I know this get's asked alot but....

[Brennihelvete]

Nobody have mentioned the Ranger Stronghold yet. Its has a few good quest, not too big time delay, you get some good items, you can store items in your...puny cabin. Well its better than nothing [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Butterfingers]

Hmm I actually like the Bard and Ranger strongholds. Hmmm yes... Just think, your own playhouse. You can lure all sorts of women downstairs, and, let's face it, no woman can say no to a sauve actor. All the groupies... It's gravy! And just think of Aerie, or Jaheira, or maybe Viccy lounging lazily on the piano in a slinky high class evening gown while you play them a song, making smooth remarks like "If you think my fingers are tickling these ivories, just wait till I tickle you."

And the Ranger stronghold. Your own romantic gettaway. A love nest. A cozy cabin in the woods, with Aerie, or Jaheira, or possibly Viccy lounging on a bear skin rug. (Or maybe all three if your in to that sort of thing) A great place to get away from the hustle and the bustle of the city. With nobody around, in the still quiet of the woods, you can get away with stuff like loud vigorous shagging, with out having your neighbors screaming at you.

It's all in how you see it.

[karlosovic]

well for sheer cool factor, be a fighter. I was soooo stoked when I suddenly realised they'd given me a CASTLE !!! And really... that's it. The be-all and end-all. Nothing else quite has the pure oommph of owning your very own castle. Sure the quests are pretty non-existent and the money isn't great, but who else has a Castle ?!?! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Anyway, the thieves guild seems interesting with the expanded mod (I believe you get to perform jail-breaks when your guys get busted), The planer sphere gives you cool items (and it's all about the items), the Radient Heart was a bit boring really, I've only started the druid grove, and I haven't tried the rest yet.

a few things of note.
1. You will get more Gold in the game than you know how to spend, so don't worry about money, it's only rare in the first few days of playing.
2. No stronghold will give you a lot of money. Mine usually cost me more than I make, but you do them for the experience and items.
3. Items Rule in Balder's Gate games. For this reason the planer sphere is one of the best strongholds, as it gives you lots of items.
4. you guys know there is a short way out of the druid grove right ? and to get in, you can always Ctrl-J across the map once you've cleared out all the mosters.

This does bring me to 1 point though. In BG1, you entered a map depending on which direction you came from. It sucks they've dropped this for BG2.

[Annatar]

Originally posted by karlosovic: well for sheer cool factor, be a fighter. I was soooo stoked when I suddenly realised they'd given me a CASTLE !!! And really... that's it. The be-all and end-all. Nothing else quite has the pure oommph of owning your very own castle. Sure the quests are pretty non-existent and the money isn't great, but who else has a Castle ?!?! [img]smile.gif[/img] Anyway, the thieves guild seems interesting with the expanded mod (I believe you get to perform jail-breaks when your guys get busted), The planer sphere gives you cool items (and it's all about the items), the Radient Heart was a bit boring really, I've only started the druid grove, and I haven't tried the rest yet. a few things of note. 1. You will get more Gold in the game than you know how to spend, so don't worry about money, it's only rare in the first few days of playing. 2. No stronghold will give you a lot of money. Mine usually cost me more than I make, but you do them for the experience and items. 3. Items Rule in Balder's Gate games. For this reason the planer sphere is one of the best strongholds, as it gives you lots of items. 4. you guys know there is a short way out of the druid grove right ? and to get in, you can always Ctrl-J across the map once you've cleared out all the mosters. This does bring me to 1 point though. In BG1, you entered a map depending on which direction you came from. It sucks they've dropped this for BG2.

indeed karlosovic I totally agree with your point of view, the notes you have said are true... and the last sentence about BG I & BG II, its indeed sad they have not used the same option as in BG I... sometimes it was a real pain in the A** but well... I KNOW I KNOW off-topic sorry for that but just wanted to share my opinion with karlosovic...

my favo stronghold is defenitly the planar sphere or Nalia's keep but with that stronghold (nalia's keep) i always have the strange feeling of destroying al the inhabitants of it (NALIA"S AUNT... ring any bells ? or the Main Guard that runs away when he has put down ONE SINGLE troll *sight*... such a "bravery'' [img]graemlins/1puke.gif[/img] , ive only put down like 20 trolls and the big evil leader is still in the lower levels with his umber hulk friends.. and he runs away.. that calls him self a GUARD [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img] )

[Rataxes]

Originally posted by karlosovic: This does bring me to 1 point though. In BG1, you entered a map depending on which direction you came from. It sucks they've dropped this for BG2.

