentially not dropping loot when using the mod together with my "No Junk Drops" mod their junk loot entries/lines were disabled/commented out.
In order to prevent boars from not dropping any loot at all their "raw meat" loot drop line is enabled.
In order to prevent panthers from not dropping any loot at all their loot entry line for the non-monstrous crafting ingredient "fur scrap" is enabled.
Relics originally dropped as handplaced loot by contract monsters are moved to schematics awarded by the quest-givers. This makes their placement less like the "nekker with pristine legendary relic sword packed in its butt awaits proctologist witcher to become a pinata" style of diablo/mmo type games, makes the actual contract payment more gainful than the monster loot drop and helps insure intended gear progression if you're using some of my other mods such as "Crafting Relic Gear Requires Master Craftsmen".
Show
Over 99.99% of the items in the randomly distributed loot lists could otherwise already be found handplaced as loot somewhere, for sale in shops, craftable, or obtainable as a quest reward.
The very few items that existed only in the randomized loot lists and required some arbitrary relocation/changes, were handplaced as follows:
Recipe Dye Gray
Recipe Dye Turquoise
Recipe Dye Brown
Recipe Dye Green
Recipe Dye Blue
Recipe Dye Orange
Recipe Dye Pink
Recipe Dye Yellow
Recipe Dye Black
Recipe Dye White
Recipe Dye Red
Recipe Dye Purple
^Added to the Dye Trader, Beauclair Port, Toussaint.
Light armor 01r
Light armor 02r
Light armor 03r
Light armor 04r
Light armor 06r
Light armor 07r
Light armor 08r
Light armor 09r
Medium armor 01r
Medium armor 02r
Medium armor 03r
Medium armor 04r
Medium armor 05r
Medium armor 07r
Medium armor 10r
Medium armor 11r
Heavy armor 01r
Heavy armor 02r
Heavy armor 03r
Heavy armor 04r
Heavy armor 05r
Boots 012
Boots 022
Boots 032
^Relic variants of common armor, added to Yoana, Crow's Perch, Velen. For smoother item progression she only starts selling items at a later stage in the game (when she starts offering crafting services).
Beasts vol 2
Cursed Monsters vol 2
Draconides vol 2
Insectoids vol 2
Necrophage vol 2
Relict Monsters vol 2
Specters vol 2
Ogres vol 2
lore_tyromancy
lore_nilfgaardian_transport_orders
lore_unfinished_war_annals
^Added to the book merchant Marcus T. K. Hodgson, Hierarch Square, Novigrad.
Horse Saddle 1v3
^Slightly better-than-starting saddle, added to the Griffin Merchant, Woesong Bridge, White Orchard.
lore_yennefer_journals
^Part of a non-random unique 2-item loot list where it might never show up since the list's draw minimum was set to 1(bug?), increased it to 2.
One random invisible item tagged as NoShow,NoDrop("Armor maintenancet") in the loot list "_unique_books_other" was replaced as it had a higher priority than and was overriding the remaining entries in that list, leading to some containers being empty when they shouldn't.
Only 1 item gets picked at a time from random container loot lists.
The following food-shaped containers used random loot lists that were also used by non food-shaped containers and whose contents had been replaced with coins, so they were switched to use non-random food loot lists:
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__plate_a_.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a_shadow.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_f_.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_a.w2ent
environment\decorations\decoration_sets\rich\wine_rack\decoration_set_rich_wine_rack_a.w2ent
In order to prevent issues with monsters & animals potentially not dropping loot when using the mod together with my "No Junk Drops" mod their junk loot entries/lines were disabled/commented out.
In order to prevent boars from not dropping any loot at all their "raw meat" loot drop line is enabled.
In order to prevent panthers from not dropping any loot at all their loot entry line for the non-monstrous crafting ingredient "fur scrap" is enabled.
Relics originally dropped as handplaced loot by contract monsters are moved to schematics awarded by the quest-givers. This makes their placement less like the "nekker with pristine legendary relic sword packed in its butt awaits proctologist witcher to become a pinata" style of diablo/mmo type games, makes the actual contract payment more gainful than the monster loot drop and helps insure intended gear progression if you're using some of my other mods such as "Crafting Relic Gear Requires Master Craftsmen".
