Which stronghold is more fun?

Klorox · Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:23pm

Hey everybody. I'm giving a Ranger/Cleric a shot, and I understand (no mods) I can only have one Stronghold.

Do I get to choose, or is one chosen for me?

The guy who I'm supposed to give $20,000 told me to go to the Temple District for work, but the kid outside his house told me there's a little boy who needs help in the Gov't District.

I went to the Temple District first. I have not completed either quest yet, though.

Which one of thse is more fun? Is my stronghold already chosen for me (since I talked to the Priest in the Temple district already)?

Register · Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:39pm

You should post this in the ToB forum as you have ToB.
(Otherwise you wouldn't have asked a question there right before now.)

But IIRC the first quest you finish gives you the first stronghold.

Klorox · Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:52pm

I didn't post it in the ToB forum b/c the topic has nothing to do w/ ToB.

Under the rule you stated, I'd never post in the SoA forum since I have ToB installed. I think it's silly to ask questions about Irenicus' Dungeon (an extreme example) in the ToB forum, unless of course you were talking about playing with a Wild Mage or something.

Taluntain · Mon, 16th Feb '04, 12:18am

What you think is irrelevant, there's a good reason why we want to keep people with ToB installed posting in the ToB forum. Even if it's Irenicus' Dungeon that's in question. Moving.

(If you had read the ToB forum description either on the front page or in the sticky, you'd see "For posts concerning Baldur's Gate II with the Throne of Bhaal expansion installed. You must post here even if you are playing only the SoA part of the game." there. If you need any explanation on the last sentence, PM me.)

Klorox · Mon, 16th Feb '04, 6:21am

Is it unreasonable to ask a moderator to move every topic I've started into the ToB forum?

[Wasn't it obvious enough according to all of the above that you should use PM for anything further? Your topics in the SoA forum apparently didn't have anything in them by which we could tell you also had ToB installed, nor did you have any ToB-specific problems, so there's no point in moving them now. For any new ones you make, however, please make them in the ToB forum.] -Tal

[ February 16, 2004, 10:50: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

david w · Mon, 16th Feb '04, 7:58pm

You only get the stronghold that relates to whichever class you are: Nalia's keep for a fighter, the planar sphere for a mage, the ranger's cabin in the Umar Hills for the ranger, and so on. If you're playing a duel class character (i.e. a fighter/mage) you get whichever stronghold for the quest you finish first. Unless, of course, you've got that handy little mod installed that gives you multiple strongholds, which is cheating but makes the game a lot more fun.

...off topic...

Re the other issue about posting topics in the SOA if you've got TOB: I was a little surprised at the way this topic was taken. Just because someone owns TOB doesn't necessarily mean they have it installed. Sometimes I play through SOA without installing the expansion because it raises the level cap to such a degree that I can finish the first game at a far higher level than I should be able to. Having the XP cap set to 2.8 million means that my final fight with Irenicus (and a lot of the other later fights in the game) will be more of a challenge because I won't be using high level abilities and spells on him. So that someone has previously posted in the TOB forum and then posted here doesn't mean that they have TOB installed *this time*.

Just my two cents.

...end of off topic...

Magic Snack · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 4:11am

I think the ranger stronghold is more fun than the cleric one. There's a little more intrigue than just standing in a temple and solving arguments. You didn't say how much you agreed to at the temple, but if you've already accepted the cleric stronghold, though, you might not be able to get the ranger one.

Klorox · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 7:27am

Well, I agreed to investigate the Beholder religion, and I've added Keldorn to the party. I have not actually gone any further into the sewers than picking up Keldorn (I got him, and made my way out of there).

Magic Snack · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 3:25pm

Isn't that the quest for the temple of Helm? If you haven't talked to the Lathander people you should be able to do the ranger stronghold if you want.

Djieff · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 3:43pm

Quote:

Isn't that the quest for the temple of Helm?

If you're playing a cleric, you get the Unseeing Eye quest from the temple that matches your kit (or your alignment if you don't have a kit). So as long as you finish the Umar Hills quest before the Unseeing Eye, you will be offered the ranger cabin and the temple will be unavailable to you. However, I believe Keldorn will start complaining (leave the party?) if you pick him up and then wait too long before solving the Unseeing Eye quest. So if you want the ranger stronghold, do it ASAP if you want to keep Keldorn.

david w · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 7:47pm

So does that mean in an unmodded version of the game that it's possible to get both the ranger's cabin and the temple as a stronghold? I always thought you were restricted to just the one.

