GameBanshee Forums

G'day,

Is there a way to gain two strongholds?

I'm a Kensai, and have just taken the fighter's stronghold.

If I dual class to a mage, then do the Planar Sphere quest, can I take that as a stronghold as well?

Ta,

Yup, I believe so. You could also download the Ease of Use mod here and do all the strongholds.

Just as an alternate plan, if you have the original, unpatched version of SoA, you can get both the fighter and mage strongholds with a dualclassing fighter type/mage character. Just be sure you start the quest in Nalia's stronghold first, then go ahead and do the Planar Quest. When you've been given the mage stronghold, head back to Nalia's, and finish things off. You'll be given the fighter stronghold.

But like I said, the first major SoA patch fixed this.

Ta!

Excellent. Thanks guys as I have the unpatched version!

Actually I don't think you have to start the De'Arnise quest first. The important part of the trick is to *not* have Nalia in your party when you finish the quest. There are two different script options and the one where Nalia is absent does not check for a prior stronghold. I think this works for the Planar Sphere as well if you leave Lavok inside.

I know you can get all three strongholds for a Thief/Mage/Fighter if you get them in that order and pay attention to the conditions mentioned above. I have never tried getting the Mage stronghold after the Fighter so I don't know for sure, but it should work...

Actually I don't think you have to start the De'Arnise quest first..

You have to. If you start the Planar Quest first, the doors lock behind you, and the ship takes off. It won't return until you've succeeded in the quest, and before you can leave of your volition you'll be given the mage stronghold (assuming your character is a mage) by Lavok. That will invalidate any later attempt to gain the fighter stronghold, unless you've downloaded and installed the All Strongholds Fix.

I got the two strongholds as described way back when the game first came out, without any fixes--and then I just checked Simpson's walkthrough up at GameFAQs. The three important facts are to 1) Start de'Arnise first, 2) break midway to finish the Planar Quest next, then 3) finish de'Arnise. Note, you can complete de'Arnise with Nalia in your party, just as long as you don't talk to her until you've actually gotten the the Planar "deeded over" by Lavok.

I know you can get all three strongholds for a Thief/Mage/Fighter if you get them in that order...

Did you actually do this? Because if you trigger the conclusion of the de Arnise quest, speaking to Nalia, the stronghold variable is set on you. Same thing goes for the Planar Sphere; in fact, as I said, once you've started that quest, you have no chance to leave before it's finished, and the stronghold is offered to you.

why would some one want multiple strongholds anyways?

Originally posted by Taco Magus
why would some one want multiple strongholds anyways?

Because they don't want to play through an entire game for every class, but they do want to know how the running and ownership of every stronghold "feels."

so theres not really any point in having more then one?

Originally posted by Taco Magus
so theres not really any point in having more then one?

No point. It's all about having fun, trying out different things.

ah i see =) i always liked getting the sphere since the solamnic knights were there. my character plans on going to krynn via the sphere after he is done with his quests in Amn =)

Originally posted by Taco Magus
ah i see =) i always liked getting the sphere since the solamnic knights were there. my character plans on going to krynn via the sphere after he is done with his quests in Amn =)

It'll certainly make decent fiction. But as you certainly know, the sphere's inactive after Lavok dies. Makes an interesting piece of conceptual art, though, doesn't it?

actually i met paladine(he was polymorphed as a knight) and he agreed to help me with the sphere if i would take the test and become a white robe aswell as help valygar and kill the demons. after the deal was made he tuaght me how to cast fireball(after he remembered how it went.)

Originally posted by Taco Magus
actually i met paladine(he was polymorphed as a knight) and he agreed to help me with the sphere if i would take the test and become a white robe aswell as help valygar and kill the demons. after the deal was made he tuaght me how to cast fireball(after he remembered how it went.)

More fiction, huh? Well, I've always been into roleplaying.

fiction? eh? this really happend i swear it. im not makin up some kender story now *thumps Flabe on the head with his staff*

Originally posted by fable
I know you can get all three strongholds for a Thief/Mage/Fighter if you get them in that order...

Did you actually do this? Because if you trigger the conclusion of the de Arnise quest, speaking to Nalia, the stronghold variable is set on you. Same thing goes for the Planar Sphere; in fact, as I said, once you've started that quest, you have no chance to leave before it's finished, and the stronghold is offered to you.

Yes I have done it with a half-elven Fighter/Mage/Thief. Here's how it works:

1. The thief stronghold checks to see if you already have one so it must be done first. There is no way around this because Renal offers you the stronghold after you kill Mae'var and the quest is linear (ie there are no options on how to resolve the matter).

2. If you do the Planar Sphere quest but do not allow Lavok out to see the Sun, he doesn't check if you have another stronghold. I don't see any reason this wouldn't work for fighter stronghold as well as thief, but I'll take your word for it since I actually did start Nalia's quest before the Planar Sphere.

3. Once you have the above 2 strongholds you can talk to Nalia and she will give you the Fighter stronghold. She must not be in your party because, again, there is a bug in the script that does not check for prior strongholds if you meet her at the palisade. This bug does not exist if she is in your party when you complete the quest.

I think this would also work for a Cleric/Mage/Fighter since the bugs are in the Mage and Fighter scripts but I have never tried.

2. If you do the Planar Sphere quest but do not allow Lavok out to see the Sun, he doesn't check if you have another stronghold.

My understanding was that if he doesn't see the sun, he doesn't give away ownership of the stronghold; that the death event in the sunlight is linked to his speech granting you ownership. You're saying that's not the case? I've always played some configuration of mage or mage multi-class as my character (what can I say--I like to see things go boom), and he's never offered to give me the stronghold while inside its confines. When and where does it do this?