Some plugins are fairly transparent (eg, ocp-indent for OCaml improves indentation but doesn't get in your way). Others are great productivity boosters. I can't

Some plugins are fairly transparent (eg, ocp-indent for OCaml improves indentation but doesn't get in your way). Others are great productivity boosters. I can't imagine working without syntastic, and fugitive+git-gutter are great productivity boosters. It is however easy to get overboard and install a great many plugins you don't really need.