So here's a confession: I had no idea what LODs were or if a mod *could* break previsibines. I decided, in my infinite wisdom, that what the Fallout 4 modding scene *really* needed was another browser tool. Not because I really can't be bothered learning anything other than Python and HTML. Nope.

Anyway. I built a [Plugin Viewer](https://viabledahlia.github.io/commonwealth-tools/plugin-viewer/). For your browser.

You drop your `.esp` / `.esm` / `.esl` straight into the browser (nothing uploaded, it never leaves your machine, I promise I'm not harvesting your load order for nefarious purposes) and it tells you what the thing actually does. Not "42 records changed", actual names. What it adds, what it overrides, what it's placing where.

It'll also have a go at flagging whether a mod is likely to upset your precombines or needs a LOD regen, which is the sort of thing I personally wish existed about six previs headaches ago.

**What it does:**

* Shows new content the plugin creates, by name, not just "you have 3319 REFRs, good luck"
* Flags previs/precombine risk based on what it actually touches
* Flags likely LOD impact for the same reason
* Runs entirely client side, so no accounts, no uploads, nothing phoning home

It's part of [Commonwealth Tools](https://viabledahlia.github.io/commonwealth-tools/), my little collection of browser utilities for reducing modding friction. You can also get it on Nexus: [https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/107634](https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/107634)

Would very much appreciate people throwing weird plugins at it and telling me what breaks. I've tested it against my own mods, some Creation Club stuff, and a few things from The Midnight Ride, but the modding community is nothing if not creative about finding the edge cases I didn't think of.

Cheers, and apologies in advance to anyone whose plugin makes it fall over spectacularly.

[Fo4] I built a browser tool that reads your plugins so you don't have to open xEdit at 1am wondering what a mod actually does