How do perk mods work?

[PeggleFrank]

I've been confused about this for awhile now.

 

From what I've heard, perk mods modify one, individual file for each perk tree they modify. A magic perk overhaul would thus change 5 or 6 files, which would be linked to the Destruction, Alteration, Illusion, Restoration, Conjuration, and/or Enchanting skill trees. This would also imply that two mods that modify the same file will not have their changes compounded, and one will overwrite the other.

 

I've tried to organize my mods around this, and have my magic perk overhaul mods at the very bottom. However, a certain mod I have (wind magic) adds perks of its own, which I didn't realize. When I went in-game, the wind magic perks were still there, and so were the magic perk overhaul perks.

 

I can't fathom how perk mods work at this point, now that what I used to believe has been disproven. I'd like if somebody could just give me a relatively simple explanation of how perk trees work, because, apparently, I have it all wrong.

[lofgren]

There are two things that are modified by perk mods: the perks themselves, and the perk trees (or constellations).

 

The perks determine what the perks do.

 

The perk trees determine which of those perks are available to be chosen in-game.

 

If perk mod 1 modifies a bunch of vanilla perks, and perk mod 2 adds a bunch of new perks and also modifies the perk tree to include both the new perks and some vanilla perks, then the changes from both mods will show up in your game.