note that the "+++" print shows that pvar is the variable pkg2::VAR. i just can't assign to it.

It doesn't show that, it just shows that it contains the same value as $pkg2::var. You copied that value in the line above it. update: and you can assign to it: you even do so in your code. If you print the value of that var you can see that you are in fact modifying a copy.

Try this and re-read perlref.

no strict 'refs';
my $rvar = $name."::VAR";

$$rvar = 44;
print $pkg2::VAR;
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