[Help] Packs for my Playstyle

Your play-style is very different from mine, but I will still add my two cents and hopefully you can use it for something. 

• Get together's biggest feature is the clubs, and even if you don't like partying/social gameplay the clubs are extremely useful in making the game come alive the way you want it to. You can make clubs for skill building, or for occupying certain spaces. If you have built a lot with objects that won't get used normally (say a pool in a park, or playground in a library...) you can make clubs with the purpose to use them. The world will then seem more lively when your sim visit it and sims will behave like you want them to, rather than what the game wants them to. That, together with the best world in game, is enough to by the pack in my book. 
• Island Living is in my mind a great pack, and I know people complain about mermaids but I think it's what you make of them. They can change the weather, be mean or good, make people drown and sleep in the water. The downside is that they can't live "in" the water, but there are ways around that if you are creative enough. Since you like occult gameplay it feels strange not to get this one. 
• Get famous has great BB for futuristic or historic gameplay but the world is (in my view) limited and yes the reaction to fame annoying. However, you can opt out of fame if you do not want the feature, which is good, and since you said you don't mind playing with mods there are several that cubs annoying behaviours from the pack. Getting the acting skill will unlock features such as cry on demand which is sometimes useful. 
• Cats and Dogs are fun to play with but yes they are overpowering and needs lots of attention - however - there are mods that tone that down. Brindleton Bay is beautiful and quite large. 
• Horse ranch has a lot of good clothing for historical gameplay, and the world is okay, but I am not sure if those features are enough to warrant getting it if you don't want horses in your game. The mini sheep and goats are cute but not that much fun. If you do want unicorns, however, you can at least make horses seem like unicorns even if it's only skin deep. 
• I'm not sure what Lovestruck would bring your style of gameplay to be honest. 

Other packs that might work for your style (I'm assuming you have the occult packs): 

• Crystal Creation - would work well with skill building and retail. 
• Journey to Batuu - for the BB which works well for futuristic or historic gameplay