Best Stronghold

bman86

[Deleted User]

I'm a big fan of the Playhouse, as it has a lot of interesting events and opportunity to earn XP. That said, if you want something you can get over and done with quickly (e.g., you don't like to spend a lot of time in Chapter 2), I quite like the Cleric stronghold.

bman86

I like the druid grove. Having to wait till level 13 makes it feel like you've worked for it

edit: level 14, even better ;D

Ryofu

d'Armise Keep is just so much cooler than all the other strongholds. if only there was a mod that let you hire npc soldiers and they walk around guard your keep and can be told to follow you around

enqenq

Because I wanted to see if I could say that with a straight face.

sunset00

Well, i voted for Bard's one..mainly because that almost the only one i know (never had the time to really experiment multiple classes to see all of them) )...but also to see what others do think about that for a possible future different choice for once (why not^).. k, interesting)

Aranthys

Speaking of strongholds, what is the stronghold when playing a blackguard ?
Edit.: Gah. Fighter stronghold. That sucks

Montresor_SP

My vote goes to the De'Arnise keep for a long and rewarding quest line. Honorable mentions to the theater under the Five Flagons Inn which is a close second, and the Temple of Talos for the brilliant solutions you offer the hapless seekers of your wisdom. ;-)

element

I like the mage stronghold I mean its a giant planar sphere you get apprentices, a golem and a dagger specifically made for your character what's not to love

the temples and thief stronghold just suck in my opinion really bad for rp purposes id rather not have them

Dunhart

The fighter stronghold has the best quest line, cleric and paladin strongholds are fairly quickly over but don't give any benefits afterwards.

Special hate mention goes to the thief stronghold. Not because the quest line is broken and cuts off after the first one but because the five-day-interval money transactions are so completely asinine. You'd think they'd figure to set up an account or something and automatically detract the guild fee from your earnings and only raise hell if your thieves all got arrested and you couldn't pay the fee from your balance. But NOOOO, you have to waltz into the damn guild house that just HAS to be the farthest building from the district entrance every five days to act as a glorified rubber stamp. Come to think of it, the district entrance issue annoyed the crap out of me with the mage stronghold as well.

selkyra

In my opinion, the strongholds are kinda lame. Yes, you get money and some items, but I don't want bother myself with them. They take extra time and effort without real compensation. I am an adventurer for Bhaal's sake! I have better things to do in my life... Like killing beholders and wooing Jaheira.

Kurumi

Just wished there were more (D&D) games that let you become the Grand Druid/Archdruid of a Grove.

sylvanus

I agree. You really feel like you've achieved something.

ChildofBhaal599

i like being the ruler of a keep and having to satisfy my people. i wonder, however, if it ever actually gets attack by that guy who threatens to do so. he said he would and then nothing happened before I beat the game. I will give it more time to see if something happens with my fighter/thief

Aranthys

Sylvus_Moonbow said:

Certainly the Thieves Guild.

Once the merchant arrives with the Red Rose Gem, and word spreads to your ears via your informants on the street of Athkatla, do things really start to get going. Getting it stolen by members of your own guild sounds easy enough, but when there are other, independent rouges hunting it down, things get a little too close for comfort. It's a wonderful heist job that turns into who in the guild is a mole as almost every success at finding the Red Rose Gem, turns into failure.

Although, the second major quest does a wonderful job in tying in with the first, introducing the mole in the guild, and then having to rut the bugger and expose them. The political intrigue and high standing attachments lead you through a maze of noble houses, prostitutes, slum dwellers and merchant companies. Someone else got to the Red Rose Gem first, and your thoughts fester at getting your hands on it.

When the final quest is introduced upon learning who the mole is, and where the Red Rose Gem is being hidden, the momentum shift is some what uncanny. The Red Rose Gem, locked in a trap and riddle infested warehouse right under your nose in the Dock's District, teases you until the very end. Although it wields no hidden or magical power, knowing it is with the Shadow Thieves Guild, and the role you played to attain it, not only brings respect to independent rouges who think they can sneak under your watchful eye, but fear in knowing your guild is not a guild to take lightly.

That's why it's my favorite.