Djieff · Tue, 17th Feb '04, 9:16pm

No, you get whichever stronghold you accept first, even if you've started another stronghold-related quest. For example, you're a mage-thief. You start the series of quests that result in you getting the thief guild, but stop to do the planar sphere. Once you complete the sphere quest, you can accept it as a stronghold. If you do, and then go back to the thief quests, you won't be able to gain the guild as a stronghold. Same thing if you do it the other way around: if you finish Renal's quest and obtain the thief guild, you won't get the planar sphere. You can still do the actual quest, of course. So the stronghold you accept first is the one you're stuck with.

Then there's the glitch with the fighter stronghold, but that's already been discussed ad nauseam.

Rastor · Thu, 19th Feb '04, 12:57am

I'm reasonably certain that you can turn down strongholds, so which order you do the Ranger/Cleric quests doesn't really matter.

david w · Thu, 19th Feb '04, 1:10am

Assuming you turn down a stronghold as a fighter/mage (say the planar sphere) and then you take De'Arnise Hold as your stronghold, do all the quests there, is it then possible to go back and take the planar sphere? Or once you turn it down is it gone for good?

Klorox · Thu, 19th Feb '04, 4:35am

I read a similar topic on another message board that said multiclassed R/C's don't get a choice: They always have to choose the Ranger stronghold.

I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm going to go for the ranger stronghold anyway. It just sounds more fun. I also picture this character being more of a ranger inspired by a deity than a cleric who knows how to hang in the woods.

Shrikant · Thu, 19th Feb '04, 10:03am

I would get the Ranger Stronghold. Noting beats a +1 to rep and a summon.
The cleric stonghold is just about beaten in lameness by the pally one.
And I've never had any of the NPC's complain other than Nalia. Keldy and Valygar will gladly go with you on your advertures thrashing evil and mages as they find em.
Finally once you refuse a stronghold its gone.

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Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:23pm	#1
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,957 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,230 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.71% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 27.41% Monthly Activity 70.18% Achievements	Hey everybody. I'm giving a Ranger/Cleric a shot, and I understand (no mods) I can only have one Stronghold. Do I get to choose, or is one chosen for me? The guy who I'm supposed to give $20,000 told me to go to the Temple District for work, but the kid outside his house told me there's a little boy who needs help in the Gov't District. I went to the Temple District first. I have not completed either quest yet, though. Which one of thse is more fun? Is my stronghold already chosen for me (since I talked to the Priest in the Temple district already)?

Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:39pm	#2
Register Dead Man Walking Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Uppsala/Sweden Posts: 3,146 Blog Entries: 5 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 7,198 Level: 25 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 92.61% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	You should post this in the ToB forum as you have ToB. (Otherwise you wouldn't have asked a question there right before now.) But IIRC the first quest you finish gives you the first stronghold.

Sun, 15th Feb '04, 11:52pm	#3
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,957 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,230 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.71% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 27.41% Monthly Activity 70.18% Achievements	I didn't post it in the ToB forum b/c the topic has nothing to do w/ ToB. Under the rule you stated, I'd never post in the SoA forum since I have ToB installed. I think it's silly to ask questions about Irenicus' Dungeon (an extreme example) in the ToB forum, unless of course you were talking about playing with a Wild Mage or something.

Mon, 16th Feb '04, 12:18am	#4
Taluntain SPS Account Holder Founder Resident Alpha and Omega Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Cori Celesti Posts: 20,808 Blog Entries: 13 Like: 159 Liked 124 Times in 80 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 53,170 Level: 58 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 50.18% Daily Activity 71.92% Weekly Activity 174.25% Monthly Activity 105% Achievements Awards	What you think is irrelevant, there's a good reason why we want to keep people with ToB installed posting in the ToB forum. Even if it's Irenicus' Dungeon that's in question. Moving. (If you had read the ToB forum description either on the front page or in the sticky, you'd see "For posts concerning Baldur's Gate II with the Throne of Bhaal expansion installed. You must post here even if you are playing only the SoA part of the game." there. If you need any explanation on the last sentence, PM me.)

Mon, 16th Feb '04, 6:21am	#5
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,957 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,230 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.71% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 27.41% Monthly Activity 70.18% Achievements	Is it unreasonable to ask a moderator to move every topic I've started into the ToB forum? [Wasn't it obvious enough according to all of the above that you should use PM for anything further? Your topics in the SoA forum apparently didn't have anything in them by which we could tell you also had ToB installed, nor did you have any ToB-specific problems, so there's no point in moving them now. For any new ones you make, however, please make them in the ToB forum.] -Tal [ February 16, 2004, 10:50: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