Optional add-on mod: Reduced Pack Monster Drops:
Script-based mod that reduces how often pack-type monsters (wolf, dog, boar, drowner, harpy, siren, endrega, nekker, ghoul, rotfiend,wraith, spider, archespore, barghest, centipede, kikimore) drop loot at all. Mod menu configurable so you can set your own drop rates per pack monster type. Default monster type drop rate % are set to 1 drop per average pack size for that monster (so 1 in 4 for drowners, 1 in 8 for nekkers etc). The goal being to reduce the amount of repeated monster items you accumulate & don't need as well as drastically reduce the amount of time spent looting after each pack fight (often more time spent in the looting process than in the pack fight itself).
Quest-connected pack monsters are generally not affected. Exceptions are also made for when a pack monster happens to carry a rare/unique item (defined as a quest item, relic or better gear, a new readable item, horse gear, gwent card).
Since every mutagen you can get is important & needed later on for Blood&Wine this mod tries to preserve the overall amount of mutagens you get by increasing their dropped quantity from pack monsters in proportion with their drop rate reduction (if a drowner is set to drop loot only 1/2 of the time then when it happens to drop a mutagen it will drop 2 mutagens instead of only 1).
Mod menu lets you turn the mod on/off and set drop rate % for every pack monster type (5 = 1 out of 5 monsters of that type drops loot, 1= every monster of that type drops loot, 0= no loot drops).
Optional add-on mod: Delayed Asian Gear
Moves the tacked-on next gen "White Tiger" and "Dol Blathanna" asian-themed relic sets from the chest in Yennefer's vizima room to the master armorer and master swordsmith shops. Their accompanying oddly written notes are also gone. For the sake of more coherent progression in terms of gear quality and economy (and writing).
Highly recommended mods for use alongside this:
Shops don't buy Junky Junk and No Decorative Container Looting to make sure that random junk is indeed worthless -making the looting of random peasant huts a pointless endeavor- and that you spend a lot less time looting. Well Stocked Craftsman makes sure you can still find the items you need in shops, and Cheaper Lore Friendlier Shop Prices makes them relatively affordable.
Includes part of the Melusine Aard fix from the Community Patch Besserwisser by KoalaNalle for easy compatibility with Besserwisser.
Install:
Same as installing most other TW3 Mods. Avoid Vortex, TW3 Mod Manager recommended if you need a manager. Any \modxxx folders need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\Mods (or \mods) folder, any \dlcxxx folders need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\dlc (or \DLC) folder. Any \bin folder needs to be directly inside your <TW3 game install> (where your \bin folder is).
Merge all the conflicting .ws script files and .xml bundled text files with Script Merger. That means you have to MERGE BOTH THE .WS FILES AND THE BUNDLED .XML FILES!
How to install most simple TW3 Mods for newbies/klutzes:
Spoiler:
First you gotta locate your The Witcher 3 game install location. Usually it's somewhere like "C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt GOTY" for Good Old Games versions of the game or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3" for Steam versions of the game.
Mandatory:
Script Merger
Download, run/install it, run what it installed to be sure it's working.
Optional but highly recommended:
TW3 Mod Manager
Download, run/install it, run what it installed to be sure it's working. Installing it all to some place like C:\TW3Modding\ should work.
Enable the Debug Console: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/3375. Press the keys on your keyboard until you figure out which one activates the console.
After that you can install most mods by downloading them manually (VORTEX NOT RECOMMENDED WITH TW3 MODS, IT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS). Extract their contents somewhere (rightclick on the downloaded mod file->extract) and then place their files&folders in the right places in your game install yourself OR let TW3 Mod Manager extract and place them correctly for you (Recommended).
If you're not using TW3 Mod Manager you need to make sure all of your mod's \modxxx folders end up directly inside your <TW3 game install>\Mods folder (or <TW3 game install>\mods, wherever your other mods are). If there's no mods folder in your TW3 game install folder (TW3MM would've created one for you) you can create one by rightclicking on some empty space there -> "New" -> "Folder" and write Mods as its name. That means your \modxxx folders ends up as <TW3 game install>\Mods\modxxx. TW3MM would place it there automatically for you so you wouldn't have to.
