Stronghold booster pack contains 15 cards per pack. Distribution is 1 rare, 3 uncommons, and 11 commons. Stronghold was the 21st Magic: The Gathering set and thirteenth expert level set, and the second set in the Rath Block, released in March 1998. The block includes Tempest and Exodus. Its expansion symbol is the closed portcullis of Volrath's stronghold. The set contains 143 black-bordered cards (44 rare, 44 uncommon, and 55 commons).

Stronghold was the last set in which multi-colored cards appeared until the 2000 expansion Invasion.

On 13 April 2009 Stronghold was released on Magic Online. It went off sale on 27 April 2009, but was available again for the release of Exodus on 7 December 2009. Stronghold is currently not available for purchase in Magic Online.

The crew of Weatherlight approaches Volrath's Stronghold in search for Sisay and the missing pieces of the Legacy. Deep in the Dream Halls, Gerrard learns that Volrath was his former blood brother Vuel and the one who stole the Legacy. What appears to be a final conflict between Gerrard and Volrath ends instead with the death of an imposter shapeshifter.

A prominent creature type in Stronghold is the Spikes. While first introduced in Tempest, Stronghold greatly expanded on this creature type that can make other creatures larger.

The En-Kor are creatures that can redirect damage they suffer to other creatures, thus making them almost invulnerable to damage. These cards enabled a combination that led to infinite life, and were mainly used for this unpredicted feature.

Stronghold used many of the same mechanics as Tempest, including buyback, licids, and shadow.