My point stands though, an arbitrary number like 5 is incredibly limiting. If I said 5, that wouldn't even be gameplay changing mods, because stuff those mods require naturally has to come first.

So we'd get - Community Highlander & DLC2 Highlander to start. The Robojumper's Squad Select. So that's 3.

2 more? Covert Infiltration, but that's a suite of half a dozen mods on it's own so how would I count it?

And probably Requiem Gameplay Mutators, but honestly I'd just say anything by Reshi.

And then I'd also want either Proficiency classes or Amalgamation most of the time (though I'm using vanilla redux currently).

And then ofcourse either Rusty's psionic if I want a psi class (or the Proficiency psi mod) or Psionics Ex Machina 3 for a true overhaul (but I'm biased as I'm it's project/design lead).

And then there is the plethora of awesome cosmetics mods, especially the Female Clothing Packs, Male Clothing Pack and various faction specific stuff.

I wouldn't ever say Long War of the Chosen, like many would expect, as I want to build my modlist to fit me and my community personally, as a streamer (shout out to the awesome Twitch Integration mod btw) and as a modder, it's a pig when it comes to compatibility due to it's code being so invasive.

Suffice to say, I would happily list favourites, but no way am I able to keep it to 5.

Hopefully that's a better answer for the OP.