Hi,

I've hit a nasty bug that might kill my game. When I level-up to level 18 the game freezes when I hit the Accept button. I've tried playing from different saves, but it still happens, so I don't think its a corrupt save file. I'm using FO3Edit and the FO3Edit Master Update function to stop most ctds and freezes and I recently reinstalled the game and all my mods, so I don't think its a corrupt game or mod file.

That leaves my mods, of which there are many (see below). I guessed that was a mod conflicting with Broken Steel, but I get the same freeze if I run from a save with all the Broken Steel related mods switched off. Does anyone know a fix, or can any mod-savvy expert see which of my mods might be causing the freeze-up?

[X] Fallout3.esm
[X] Anchorage.esm
[X] ThePitt.esm
[X] BrokenSteel.esm
[X] PointLookout.esm
[X] Zeta.esm
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch.esm
[X] CALIBR.esm
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod.esm
[X] CubeExperimental (EN).esm
[X] DCInteriors_ComboEdition.esm
[X] Megaton Expansion Project V03.esm
[X] Reload and Repair V03.esm
[X] SeducingWomen.esm
[X] Vault 101 Revisited.esm
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Operation Anchorage.esp
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - The Pitt.esp
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Broken Steel.esp
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Point Lookout.esp
[X] Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch - Mothership Zeta.esp
[X] LED pipboy light.esp
[X] CALIBRxMerchant.esp
[X] Vanity Camera Mod.esp
[X] UPP - Pack 1.esp
[X] UPP - Pack 2.esp
[X] UPP - Experience Perks.esp
[X] UPP - Quest Perks.esp
[X] Treasure Maps_A Fist Full of Caps.esp
[X] 01AtM - Firefly Ranch.esp
[X] DCInteriors_DLC_Collectables.esp
[X] WeaponModKits.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - OperationAnchorage.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - ThePitt.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - BrokenSteel.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - PointLookout.esp
[X] WeaponModKits - Zeta.esp
[X] sunglassescollection.esp
[X] RobCo Certified.esp
[X] EVE.esp
[X] EVE Operation Anchorage.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC Anchorage.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC The Pitt.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC Broken Steel.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC Point Lookout.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - DLC Zeta.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Feral Ghoul Rampage.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Hunting & Looting.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Increased Spawns.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Natural Selection.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Tougher Traders.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - Zones Respawn.esp
[X] Accurate Sniper Rifles.esp
[X] Owned!.esp
[X] ek.BrokenSteel.esp
[X] improved_glasses.esp
[X] improved_shades.esp
[X] improved_shades_zumbs.esp
[X] ZumbsDarkerSunglasses.esp
[X] XFO_Weapskill_dmg_notaccuracy_med.esp
[X] XFO_Stat_changes.esp
[X] XFO_Playstyles.esp
[X] XFO_misc_tweaks.esp
[X] XFO_Perk_rebalance.esp
[X] XFO_Pacing_high.esp
[X] XFO_Perk_paths.esp
[X] XFO_rarity_drugs_med.esp
[X] XFO_rarity_ammo_med.esp
[X] XFO_Sneak_Rebalance_mild.esp
[X] XFO_barter_fix_mild.esp
[X] XFO_Immersion_nomsgs_empty.esp
[X] XFO_VATSdmg_75.esp
[X] XFO_Immersion_nomsgs_sneak.esp
[X] XFO_Karma_changes.esp
[X] XFO_Radiation_changes.esp
[X] XFO_Cripple_fixes.esp
[X] XFO_Degradation_fixes.esp
[X] XFO_Weapon_Jamming.esp
[X] XFO_Gore_fixes.esp
[X] XFO_food_water_changes.esp
[X] Master of Disguise.esp
[X] Master of Disguise - Ant Pheromone Disguise.esp
[X] doctorli_glasses.esp
[X] AnchorageGaussRifleVATSFix.esp
[X] Chinese Stealth Armor Invisibility Toggle Key.esp
[X] BetterAnchorageT-51b.esp
[X] Master of Disguise - Friends and Allies.esp
[X] Master of Disguise - Friends and Foes.esp
[X] Master of Disguise - DLC All.esp
[X] BPA OA.esp
[X] BPA BS.esp
[X] BPA Pitt.esp
[X] Big Town Bed Roll.esp
[X] BetterHeadshots.esp
[X] ModBetterPowerArmor60VATS.esp
[X] YearlingsGlasses.esp
[X] Realistic Explosions.esp
[X] FollowersRegularGear.esp
[X] RealPhysicsNoCarExplosions.esp
[X] radio_fix.esp
[X] SlowFoodDigestion.esp
[X] ghoulification.esp
[X] BrokenSteel Ghoul Ending Hotfix.esp
[X] RivetCityConApt V2_1.esp
[X] The Pitt Crash Fix.esp
[X] Accurate Magnum .44.esp
[X] Accurate Assault Rifles 1.2.esp
[X] PLFewerItems.esp
[X] Metal Squeezer.esp
[X] BottleRefill.esp
[X] Crowded Cities.esp
[X] Mart's Mutant Mod - XFO (not FOOK).esp
[X] Realistic Death Physics.esp
[X] blanket.esp
[X] Better Cross.esp
[X] T51-B as default PA.esp
[X] BasicNeeds_OldStyle.esp
[X] Dree Repair.esp
[X] Dree Repair for Pitts.esp
[X] Dree Repair for Broken Steel.esp
[X] Dree Repair for Anchorage.esp
[X] Dree Repairs for Point Lookout DLC.esp
[X] Dree Repairs for Mothership Zeta.esp
[X] Reload and Repair V03.esp
[X] RnR Plugin for Point Lookout DLC.esp
[X] RnR Plugin for Broken Steel DLC.esp
[X] RnR Plugin for The Pitt DLC.esp
[X] RnR Plugin for Megaton Exp V03.esp
[X] Better_Rifles_all.esp
[X] WeghtMiscMod.esp
[X] SeducedDLC03.esp
[X] SeducingWomen_-_override.esp
[X] Real Stimpacks with Wieght.esp
[X] WASPS.esp
[X] LucyWestCompanion.esp
[X] BigTownRobotFix.esp
[X] slaveraider.esp
[X] PreWar Book Titles and Perks.esp
[X] STALKERbrandVodka.esp
[X] BriannaCompanion.esp
[X] Sydney Follower.esp
[ ] Sydney Follower - Load Order Fix.esp
[X] The Mantis Imperative - Mantis.esp
[X] The Mantis Imperative - Jello.esp
[X] NecronomiconExMortis 5.5.esp
[X] knockdowns.esp
[X] bittercup_comp.esp
[X] Powered Power Armor.esp
[X] MergedPatch.esp

OK, I've found the cause the Better Power Armour extra DLC mods BPA BS.esp and BPA Pitt.esp. If I uncheck them the problem goes away - and I can always re-select them after leveling up.

If there are object effects and/or scripts attached to headgear, it seems this can happen. FOOK used to be plagued by Mr. Freeze and removing the nightvision script helped in some cases. Since converting some of the object script's variables into globals, Mr. Freeze hasn't shown his face and the object scripts can remain attached to the headgear items. *peeks at BPA in FO3Edit*

Edit: No Object Effects were on the helmets but only the armors, so it appears to not be specific to headgear. There's also some NavMesh stuff deleted by the GECK in the BS plugin which can mess things up, but I doubt that has anything to do with the leveling freeze.

Thanks for the advice JustinOther. I'll keep that in mind when looking for future mods.