I've just started playing SoA and I've got the ToB expansion as well. I'm not particularly far into the game, currently at Nalia's Keep beating up some trolls. I was just wondering if anyone can give me some advice on which stronghold to go for. I've read the other threads but they didn't help as much as I'd hoped. My character is a Half Orc Fighter/Cleric and I think I'd prob go for whichever stronghold gives me the most exp or best weapons but I'm open to other possibilities. Anyone got any suggestions?

Well, since you're a Fighter/Cleric, you don't exactly have "other possibilities".. it's either fighter or cleric stronghold. I've never had the cleric stronghold, so I can't give any particular advice, sorry.

Do you know where these strongholds are?

Well, Nalia's Keep is the fighter's stronghold, so just clear out the Keep and you will have it. To get the cleric stronghold, go to the Temple District and do the Unseeing Eye quest. You will get the stronghold as your reward for completing the quest.

I understand that there is a bug such that you can get both strongholds. I understand that what you need to do is clear out the Keep, but do not talk to Nalia about it when you are done. Then go and do the quest to secure the cleric stronghold. After that, return to Nalia and accept the Keep from her. That will give you two strongholds. I have never tried it, but have read about it on the boards. I understand that it only works with the Fighter stronghold combined with any other stronghold.

There are also mods that will let you get all the strongholds if you want to try them out and see which one you like best.

There is a scripting problem with Nalia where she does not check whether you already have a stronghold. Which is why you can go get your other stronghold and then return for the fighter stronghold.

The Cleric Stronghold is the temple in Atkathla of your alignment:
Lathander for Good
Helm for Neurals
Talos for Evil

Personally the Cleric strongholds suck. You get to do some really boring stuff, no adventuring, get hardly any XP and if you are good, dont even get to fight any one. Nalia's keep is more involved.

But, since you can get both, go ahead.

Personally the Cleric strongholds suck. You get to do some really boring stuff, no adventuring, get hardly any XP and if you are good, dont even get to fight any one. Yes, but you do get a Ring of Holiness, which is more than I can say about the fighter stronghold, which gives you no items. It's true that you don't earn an income with the cleric stronghold, but you don't have to spend anything either. I think you actually spend more than you make with the fighter stronghold.

Finally, there is a fight with the cleric stronghold. Your last mission is to twart an attack from the Temple of Talos by killing their high cleric.

What's a ring of holiness? I have finished all of the cleric stronghold quests, and never got one!

It's a gold ring with a square blue gem that gives you extra high level spell slots.

If you are going to do the cleric stronghold, be evil. This is great fun being evil and is one of the true areas in the game where you can really show your evil side.

The fight varies depending on alignment. If you are evil, you get to actually launch the attack which is more fun as well.

What Khemsa was saying about dual strongholds is correct, although I do it slightly differently...
1. Talk to Nalia
2. Say you're not ready to accept it just yet
3. Go do the cleric stronghold and accept it
4. Go back to Nalia and accept it

How do I get a Ring of Holiness then?

I don't remember much from my cleric-using days, but I do remember that for a Cleric of Lathander (or any good cleric) it's a reward for finishing a particular quest, which activates after you graduate from listening to people's problems.

Actually, it's a choice reward. After completing the quest of acquiring the Ring of the Morninglord from the Talosians, you get a choice of one of three items, and the Ring of Holiness is one of those choices. You can pick one of the following:

1. Ring of Holiness, which gives +1 spell per level up to and including level 4. Not all that great, but somewhat useful for lower level clerics. But it's much better than these other options:

2. Armor of Faith. It sounds really cool, but it's just +2 Chian Mail. Chances are, your cleric has better options available to him (like full plate if he/she is strong enough). Actually, it's pretty useless unless you have a low strength.

3. A Staff Spear +2. This one is a joke. You almost certainly have +2 weapon at this point, so why would you want this? In fact, I know for certain that there's a +2 war hammer that does an extra +1 of electrical damage in the Unseeing Eye quest, and you obviously had to have completed that already if you got the cleric stronghold.