Are you sure that's part of Vanilla BG2 ? I don't remember anything about that gem beeing part of the thief stronghold.

Thrasymachus

The Bard's 'dinner theatre' stronghold is definitely the most entertaining IMO.

Runner-up would be the Mage's Planar Sphere.

booinyoureyes

I'm the only vote for the Order of the Radiant Heart so far...

I guess its a roleplay thing. My first big BG1 playthrough was a paladin, and I loved Ajantis and how he was Keldorn's squire. It felt really cool for my character to join the Order after I imported her. I had a really Paladin-heavy group and it just felt right: PC (Undead Hunter) Keldorn (Inquisitor) Anomen (F/C but really a paladin) Mazzy (Fighter but really a Paladin) Imoen and Nalia-->Redeemed TOB character (good roleplay for Paladin)

When they came to aid my party against the Vampires it really felt like wonderful integration into the main storyline.

atcDave

I think the theater is actually the most entertaining and fun. But d'Arnise Keep has the most replay value to me. My favorite characters are warriors anyway, and I like what this stronghold adds to the class.

elminster

There was no "see results" so I voted for the druid grove thinking it would have no votes. Obviously that wasn't the case

HandofTyr

I like the temple quests. Specifically, I like the Talos temple quest, because it lets you actually be evil in an amusing and slightly more subtle than usual way.

The fighter stronghold always bothered me because being a tyrant leads to automatic loss of the stronghold. This is especially annoying now that blackguards also get the stronghold. It should be that you get a chance to put down the rebellion. Either separate battles killing peasants, or integrated into the quest line finale making it harder as the people and possibly guards turn against you and join the usurper. Or maybe not even strictly harder. Gain the support of that noble you backed in the marriage, and use the money you saved on levies and compensating farmers on hiring mercenaries to help you rule with an iron fist.

recklessheart

I'm a magic user with my own kickass arcane dominion and little workers to make things for me at their own peril. Yes please!!

[Deleted User]

I like the Fighter stronghold, as it feels the most like how I remember the PnP game describing it in the Expert boxed set I had as a kid. The interactions with the inhabitants of your fiefdom feel genuine, and you can roleplay the caring landlord or the heartless overlord as you see fit.

DrEast

a) Moon Dog statuette.
b) Y'all realize they keep that cabin stocked with goodies for you, right?

bman86

DrEast said:

a) Moon Dog statuette.
b) Y'all realize they keep that cabin stocked with goodies for you, right?

To be honest man, I've never played ranger, so I've always wondered what their stronghold was like. Might go a ranger next playthrough. Hawkeye as my charname...what type of 'goodies' are we talking about btw? Gold or items?

bman86

jeez, I knew the keep would get a lot of love, but I didn't expect the inn to get as much as it did. Must be a lot of closet bard players out there

booinyoureyes

DrEast said:

a) Moon Dog statuette.
b) Y'all realize they keep that cabin stocked with goodies for you, right?

Ooooohhh I just made a ranger (justifier kit from divine remix)
Now I'm dying to know what goodies are in the cabin.

If its Nutella I'm never playing another class again.

Worg

Worshiping Firkraag as a dragon disciple. Isn't actually in the game, but think of the secrets your character would discover?

booinyoureyes

Worg said:

Worshiping Firkraag as a dragon disciple. Isn't actually in the game, but think of the secrets your character would discover?

@Worg
That is a really cool role-playing idea, but I wouldn't be able to take him seriously enough to worship. Whenever I see him use the ability "Wing Buffet" I think about Popeye's Chicken.

DrEast

bman86 said:

DrEast said:

a) Moon Dog statuette.
b) Y'all realize they keep that cabin stocked with goodies for you, right?

To be honest man, I've never played ranger, so I've always wondered what their stronghold was like. Might go a ranger next playthrough. Hawkeye as my charname...what type of 'goodies' are we talking about btw? Gold or items?

IIRC, ammo and potions. I believe it restocks once a week.

DrEast

booinyoureyes said:

Ooooohhh I just made a ranger (justifier kit from divine remix)

Wait, DR is updated? Nobody told me!

Delinom

I really like the Planar Sphere, even when all my servants burned themselves to death creating items for me. But the bard theatre just takes it.