I highly recommend the Catalyst Controller. At its most basic, it's an 8 knob cv or gate controller, but it goes deep!—8 banks of 8 scenes (64 total scenes set along pathways), you can easily use it as a set-and-forget module with a linear pathway (like a typical fader or static macro controller) ORRRR you can randomize the knob positions and physically play the pathway by hand or by cv. It's so deep in fact, you can flip the faceplate and use it as a sequencer. Two modules in one!
Another controller-modulator I have is the Tetragrid. You can play it with your fingers or like a board game. How cool is that! It's a fun way to explore the whole generative-experimental vibe: