Riddles that the Sphinx presents are one of the many challenges players encounter when they play Dragon’s Dogma 2. The following guide will cover all ten riddles from the “A Game of Wits” side quest. We’ve provided detailed instructions on where to locate each shrine with solutions to the riddles, key rewards, and how to defeat the Sphinx to claim the final treasure.
A Game of Wits Overview
The Sphinx riddles are among the most demanding challenges in Dragon’s Dogma 2, but completing them is well worth the effort. The optional quest tied to these trials, “A Game of Wits,” leads players away from the main storyline and tasks them with overcoming ten carefully crafted riddles, each offering worthwhile rewards.
You can begin “A Game of Wits” by encountering the Sphinx at the Mountain Shrine. To complete the quest, you’ll need to meet her at this location, listen to and solve the first five riddles, then follow her as she relocates after the fifth challenge. You must find her again at the Frontier Shrine to complete the remaining riddles, which appear in a random order.
Solving the tenth riddle concludes the quest, but unlocking the final chest requires battling the Sphinx using a specific approach, switching to the Archer vocation before the eighth or ninth riddle is strongly recommended.
Note: Failing a riddle will lock you out of its reward, and in some cases, the Sphinx may leave entirely, making the quest impossible to finish. To avoid setbacks, it’s highly recommended to rest at an inn or your home before approaching the Sphinx.
How to Solve All Sphinx Riddles
Here’s how you can easily solve all ten Sphinx riddles in Dragon’s Dogma 2:
Sphinx Location 1
The Sphinx in Dragon’s Dogma 2 can be found at the Ancient Battleground, situated northeast of Checkpoint Rest Town, where players can complete the first five riddles.
The Riddle of Eyes
The Sphinx gives you the riddle and indicates that you need to locate a Sealing Phial from an adjacent room for which she directs you through a door on the platform beneath her. Immediately upon entering the room, the first thing you will see is a chest in front of you, but once you open it, you will only find a rotten apple that does not seem to match the item that the Sphinx referred to.
When facing toward the entrance, you will see a crate over the entrance containing the Sealing Phial; do not use the item once you’ve taken it as it can only be used once, so simply take it back to the Sphinx for your reward, which will be a Wakestone.
The Riddle of Madness
To answer this riddle correctly, you must bring the NPC that has the strongest bond with you at the moment. If you are a fighter, warrior, or thief, you can carry the NPC without using the Sealing Phial.
If you have yet to form a bond with anyone, giving a present to an NPC satisfies the requirement for this riddle and creates a relationship that you can use for this riddle. Otherwise, take the character with whom you’ve had the most consistent gift-giving history when you arrive to the Sphinx and give your “beloved” to him/her. This will result in being awarded with one Portcrystal.
The Riddle of Wisdom
The Sphinx asks you to reunite her with a “parent” by bringing one of two specific Pawns. Search the Rift for Capcom-created Pawns named SphinxFather or SphinxMother and recruit either one.
If you have a full party when you recruit either Pawn, you will temporarily dismiss one of your party members. Once you have recruited a Pawn, take them to the platform and talk to the Sphinx to solve the riddle; solving the riddle will earn you 1,200 Rift Crystals.
The Riddle of Conviction
The Sphinx offers a challenge to provide her with something that you hold dear. You are free to select anything in your possession that represents value to you personally. The Sphinx will create two copies of what you give her and you will get back both copies so there is no risk associated with this challenge.
Because the object being duplicated is a replica, it is advisable to use a high-value/rare object, e.g. Portcrystal, when competing in this riddle. There is no way to fail the challenge of this riddle.
The Riddle of Rumination
The Sphinx asks you to go to the place you found your first Seeker Token. There is no record of this place in-game so you will have to rely solely on your memory. This will be different for each individual player so it makes it especially hard for those players who are not sure where their first token is located.
When you get to the right area you will find an item called a Finder’s Token instead of a Seeker Token. You need to take this item back to the Sphinx within 7 days in order to complete this riddle and earn 3 Ferrystones.
