well, i think the point is, there is more worth in skipping the plugins, and focusing on just the basics:
1. good tracking skills.
2. good arrangement skills.
3. gain structuring.
4. track EQ
5. Track panning
6. sub groups (bussing) to move into advanced mixing techniques.
7. using the most basic reverbs, delays and compressors to the maximum effect.
then, you move onto specialty plugins.
if you have the money, get bundles......
look at Waves, Komplete, Universal Audio, etc....
if you don't have bucks, and are building one plug at a time, the very first plug i'd recommend is a good limiter or leveler.
i like and use WAVES L2.
but any 1176 or LA2A emulation would be a good start.
having a computer that can handle all those plugins building up on multiple tracks, is just as important as the plugins themselves.
but in order of individual plugins, my personal order of importance is:
1. limiter
2. linear phase multiband compressor
3. multiband linear phase eq.
3. wide band compressor.
4. deesser
5. delay
6. reverb
7. stereo widener
8. bass enhancer.