It wasn't completely dropped, you can arrive at different locations. It's for instance possible to arrive at two different locations in the Docks and Government district, depending on where you came from.

[Eternal]

Nothing else quite has the pure oommph of owning your very own castle. Sure the quests are pretty non-existent

i had that exact feeling when i got my planar sphere.
it was jsut so awesome,,, tho i still think it sux that the golems in the engine room keep respawning i mean.

i dont wanna be on my guard in the engine room.
and its also lame how your golem servant cant come to the engine room with you.

[Dundee Slaytern]

Doh! I made a mistake. Pureclassed Thieves cannot side with Bodhi anyway. Only Multiclassed ones, and under certain circumstances, Dualclassed ones.

As for my favourite stronghold, the Bard's one. I was never into the money when it comes to strongholds. Quests give you more than enough already. It needs to be interesting and satisfying, to which this one achieves in spades.
I mean come on! You own a freaking playhouse!
1) Bard
2) Thief
3) Ranger

[ryanthemighty]

Maybe I just have bad karma when it comes to strongholds, 'cause there has only been one that gave me anything but grief. The keep.

I was never able to finish the Bard's Stronghold before I beat the game, so I've never seen any of the money promised to me... I waited and waited and did random tasks and gave and gave and... *poof!* Nothing!
I was also pretty let down by the Paladin's Stronghold. You go out and do all this good for the world and you get... a room! They told me I got one at least. I tried sleeping in every room in the place and never could. I dunno if my paladin was just a little too prissy and didn't want to dirty the sheets in such a solemn place, but it was still slightly anti-climactic.
All my appretices blew themselves up in the Planar Sphere, so I never got to enjoy any of those items the rest of you are raving about...
*Sigh!*
Well at least there's always the Copper Coronet, right?
"Where everybody knows your name..." "Norm!"

[karlosovic]

Originally posted by Rataxes: quote: Originally posted by karlosovic: This does bring me to 1 point though. In BG1, you entered a map depending on which direction you came from. It sucks they've dropped this for BG2.

It wasn't completely dropped, you can arrive at different locations. It's for instance possible to arrive at two different locations in the Docks and Government district, depending on where you came from.[/QUOTE]It hardly matters where you enter the docks, as either entrance is 1000 miles from anywhere you might actually need to go in that area.

And the options on the Govnt district are screwed up. about 5% of the time I come in at the other entrance, but I've never spotted what makes you come in from that one (not that it matters much either).

but everytime you enter an area, you always seem to start from where-ever is furthest from anywhere usefull. great the first time to make you discover the map... after that it's annoying. In BG1, I'd even sometimes go to a different area first, to force what side of a map I'd spawn on.

[Eternal]

And the options on the Govnt district are screwed up. about 5% of the time I come in at the other entrance, but I've never spotted what makes you come in from that one (not that it matters much either).

ya i noticed that to

whats up with those apprentices blowing up tho.... i think my first game nobody died
then my second game 2 a them died..... but heh i did have my ring of wizardry

also am i really the only one that hates walking thru that druid grove area...i cant freakin stand it.
its also in the middle of nowhere why the hell would you wanna go all the way there. to hang out at a place that is soooo about nothing, i mean..not even a chest !
...at least my sphere is right there in the slums close by the coronet.

i think the cabbin sux to but thats just me i guess....

the thieve stronghold sounds real cool, especially with the mod.