using-bgs-modding-superpowers

<EXTREMELY_IMPORTANT_BGS_MODDING_SUPERPOWERS>

This is the bgs-modding-superpowers per-session bootstrap. If you are reading this,

the plugin injected it into the first user message of this session. Do NOT discard

it. Do NOT respond to the user yet without first checking whether one of the task

skills below applies.

</EXTREMELY_IMPORTANT_BGS_MODDING_SUPERPOWERS>

Using BGS Modding Superpowers

You are operating with the bgs-modding-superpowers plugin loaded. This plugin

gives you an agent-driven toolkit for Bethesda Game Studio modpack curation:

MO2 control plane, xEdit MCP, conflict-audit workflow, and runtime asset skills

for dev-log and release-changelog maintenance.

Available skills (auto-trigger on these intents)

| Skill | Auto-triggers when |

|---|---|

| setting-up-bgs-modding-environment | First conversation in a project; MO2 or xEdit not yet detected; user says "set up", "install", "bootstrap", "configure" |

| maintaining-modding-environments | After first-run: "ongoing", "maintain", "register custom pack", "prune cache", "update knowledge base", "modding environment health check" |

| evaluating-bgs-mods | Deciding whether a mod belongs in the pack; "should I add this mod", "is this mod good", "评估这个mod", "这个mod值得装吗", "this mod looks too good to be true" |

| interpreting-mod-author-instructions | After INCLUDE verdict, before download/install; "how do I install", "FOMOD choices", "which file to download", "author说明", "which variant", "按作者说明安装" |

| curating-bgs-modpack | Whole-pack incremental build strategy; "plan the pack", "batch strategy", "rollback point", "naming convention", "declare 风格", "策展整合包", "整合包规划" |

| diagnosing-bgs-problems | It broke — symptom-first triage; "CTD", "crash log", "FPS drop", "stuttering", "Buffout", "freeze", "won't start", "崩溃", "掉帧", "卡顿" |

| testing-bgs-modpack | Proactive post-install verification of a batch; "test the pack", "verification", "post-install check", "is it stable", "what should I test", "测试整合包", "验证安装" |

| xedit-automation | Any task involving .esp/.esm/.esl plugin files, FormIDs, masters, conflicts, ESL flagging, ITM/UDR cleaning, Pascal scripts |

| xedit-conflict-audit | "Why is this override not winning?", "Which plugins overlap on this record?", "Is this load order safe?" |

| writing-bgs-load-order | Reading/editing/generating plugins.txt or loadorder.txt; enabling/disabling/reordering/adding/removing plugins; launching xEdit with a custom plugins file; "load order", "enable this plugin", "disable that plugin", "what does the asterisk mean" |

| using-bgs-translator | Translate a Bethesda plugin's text to another language; "translate this mod", "汉化这个 mod", "localize mod to chinese", "build SST for", "use my LLM to translate plugins" |

| using-bgs-archive | unpack/pack BA2/BSA archives; inspect archive format/contents; extract assets |

| using-bgs-papyrus | compile/decompile Papyrus PSC<->PEX for Skyrim/FO4/Starfield |

| writing-modpack-devlog | "Log this", "record what I did", "note this change", "add to dev-log", "track this decision" |

| writing-modpack-changelog | "Cut a release", "release notes", "what changed since v1.2", "prepare release for Nexus" |

When the user's intent matches one of these, invoke the corresponding skill

through your skill tool BEFORE replying. Do not paraphrase the skill from memory;

let the skill load.

Available MCP tools

The bundled xedit MCP server (declared in .mcp.json for Claude Code / Codex,

declared via the OpenCode plugin's config.mcp.xedit hook) is fully

non-blocking: every tool returns immediately. The xEdit daemon's lifecycle

is tracked in the server's in-memory state machine, and domain tools fast-fail

with code: "not_ready" if you call them before the daemon is ready.