If your mod has \dlcxxx folders they similarly need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\dlc folder (or <TW3 game install>\DLC wherever your other dlcs are). They should end up as <TW3 game install>\dlc\dlcxxx ( never <TW3 game install>\dlc\dlc\dlcxxx !). TW3MM would do this automatically for you.
Your mod's mod menu file xxx.xml would have to end up as <TW3 game install>\bin\config\r4game\user_config_matrix\pc\xxx.xml. Again, TW3MM would do this automatically for you. If you happen to have more mod menus tham what can fit on the mod menu list you can easily edit & group mod menus together into subgroups yourself using something like notepad++, example: 1-> 2 (that mod menu was placed in a "combat" subgroup, example from Menu Strings).
If your mod has custom keybinds you probably have to add them to your <My Documents>\The Witcher 3\input.settings file using some editor like notepad++. Once more, TW3MM will usually do this automatically for you.
After your mod's files & folders are in the right places you need to run Script Merger and merge any conflicting files that can be merged together (that means both .ws scripts and .xml bundled files).
Sadly, not all mods will automatically merge together, most probably won't (though all LEGO merge automatically with each other, obviously), but some unresolved conflicts can be solved with a little manual help:
The bottom half is the output/result of your merge, the yellow <Merge Conflict> line is the conflicting line that SM can't figure out automatically.
Right click on the merge conflict and you get some simple options:
^There you picked the line from mod 2, but you can also pick the lines from both mods, in any order:
Or you can even write your own code in there. Of course knowing which lines to choose or how to make them work together does require you to somewhat understand what the code does. When in doubt you might try asking the concerned mod's authors & users for help in the comments sections.
However keep in mind that there's no guarantee that any 2 mods can be effectively merged together, nor is there any guarantee that 2 mods are working well together even if they merged automatically and the game seems to be running ok.
That's why to be extra safe you should carefully read each mod's install instructions to make sure there aren't any special instructions or requirements for the mod to work (some mods might require other mods to work such as the unification/community patch or shared imports) or incompatibilities, and then merge & run the game after each new mod install to make sure it's running well.
Show
First you gotta locate your The Witcher 3 game install location. Usually it's somewhere like "C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt GOTY" for Good Old Games versions of the game or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3" for Steam versions of the game.
Mandatory:
Script Merger
Download, run/install it, run what it installed to be sure it's working.
Optional but highly recommended:
TW3 Mod Manager
Download, run/install it, run what it installed to be sure it's working. Installing it all to some place like C:\TW3Modding\ should work.
Enable the Debug Console: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/3375. Press the keys on your keyboard until you figure out which one activates the console.
After that you can install most mods by downloading them manually (VORTEX NOT RECOMMENDED WITH TW3 MODS, IT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS). Extract their contents somewhere (rightclick on the downloaded mod file->extract) and then place their files&folders in the right places in your game install yourself OR let TW3 Mod Manager extract and place them correctly for you (Recommended).
If you're not using TW3 Mod Manager you need to make sure all of your mod's \modxxx folders end up directly inside your <TW3 game install>\Mods folder (or <TW3 game install>\mods, wherever your other mods are). If there's no mods folder in your TW3 game install folder (TW3MM would've created one for you) you can create one by rightclicking on some empty space there -> "New" -> "Folder" and write Mods as its name. That means your \modxxx folders ends up as <TW3 game install>\Mods\modxxx. TW3MM would place it there automatically for you so you wouldn't have to.
If your mod has \dlcxxx folders they similarly need to be directly inside your <TW3 game install>\dlc folder (or <TW3 game install>\DLC wherever your other dlcs are). They should end up as <TW3 game install>\dlc\dlcxxx ( never <TW3 game install>\dlc\dlc\dlcxxx !). TW3MM would do this automatically for you.
