What's everybody's fav Hold?

Alson · Post by **Alson** » Sun May 05, 2002 4:33 pm

Just wanted to know what is the most popular Stronghold...
My personal fav is the Mage's.
If someone can make a poll out of this, it would be nice too

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sun May 05, 2002 5:07 pm

dont know...have only played 2, sorc and fighter...

mostly sorc, so its cool and fun...the fighter i did get to execute someone, so that was cool...giggle...

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sun May 05, 2002 5:08 pm

oh yeah, to set up a poll, you can only do that at thread creation, i think...just choose the option set up poll in the thread creation, and you should be able to figure the rest out...

Dezarond the Red · Post by **Dezarond the Red** » Sun May 05, 2002 5:21 pm

i would defently say...thief, yesterday i started a new swashbuckler just for the stronghold, having a guild is alot of fun and you give your thieves different quest and things like that, and its always continuing so your never just finished!!

Mini Me · Post by **Mini Me** » Mon May 06, 2002 10:52 am

I like the fighter hold, gives you a constant, eternal flow of cash (until ToB that is)

Bloodstalker · Post by **Bloodstalker** » Mon May 06, 2002 1:12 pm

I liked the thief stronghold, but after awhile, it got kind of tiring. Got to be a bother coming back to pay the guildmaster. But, it was a good cash flow.

My favorite so far is the Fighter hold, I just like being a lord, and it gives good money too.

I hate the paladin and ranger holds....thought they were a ripoff.

haven't done a mage yet, but will soon....maybe

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Mon May 06, 2002 3:43 pm

Mage hold is the only useful one after youve aquired it because it can give you items you honestly can use. I like the Ranger stronghold because I dont have to do much of anything after im done.

Fighter and Thief stronghold really are more trouble then their worth, and dont yield much cash at all compared to expenses. But their also probably the most satisfying.

JackOfClubs · Post by **JackOfClubs** » Mon May 06, 2002 4:03 pm

Of the three I have done (Fighter, Mage & Thief) Mage seems most interesting.

I like the sound of the Cleric stronghold, but I object to the fact that all the Good answers go to the Neutral deity. Since when does "Good" mean "Doormat"?

Also like the sound of the Bard's stronghold. I will try that one when I solo a bard through BG1 & BG2.

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Mon May 06, 2002 6:11 pm

I'd have to say my favorite holds are Nalia's Keep and the Planar Sphere. With the fighter stronghold, you get paid and get a bunch of tiny mini-quests to go at. And with the Planar Sphere, well, same kind of deal only with magical items instead of money. Both are are really cool!

I tried the Paladin Hold by joining the Order (I thought it would advance the relationship between Anomen and I little more...no such luck.) and it seemed a little dull, but maybe I just never got far enough along with that one. Who knows?

~A.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Tue May 07, 2002 2:53 am

So far it's a draw between the mage stronghold and the keep for me. I thought the ranger stronghold was appropriate and in character, but it was too short lived for my liking.

That said, I've never actually gotten all the way through the quests for the keep, so I can't say for sure.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue May 07, 2002 3:00 am

The Mage and the Bard strongholds are the best IMO. I like the Moon Dog Figurine you get with the Ranger stronghold as well.

decadurabolin · Post by **decadurabolin** » Tue May 07, 2002 9:58 am

Of all the strongholes, the best hole goes to fighter, mage and thief. The following will be a bit outta topic;

But seriously, the best stronghold belongs to one NPC, Hendak. I read many fantasy novels based on AD&D, quite a number of veteran adventurers in stories eventually ends up running an inn with some legendary weapon hanged on the wall.

An NPC gets a better stronghold than you the PC, when you did most of the dirty work he gets the inn. Most players don't even remember they had an stronghold once they exhaust a stronghold of it's quests. The Copper Coronet it's different, it is in my humble opinion, the REAL stronghold, consider this:

1) Lotsa quests originates or evolves around here. Major one being the slaver quest, and loads more.