Lifecycle / health tools

| Tool | Use |

|---|---|

| xedit_status | Pure read. Returns { status: "not_started" \| "starting" \| "ready" \| "failed", ... }. Never modifies state. Use this to POLL while waiting for a launch. |

| xedit_start | Kicks off an asynchronous daemon launch if not already starting/ready. Returns immediately. Accepts optional overrides: { launcherPath?, gameMode?, dataPath?, pluginsFile?, moProfile? }. Use dataPath (MO2 gamePath + "\\Data") to override xEdit's registry-discovered platform path; use pluginsFile to point at a custom load order (see writing-bgs-load-order). The launch itself takes 60-240s; that work happens in the background. |

| xedit_health | When ready: sends system.ping through the named pipe to catch zombies. After a flush exit timeout, rechecks the retained managed PID so a delayed normal exit can clear lifecycle state without force. |

| xedit_dirty | Returns xEdit dirty state plus authoritative contract-0.23 pending-rename readback when available, with a local fail-closed fallback for older daemons. Pending saves remain visible even when daemon dirty state is false. |

| xedit_flush | Contract-0.23 durability boundary. Requires consent, drains pending renames, validates the response, waits for the managed daemon's promised self-exit, and reports complete, partial, or unknown outcome. Failed in-band renames get one final exit-time retry; fresh-daemon readback decides durability. |

| xedit_stop | Stops the daemon and clears MCP runtime state. It refuses unsaved edits or pending-shutdown saves unless force: true is explicitly chosen; forced abandonment is reported and audited. |

| xedit_restart | Stops the daemon with the same dirty/pending-save safety, then kicks off a fresh async launch. Use only when no pending save is tracked; force: true is explicit abandonment, not a flush. |

Domain tools (6) — require ready, fast-fail otherwise

| Tool | Use |

|---|---|

| xedit_session | If ready: returns the full session envelope (gameMode, loadOrderSize, daemonPid). If not_started: auto-initiates the launch. Otherwise: returns the current status. Always non-blocking. |

| xedit_list_capabilities | Curated 50-command contract-0.23 digest + live drift report. |

| xedit_find_record | Locate by {file, formId} or {editorId}. |

| xedit_read_record | Fields + base record + winning override. |

| xedit_inspect_conflicts | W2 verdict tool: no_conflict / itpo / itm / minor / breaking. |

| xedit_call(command, args) | Atomic passthrough for native daemon commands; in-harness. Lifecycle-owned session.flush is refused here and must use xedit_flush. |

Canonical lifecycle pattern (do this every session that touches xEdit)

1. xedit_start({})                  -> { status: "starting" }      (or "ready")
2. xedit_status({})                 -> poll until status="ready"   (sleep 5-15s between calls)
3. xedit_health({})                 -> confirm responsive=true
4. xedit_session({}) / xedit_*      -> normal domain work
5. xedit_dirty({})                  -> check dirty state and pendingShutdownSave
6. xedit_flush({})                  -> when pending > 0, drain + confirm daemon self-exit
7. xedit_start({ ... })             -> fresh daemon for persistence readback after flush
8. xedit_stop({}) / restart({ ... }) -> only when no dirty or pending state exists

NEVER call a domain tool in a tight loop expecting it to "wait." If

xedit_status reports status: "failed", surface data.error to the user and

stop — common causes are MO2 not running visibly, the Python plugin not loaded,

the xEdit binary missing, or xEdit's automation-serve tripping on the active

load order.

The structured daemon-command and workflow reference now lives in KB records.

Use bgs_kb_query / bgs_kb_get for deep reference retrieval; the old

skills/xedit-automation/xedit-knowledgebase.md path is a redirect only.

BGS knowledge-base tools (3) — curated knowledge, no xEdit daemon

The sibling BGS knowledge-base MCP is for curated modding knowledge, not live

runtime state. It works before MO2 / xEdit are configured; use xEdit MCP for

actual plugin, load-order, and record readback.

| Tool | Use |

|---|---|

| bgs_kb_status | Reports loaded KB packs, versions, games, domains, cache root, and user pack roots. |

| bgs_kb_query | Searches loaded packs for ranked knowledge snippets with game/domain filters and sources. |

| bgs_kb_get | Fetches a full record by id, merging game-specific variants when game is provided. |

Hard rules (non-negotiable)

1. **The user's <MO2_Root> and any <MO2_Root>/<game>/Data/ (or equivalent

"Stock Game" tree) is real game state.** Never write into it directly. Any

game-local change is expressed as an MO2 mod overlay under

<MO2_Root>/mods/<mod-name>/. The MO2 VFS projects it at runtime.

