I haven't downloaded a mod in ages. Every time Minecraft updates they all get broken and it's a hassle...but I like things like new crops, ways to get mob drops while on peaceful(like a plant that makes something equivalent to string. not just recipes), anything with bees I stare at for ages lol, new ores make me curious, more stairs and slabs please! Actually being able to sit in a chair...One thing that I actually would download, even if I find mods to be a pain, would be getting hungry in peaceful! Or just being able to eat! What, because there's no monsters, we're suddenly not hungry? All these food items! And they're useless!

I suddenly realized how appropriate the class I chose on a whim is.

Other things that lure me in are Clear Pictures and Full Explanations of what the mod is. I want to See and Read what it does so I know fully what it is.

And then I'll remind myself that all these cool things mean nothing if you're playing on the wrong version or play on already crafted maps that won't these new blocks/plants generated in them or that the way you're playing on a map precludes use of them. If I tried playing NORMALLY, it'd be different. But...I don't so I don't know what help this is. :/

Unique and offbeat systems. Does it have weird items that demonstrate a specialized understanding of the world? Brewing gear? chemicals? Bee stuff? Genetics? Ice cream sandwiches?

Tech is okay, but niche specialization is my jam.

Instantly, nothing (always do research )…

Quickly, clearly defined function[s] that are wanted/needed with a fair history of largely positive reviews [More interested in lack of bugs and does what is described than less objective criteria.]
The author having a history of keeping the mod updated on a timely basis [ie. fairly quickly after astable and actually playable version is available, don't care if snapshots (by any name) are not supposrted] is also a strong positive.

Also prefer mods to be limited in scope; both as it makes a mod more likely to be well written and kept updated, and because getting a wholly different game is best done by playing a wholly different game (rather than traeting MC as an engine and kluging on a different game).

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An old nostalgic mod is all it takes for me :)

A new and interesting idea, not copies of already existing mods. I personally like technical mods the most (like mekanism)

New and good mobs.

When it adds something new or fresh to the game. We don't need another tool/ore mod when we already have thousands of them. If your mod stands out in terms of its concept, I'll be downloading it for sure.

Screenshots, pictures, illustrations and videos in the mod thread helps too.

when i look through the comments and there's not a huge amount of bugs reported. it's a godsend.

whether or not there's a cute figure on the front of the logo lol

Cool structures and terrains