Once you complete this riddle, the Sphinx will move to her next location. After that, all remaining riddles will be in a random order and can be solved as you wish.
Sphinx Location 2
Once you complete the first five riddles, you need to move off the eastern side of Checkpoint Rest Town and continue following the river until you get to the Frontier Shrine, where you can then resume your meeting with the Sphinx.
The Riddle of Reunion
The completion of this riddle is automatic, you just have to find the Sphinx at her second location (southwest of the Checkpoint Rest Town). You may use directions described above to locate the Frontier Shrine, which is where she has moved. The first chest to your left will provide you with 100,000 gold.
The Riddle of Differentiation
Identifying the NPC Dante or Vergil based on the image you get from the Sphinx will help in solving this riddle. Compare visual details like their hairstyles or scars, as this can help you identify them accurately. You can find Dante (with his straightened hair) at the Checkpoint Rest Town; Vergil (with his curly hair) can be found in Bakbattahl.
After you correctly identify the appropriate character, you can carry them back to the Sphinx. Remember, you’ll have to be a Fighter, Warrior, or Thief to do so. Returning them will get you the Whimsical Daydream.
The Riddle of Recollection
Initially, the sphinx asks you to provide her with the equivalent number of statues that match the number of riddles you’ve completed till now. For example: if this is the eighth riddle, and all others have been completed correctly, you must place seven statues before you can talk to the sphinx again!
If you complete other riddles first, adjust the number of statues to match your current progress. By properly providing the correct amount of statues, you are rewarded with an Unmaking Arrow, which allows you to instantly defeat any enemy in a single shot.
The Riddle of Futility
The Sphinx will give you an amphora that is fragile and you have to deliver it to Ser Maurits in Mural Byway without breaking the item. The task states that you will have to use the Sphinx mural as a mark; once you provide this mural to Ser Maurits, you will then automatically place the vase down.
If you deliver it intact, the riddle will be complete; however, if it breaks, then the related achievement becomes permanently barred for your playthrough. In addition, as you make this delivery, you cannot use fast travel, and you have to avoid combat completely. Upon a successful delivery, you will receive the Eternal Bond ring, which allows you to develop an extremely close relationship with any NPC you gift it to.
The Riddle of Contest
This trial tests your fighting skills rather than your intelligence. An enemy is brought forth by the Sphinx on one end of the platform and you’ll be forced to wear the Ring of Derision, which will greatly reduce the amount of damage you cause to your opponent.
During this trial, you have to defeat your opponent while the ring is still active. One way to do this is to pick up the enemy and throw them over the edge. You’ll earn the Ring of Ambition after defeating the opponent, which gives you extra experience gained for killing enemies.
Defeating the Sphinx and Claiming the Final Reward
After completing all ten Sphinx riddles in Dragon’s Dogma 2, the massive treasure chest at the shrine will still be locked. To open it, you must confront the Sphinx herself. Once the final riddle is solved, she will commend you and attempt to depart, signaling the end of the trial. However, a clue found on the mural near Ser Maurits indicates that attacking her is the key to progressing.
To initiate the fight, you must strike the Sphinx as she attempts to leave. If you’ve already switched to the Archer vocation, repeatedly shooting her will trigger combat. Skills like Torrent Shot or Tempest Shot are effective for landing multiple hits, though basic attacks and other abilities can also work if you connect enough times. You can also issue the “Go” command to prompt melee Pawns to engage. Alternatively, the Warfarer vocation works as long as a bow-equipped class is included.
Once combat begins and you have the Unmaking Arrow from the Riddle of Recollection, open your inventory and equip it. Aim carefully and fire at the Sphinx, be aware that she can teleport, indicated by a purple glow. The game autosaves when the arrow is released, so missing isn’t an option. Successful hits have landed on both her torso and head. A direct strike instantly kills her, causing her to drop the Key of Sagacity, which unlocks the sealed chest.
Reward: Eternal Wakestone, an item that revives multiple NPCs at once, making it invaluable if an area has been devastated by Dragonsplague. Using it also unlocks the Reaper’s Scorn achievement.
