I suppose it depends on what YOU like and what you wish to spend your money on. Personally I like to keep the machines that I have mostly stock. Maybe add leds to an e/m kind of thing or change a translite to an alternative but the playfields are all stock as they were designed. This does not work for some and that is ok. Keep in mind that while this may be your first machine it may not end up being bolted to the floor so to speak and when and if you go to sell it you’re unlikely to be able to recoup the expenditures made on mods. Really is up to you and as I said why you like. Would strongly suggest waiting till you get the game and see if you even like it. It may not be a keeper after all and then you have a bunch of money tied up in things that might be hard to unload for a decent price.

Mods all personal preference and get expensive fast.
Some may hold value on resell, but don't count on it.
Keep basic tools/cleaning supplies/ balls on hand and a few of these for newer Sterns:
https://www.pinballlife.com/flipper-coil-stop-for-sternsega.html
Enjoy!

First suggestion: like the many faux pas in arcade collecting, calling them “tables” is usually frowned upon. Some people don’t mind and many of us started that way, but most in the hobby use “machine”.

Everything you listed sounds good. Not much more you could want or need. Wax it and replace the balls once a year or every 500 plays

I always get a subwoofer, shaker, and pingulp for my games. Sometimes art blades. My GZ hasn’t arrived, but I haven’t owned a game where a sub and shaker didn’t add to the experience and I doubt GZ will be different. Pingulps are self-explanatory.

New Balls & coil stops like the other 100 threads say

Pinwoofers just increase the experience so much. The stock audio in these pins are not horrible, but far from what they could be. Clarity and ease of install make them the first mod I'd suggest.

Please, just don't call it a table again.
I hate, I mean hate the stern free game blup.
I install a real knocker in every game. Shaker, and quite fan. The quite fan is a bit of a undertaking for a a novice. So skip that for know. Lit flipper buttons and speaker upgrades.
Welcome to the insane hobby.

Yes, please STOP calling it a 'table' - THIS is a table:

table (resized).png

The Stern "constipated monkey fart" noise.

For NIB I install:
Cliffy protectors were applicable
Clear rubber on slingshots
White rubber in other locations on the game
Titan flipper rubber
Plastic protectors for easy breaks

To have on hand:
New coil stops
Replacement screws for coil stops. The ones Stern uses are self tapping and the torque needed seems to cause early failure. You can replace these with old school screws like you find in rebuilt kits

To do before playing if you can control yourself:
Install protectors and new rubber. Try to remove the shitty black rubber installed anywhere on the game.
Check inside of cabinet for any hardware that may have shaken loose during shipping.
Clean the balls or replace with non shitty balls before installing.
Check screws on upper side of playfield to make sure none are loose.

A partially restored table

524BC1FA-0A2C-4254-B6D3-D7F60B8F9131 (resized).jpeg

A table being thrown

CE780238-70B4-4784-B5E1-380334C9E198.gif

NONE Needed. keep em stock.

well, change the sling rubber (to super band sling rubber), coil stops, coil stop screws, flipper return springs, balls, right out of box.

Those could all have issues fairly quick if you do not.

For NIB I install:

Cliffy protectors were applicable

Where? Has Cliffy made anything yet for Godzilla? The shooter lane is a standard kit I believe?

I believe stern has installed a scoop protector from factory on GZ so just inlane switch protectors and shooter lane two piece set. (I use mylar on ball drop areas)

There are no must have mods for Godzilla, yet

And then, after she throws that table, someone launches a folding chair straight at her, and she snags it out of mid air with her left hand.

MUGEN_4_LIFE Shooter lane protector and some rollover switch protectors. I just ordere the shooter lane protector

Here is our newest drawing of our Godzilla topper. Disregard the Godzilla it's just for size

TopperLayoutDefined (resized).jpg

During the 18th and 19th century they were called tables. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball

But this is the 21st century.