2) Majority of the NPC allies camp at Copper Coronet, you have seven NPC allies here!!! Yoshimo, Anomen, Minsc, Boo, Edwin, Korgan, at your beck and call, and Jan's residence is just across the road. This is what a stronghold should be, followers at your disposal, not some stupid NPCs that appears for a short while in the game, but powerful followers each with potentials for developments.

3) It have merchants; that fat harper and that bonus CD merchant. This ensures that your stronghold is still useful even when it ran outta quests, it is the place were you restock and trade, get rid of junk items in exchange for gold, get cool items from that bonus CD merchant. The NPCs you most interacted with in the game are merchants!!!

4) A temple with clerical services is available just at your rooftop.

5) It has good location, it is in Alkatha, where majority of the adventure took place, and it is in the center of Alkatha, this ensures that your stronghold is useful as a base of operations. Not some holes in some remote hills.

6) Most importantly, the inn entrance is near to the district exit! How irritating if you have to walk a long distance from the district entrance to your stronghold door, and maybe another few doors, and vice versa, every single time you visit and leaves your stronghold? It makes you reluctant to visit your own stronghold.

7) You have entertainments; drinks and rumours, a mini arena, a gambling corner, and a brothel! There are lotsa people walking around talking, there's always music played, you won't be lonely. There is LIFE at this stronghold.

8) There are always live targets around when you want to test a new spell.

Really hope there is a MOD to make Copper Coronet a real Stronghold.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue May 07, 2002 10:07 am

@decadurabolin

If those are the prerequisites of a good stronghold, shouldn't we make the whole city our stronghold?

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Tue May 07, 2002 10:21 am

What, for the slum lord class?

decadurabolin · Post by **decadurabolin** » Tue May 07, 2002 10:28 am

Errh, the whole city will be too big. Slum lord class sounds good too.

Mini Me · Post by **Mini Me** » Tue May 07, 2002 12:48 pm

I think Waukeens prenade would make a good Hold...temples, inns, spells, Adventure mart, a circus, Rocky and Bullwinkle...and you could take a small (90) percent of all the money earned! In fact i think they should make merchant a playable class!

MIni

Glod · Post by **Glod** » Tue May 07, 2002 11:44 pm

For usefulness mage hold wins. For style I think probably bard hold.

samcu · Post by **samcu** » Wed May 08, 2002 1:41 am

I think it is only natural for the child of Bhaal trying to takeover the whole town, rather than be restricted to a lowly stronghold quest. I have read about all the stronghold quests but have onlt completed the mage one. It had all the elements of good and evil.

I think the makers/desogners also acknowledged that the mage's quest should be the one with most depth. That's why there are so many things that can change before the apprenticeships are finished. Also the planar sphere quest is pretty long and hard compared to the others.

The bard's one sounds like kind of fun and in time I will try this one out.

decadurabolin · Post by **decadurabolin** » Wed May 08, 2002 11:40 am

I think the fighter's one is a bit longer, I have completed all available quests (I think), and is just sitting around waiting for Roenall to challenge me in battle. The previous games I just went straight to Elven city without waiting, now I am waiting to see what happens.

GNGSpam · Post by **GNGSpam** » Wed May 08, 2002 12:28 pm

They should make a BG expansion called something like "Lord of the Keep" or something less cheesy.

It would center around to fighter stronghold, and involve basically defending against invading armies, hunting brigand bands, taking over other lands, fighting crusades, etc.

Maybe Amn could get invaded and you would be called upon to contribute to its defense and fight a war against another nation.

Most of the battles would involve you commanding an army and fighting big battles. You could recruit/train troops (which would be your motivation to expand, to get more money for more men, etc)

Hell they could even work it in so that you get to make tactical decsions which effect the battles.

Anyways, about the size of ToB, id buy it. Ive always wanted to have real armies fighting in BG.