Mon, 16th Feb '04, 7:58pm	#6
david w Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,183 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,837 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 31.16% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	You only get the stronghold that relates to whichever class you are: Nalia's keep for a fighter, the planar sphere for a mage, the ranger's cabin in the Umar Hills for the ranger, and so on. If you're playing a duel class character (i.e. a fighter/mage) you get whichever stronghold for the quest you finish first. Unless, of course, you've got that handy little mod installed that gives you multiple strongholds, which is cheating but makes the game a lot more fun. ...off topic... Re the other issue about posting topics in the SOA if you've got TOB: I was a little surprised at the way this topic was taken. Just because someone owns TOB doesn't necessarily mean they have it installed. Sometimes I play through SOA without installing the expansion because it raises the level cap to such a degree that I can finish the first game at a far higher level than I should be able to. Having the XP cap set to 2.8 million means that my final fight with Irenicus (and a lot of the other later fights in the game) will be more of a challenge because I won't be using high level abilities and spells on him. So that someone has previously posted in the TOB forum and then posted here doesn't mean that they have TOB installed this time. Just my two cents. ...end of off topic...

Tue, 17th Feb '04, 4:11am	#7
Magic Snack Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Kitchen Posts: 38 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 416 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 38.81% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	I think the ranger stronghold is more fun than the cleric one. There's a little more intrigue than just standing in a temple and solving arguments. You didn't say how much you agreed to at the temple, but if you've already accepted the cleric stronghold, though, you might not be able to get the ranger one.

Tue, 17th Feb '04, 7:27am	#8
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,957 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,230 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.71% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 27.41% Monthly Activity 70.18% Achievements	Well, I agreed to investigate the Beholder religion, and I've added Keldorn to the party. I have not actually gone any further into the sewers than picking up Keldorn (I got him, and made my way out of there).

Tue, 17th Feb '04, 3:25pm	#9
Magic Snack Gems: 2/31 Latest gem: Fire Agate Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Kitchen Posts: 38 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 416 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 38.81% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	Isn't that the quest for the temple of Helm? If you haven't talked to the Lathander people you should be able to do the ranger stronghold if you want.

Tue, 17th Feb '04, 7:47pm	#11
david w Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,183 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,837 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 31.16% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	So does that mean in an unmodded version of the game that it's possible to get both the ranger's cabin and the temple as a stronghold? I always thought you were restricted to just the one.

Tue, 17th Feb '04, 9:16pm	#12
Djieff Gems: 7/31 Latest gem: Tchazar Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mon pays, ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver Posts: 229 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 946 Level: 10 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 67.09% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	No, you get whichever stronghold you accept first, even if you've started another stronghold-related quest. For example, you're a mage-thief. You start the series of quests that result in you getting the thief guild, but stop to do the planar sphere. Once you complete the sphere quest, you can accept it as a stronghold. If you do, and then go back to the thief quests, you won't be able to gain the guild as a stronghold. Same thing if you do it the other way around: if you finish Renal's quest and obtain the thief guild, you won't get the planar sphere. You can still do the actual quest, of course. So the stronghold you accept first is the one you're stuck with. Then there's the glitch with the fighter stronghold, but that's already been discussed ad nauseam.

Thu, 19th Feb '04, 12:57am	#13
Rastor FFG's Baatorian Mate Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Avernus Posts: 3,533 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 7,942 Level: 27 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 4.06% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	I'm reasonably certain that you can turn down strongholds, so which order you do the Ranger/Cleric quests doesn't really matter.

Thu, 19th Feb '04, 1:10am	#14
david w Gems: 19/31 Latest gem: Aquamarine Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,183 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,837 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 31.16% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	Assuming you turn down a stronghold as a fighter/mage (say the planar sphere) and then you take De'Arnise Hold as your stronghold, do all the quests there, is it then possible to go back and take the planar sphere? Or once you turn it down is it gone for good?

Thu, 19th Feb '04, 4:35am	#15
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,957 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,230 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82.71% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 27.41% Monthly Activity 70.18% Achievements	I read a similar topic on another message board that said multiclassed R/C's don't get a choice: They always have to choose the Ranger stronghold. I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm going to go for the ranger stronghold anyway. It just sounds more fun. I also picture this character being more of a ranger inspired by a deity than a cleric who knows how to hang in the woods.

Thu, 19th Feb '04, 10:03am	#16
Shrikant Gems: 27/31 Latest gem: Emerald Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bombay,India Posts: 2,615 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 5,876 Level: 23 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 75.7% Daily Activity 3.42% Weekly Activity 2.94% Monthly Activity 2.76% Achievements	I would get the Ranger Stronghold. Noting beats a +1 to rep and a summon. The cleric stonghold is just about beaten in lameness by the pally one. And I've never had any of the NPC's complain other than Nalia. Keldy and Valygar will gladly go with you on your advertures thrashing evil and mages as they find em. Finally once you refuse a stronghold its gone.