1. All xEdit work goes through the bundled xedit MCP. Never spawn

xEdit.exe directly from the shell, never parse .esp/.esm/.esl files with

your own Python/JS, never invoke xedit-client.ps1 from raw shell. The MCP

exists so the harness can enforce validation, state, rules, and audit on

every call. Atomic passthrough (xedit_call) is the documented escape hatch

when an intent tool does not fit — it is still in-harness.

1. **Mutating operations require explicit user consent and a daemon launched

with -IKnowWhatImDoing.** Read the xedit-automation skill BEFORE any

destructive work. The anti-pattern list there is binding.

1. A session.save response is not durability. A nonzero

savedFilesPendingShutdown / savePendingShutdownCount is deferred. On

contract 0.23, xedit_dirty reconciles that fallback with the daemon's

authoritative pending queue and xedit_flush is the only supported in-band

drain. It validates the response and confirms daemon self-exit before clearing

the blocking guard. A partial or unknown outcome remains visible as

lastFlush; after relaunch it is labelled previousSessionFlush with the old

PID and timestamp. Failed in-band renames receive one normal exit-time retry,

so fresh-daemon readback, not the partial envelope alone, decides durability.

force:true on stop/restart is still explicit abandonment, never durability proof.

1. **Large scope (many records, broad conflict survey) → delegate to a

read-only investigator subagent FIRST.** The subagent burns its own context

and returns a distilled summary. Do not loop hundreds of records through

your own context.

1. BGS domain knowledge routes through the KB first. For questions about

how BGS modding works — Papyrus semantics, plugin-format gotchas, archive

precedence, load-order conventions, common engine quirks, or game-specific

toolchain gotchas — call bgs_kb_status / bgs_kb_query before

improvising or reaching for web search. If the question is about what the

current local load order, plugin, or record actually is, use xedit_* or the

relevant file/CLI surface instead. The KB is advisory; xEdit readback remains

authoritative for actual state. If bgs_kb_status reports no packs or the

needed game pack is missing, fall back to web research using the roadmap

Appendix source list or route setup/maintenance work to install the pack.

1. First-run state: if MO2 / xEdit / the control-plane Python plugin are

not yet set up on this machine, invoke setting-up-bgs-modding-environment

BEFORE any modpack work. That skill orchestrates detection and install.

1. Nexus credentials and Premium download paths: MO2 stores the user's

Nexus API key globally in Windows Credential Manager under target

ModOrganizer2_APIKEY (legacy) / ModOrganizer2_NEXUS_OAUTH_TOKENS

(modern OAuth). Reading the key requires explicit per-session user consent

and the key must be masked in any visible output. The agent-friendly

refresh path for Nexus update state is "Option B" — direct API call to

/v1/games/{game}/mods/{id}.json + write back to meta.ini via

mo2_edit_meta, no MO2 GUI launch needed. Both workflows are documented in

the maintaining-modding-environments skill and in KB records

install-planning.mo2-windows-credential-mining.v1 +

install-planning.nexus-direct-api-update-check.v1. For Premium-account

direct downloads, use POST /v1/games/{game}/mods/{id}/files/{file_id}/download_link.json

(returns 7 CDN mirrors) — Premium-only; free accounts must use the Nexus

browser flow.

How to use this bootstrap

• This skill loads automatically on every new session. You do not need to

re-invoke it.

• When a user intent matches a task skill in the table above, invoke that skill

via your skill tool. Do not paraphrase.

• When the user asks about "what can you do", reference the skills inventory

here; do not invent capabilities the plugin does not have.