Your mod's mod menu file xxx.xml would have to end up as <TW3 game install>\bin\config\r4game\user_config_matrix\pc\xxx.xml. Again, TW3MM would do this automatically for you. If you happen to have more mod menus tham what can fit on the mod menu list you can easily edit & group mod menus together into subgroups yourself using something like notepad++, example: 1-> 2 (that mod menu was placed in a "combat" subgroup, example from Menu Strings).
If your mod has custom keybinds you probably have to add them to your <My Documents>\The Witcher 3\input.settings file using some editor like notepad++. Once more, TW3MM will usually do this automatically for you.
After your mod's files & folders are in the right places you need to run Script Merger and merge any conflicting files that can be merged together (that means both .ws scripts and .xml bundled files).
Sadly, not all mods will automatically merge together, most probably won't (though all LEGO merge automatically with each other, obviously), but some unresolved conflicts can be solved with a little manual help:
The bottom half is the output/result of your merge, the yellow <Merge Conflict> line is the conflicting line that SM can't figure out automatically.
Right click on the merge conflict and you get some simple options:
^There you picked the line from mod 2, but you can also pick the lines from both mods, in any order:
Or you can even write your own code in there. Of course knowing which lines to choose or how to make them work together does require you to somewhat understand what the code does. When in doubt you might try asking the concerned mod's authors & users for help in the comments sections.
However keep in mind that there's no guarantee that any 2 mods can be effectively merged together, nor is there any guarantee that 2 mods are working well together even if they merged automatically and the game seems to be running ok.
That's why to be extra safe you should carefully read each mod's install instructions to make sure there aren't any special instructions or requirements for the mod to work (some mods might require other mods to work such as the unification/community patch or shared imports) or incompatibilities, and then merge & run the game after each new mod install to make sure it's running well.
Uninstall:
Unmerge the files if you merged them before. Delete the \Mods\modlorefriendlierloot\, \dlc\dlclorefriendlierloot folders and also the \Mods\modnopackmonsterdrops\, bin\config\r4game\user_config_matrix\pc\nopackmonsterdrops.xml folder & mod menu file if you installed the optional mod.
Compatibility
Community Patch: Besserwisser and Nitpicker/Brothers in Arms: Compatible. Give this mod load order priority for the one conflicting file that can't be merged (the besserwisser/BIA changes to it are already included).
Changed files:
Spoiler:
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a_shadow.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_a.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_f_.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__plate_a_.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_containers.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_living_world.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_containers.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_living_world.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\ep1\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\ep1\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\environment\decorations\decoration_sets\rich\wine_rack\decoration_set_rich_wine_rack_a.w2ent
\gameplay\community\dialogues\nml\shops\shop_barons_keep_master_blacksmith.w2scene
\gameplay\items\def_loot_animals.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_containers.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_livingworld.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_quests.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_unique.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_animals.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_containers.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_livingworld.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_quests.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_unique.xml
\content\scripts\game\behavior_tree\tasks\high_level\btTaskDeath.ws (optional Reduced Pack Monster Drops mod only)
Show
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__bowl_a_shadow.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_a.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__foodplate_f_.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\container_definitions\ep2_loot_food__plate_a_.w2ent
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_containers.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_living_world.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_containers.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_living_world.xml
\dlc\bob\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\ep1\data\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\dlc\ep1\data\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\environment\decorations\decoration_sets\rich\wine_rack\decoration_set_rich_wine_rack_a.w2ent
\gameplay\community\dialogues\nml\shops\shop_barons_keep_master_blacksmith.w2scene
\gameplay\items\def_loot_animals.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_containers.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_livingworld.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_monsters.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_quests.xml
\gameplay\items\def_loot_unique.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_animals.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_containers.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_livingworld.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_monsters.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_quests.xml
\gameplay\items_plus\def_loot_unique.xml
\content\scripts\game\behavior_tree\tasks\high_level\btTaskDeath.ws (optional Reduced Pack Monster Drops mod only)
TODO:
Fix the bovine blues and empress contract monster sword drops thanks to Akatoshka7's tip.
Restore even precious crafting and alchemy ingredients to the list (gems excluded) for an upcoming version of shops don't buy junk.
Change the randomized high value pelts and hides to their lower value versions.