• When answering BGS modding-domain questions, prefer local KB retrieval before

web search. The bundled core pack ships inline; per-game packs may be

installed later via setup / maintenance skills; end-user packs may be

registered via $BGS_KB_USER_PACKS through maintaining-modding-environments.

• When you would normally write code that touches BGS plugin files (`.esp/.esm/

.esl), STOP and route through xedit-automation` instead.

• When the user is deciding whether to add or keep a mod ("should I install X",

"is this good", "评估"), route to evaluating-bgs-mods BEFORE any

install/download action.

• When an INCLUDE verdict is in and the user needs to read author instructions /

pick FOMOD options / choose a file or variant, route to

interpreting-mod-author-instructions.

• When the user is planning the whole pack, sizing batches, deciding rollback

boundaries, or declaring 风格, route to curating-bgs-modpack.

• When the user reports a crash, CTD, FPS drop, freeze, or stutter ("崩溃",

"掉帧", "卡顿"), route to diagnosing-bgs-problems for symptom-first triage

BEFORE any blame attribution.

• When the user wants to verify a freshly installed batch ("test the pack",

"is it stable", "验证安装"), route to testing-bgs-modpack.

• When the user wants to translate plugin text or emit SST dictionaries for a

mod, route to using-bgs-translator instead of xEdit; translator reads plugin

text and emits dictionaries, it does not modify plugin binaries.

• When the user wants to inspect, unpack, extract, or pack BA2/BSA archives,

route to using-bgs-archive; archive packing must write to MO2 overlays, not

game Data or Stock-Game trees.

• When the user wants to compile or decompile Papyrus scripts (.psc / .pex),

route to using-bgs-papyrus; compiled .pex output must go to MO2 overlays,

not game Data or Stock-Game trees.

• When the user asks to "log", "record", "track", or "note" modpack work,

route to writing-modpack-devlog. When the user asks to "cut a release" or

prepare release notes, route to writing-modpack-changelog.

See also

• setting-up-bgs-modding-environment — first-run setup orchestrator.
• maintaining-modding-environments — ongoing environment care, KB updates,

custom-pack registration, cache pruning, and health checks after first-run.

• evaluating-bgs-mods — judgment skill: should this mod go in the pack (BGS

systemic-design fit, quality/risk/pack-value); hands off to

interpreting-mod-author-instructions on INCLUDE.

• interpreting-mod-author-instructions — judgment skill: how to correctly

download/install per author说明 (FOMOD reasoning, file/variant selection,

prerequisites). Downstream from evaluating-bgs-mods INCLUDE verdict.

• curating-bgs-modpack — judgment skill: whole-pack incremental strategy

(batch sizing, rollback boundaries, attribution/naming, declaring 风格);

cross-stage skill that the per-mod skills feed.

• diagnosing-bgs-problems — judgment skill: symptom-first triage for CTD /

FPS / freeze / stutter; escalates to xedit-conflict-audit or

using-bgs-archive once root-cause class is identified.

• testing-bgs-modpack — judgment skill: proactive post-install verification

of an install batch; escalates to diagnosing-bgs-problems on failure.

• xedit-automation — hub skill for all xEdit work; routing doctrine,

anti-patterns, sub-agent recipes.

• BGS KB records under knowledge/bgs-kb/packs/core/records/ — deep reference

for daemon commands, error codes, save semantics, glossary, and durable gotchas.

• xedit-conflict-audit — the W2 conflict-audit workflow.
• using-bgs-translator — CLI + Tk workflow for LLM-assisted plugin text

translation and SST dictionary export.

• using-bgs-archive — BA2/BSA archive inspection, extraction, and safe

overlay-only packing.

• using-bgs-papyrus — Papyrus PSC/PEX compile/decompile workflows for Skyrim,

Fallout 4, and Starfield.

• writing-modpack-devlog, writing-modpack-changelog — runtime asset

skills for project documentation.

---

> Plugin: bgs-modding-superpowers. Repo: https://github.com/BB-84C/bgs-modding-superpowers.

> If any environmental component (MO2, xEdit, control-plane Python plugin) is missing,

> route through setting-up-bgs-modding-environment before continuing.