Every Sphinx riddle in Dragon's Dogma 2 with the correct answer, where the Sphinx appears, and the rewards you get for solving the full set.
Sphinx Riddles: All Answers and Where to Find It
The Sphinx poses ten riddles in the base game's A Game of Wits quest, split between the Mountain Shrine and the Frontier Shrine, and three more in the Dark Arisen expansion's Norgan story line: the Riddle of the Body, the Soul, and the Will. Below are the exact items, actions, and rewards for every one of them.
- Base game: ten riddles, five asked at each shrine, with only one attempt per riddle.
- Dark Arisen: three riddles in Norgan, all mandatory gates in the expansion's main quest.
Where the Sphinx Appears in Dragon's Dogma 2
The base-game Sphinx waits at the Mountain Shrine, on the path just north of Checkpoint Rest Town. The route runs north from Checkpoint Rest Town through the Ancient Battleground to Worldsend Cavern, then up the Shrine Corridor stairs to the summit. Talking to the creature there starts A Game of Wits.
After the first five riddles, the Sphinx relocates to the Frontier Shrine. Follow the river west below Checkpoint Rest Town to reach it on foot, or climb onto its back as it leaves and hold on for the ride.
Dark Arisen adds a second encounter in the Norgan region, where the Sphinx returns as a riddle-posing sage woven into the main story rather than an optional side chain. Villagers in the Norgandian Settlement hand out hints, and the NPC Polyeidus points toward the answer to the Riddle of the Will.
| Sphinx location | How you get there | Riddles asked |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Shrine (base game) | North from Checkpoint Rest Town, through the Ancient Battleground and Worldsend Cavern | The Riddle of Eyes, Madness, Wisdom, Conviction, Rumination |
| Frontier Shrine (base game) | Follow the river west below Checkpoint Rest Town, or ride the Sphinx | The Riddle of Reunion, Recollection, Contest, Futility, Differentiation |
| Norgan, Dark Arisen | Main quest in the settlement; hint from Polyeidus | The Riddle of the Body, Soul, and Will |
Official source: Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen official site — the expansion's own page for the Norgan content that carries the second Sphinx thread.
All 10 Base Game Sphinx Riddle Answers
The five riddles at each shrine can arrive in a shuffled order, so do not rely on memorising a sequence. What matters is the item or action each one demands.
| Riddle | Correct answer | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| The Riddle of Eyes | Retrieve the Sealing Phial from the chest above the cave door | Wakestone |
| The Riddle of Madness | Bring the NPC you have romanced; your main pawn is also accepted | Portcrystal |
| The Riddle of Wisdom | Bring a pawn whose moniker is SphinxFather, SphinxMother, or SphinxParent | 1,200 Rift Crystals |
| The Riddle of Conviction | Hand over whatever you prize most; the Sphinx returns a duplicate | The duplicated item |
| The Riddle of Rumination | Return to the spot where you picked up your first Seeker's Token to claim the Finder's Token | Chest with 3 Ferrystones |
| The Riddle of Reunion | Solved automatically once you find the second shrine | 100,000 Gold from the chest on the left |
| The Riddle of Recollection | Move exactly as many statues as riddles the Sphinx has posed so far | Unmaking Arrow |
| The Riddle of Contest | Defeat the summoned opponent while wearing the Ring of Derision | Ring of Ambition |
| The Riddle of Futility | Carry the amphora to Mural Byway without breaking it | Eternal Bond ring |
| The Riddle of Differentiation | Bring the right lookalike: Dante from the Vermund side or Vergil from the Battahl side | Whimsical Daydream |
A few of these need planning rather than reflexes. The Riddle of Rumination catches people out: if you have never picked up a Seeker's Token, the Finder's Token reportedly appears beside the next one you collect, so bank one early. Our Seeker Token locations guide maps where they sit. For the Riddle of Madness, any NPC who blushes when you speak to them counts, and Ulrika and Glyndwr both work.
Answer a single riddle incorrectly and the Sphinx abandons your game, which permanently locks that playthrough out of the full reward set. Make a manual save before each answer, or keep a backup as described in our save backup guide.
Official source: Dragon's Dogma 2 on Steam — the base game that contains the A Game of Wits side quest and its two shrines.
Dark Arisen Sphinx Riddles: Body, Soul, and Will
In the expansion the Sphinx comes back with three riddles, and unlike the base game you cannot walk away from them: they are part of the Norgan main quest and gate your progress against the Fallen Dragon. Media walkthroughs that tested the launch build, such as VGC's Norgan riddle guide, and The Big Lead's solution writeup, agree on the three answers below. Treat the specific rewards as media-reported rather than published by Capcom, and check the official Steam news hub for expansion changes.
| Riddle | What it asks for | Answer | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riddle of the Body | A token of being from a giant, found by greeting the dawn where repose is easiest | Mournful Giant's Tusk | Norgan Portcrystal |
| Riddle of the Soul | A droplet of frozen crystal from a red dragon that might have been, in a blizzard that does not wane | Frozen Wyrmslife Crystal | 3,000 Rift Crystals |
| Riddle of the Will | An article bearing the will to defy ruin | Decorative Brooch | Eternal Wakestone |
Riddle of the Body
The place where repose is easiest found is the inn at the Norgandian Settlement, the one safe village in the region. Sleep until morning and a rampaging giant appears just outside the settlement. It does not stay put, so follow it away from the walls into the snow, where a Whiteout and the avalanches it kicks loose punish anyone travelling cold. Bring Heatstones, close the distance, and kill it for the Mournful Giant's Tusk, then carry the tusk back to the Sphinx.
Riddle of the Soul
The blizzard that never wanes is the one inside the Beorcan Stronghold on the western edge of Norgan, where the storm has frozen several inhabitants solid. Heatstones cut the chill while you explore. The stronghold's main door needs two Beorcan's Twinned Keys, but you do not have to spend them here: head left of the door and take the underground passage that routes around it. Beyond it waits Fimbl, a lesser dragon, and killing it drops the Frozen Wyrmslife Crystal the riddle wants. Come prepared with appraised gear; the relic appraisal and farming guide covers the loop that gets you ready.
Riddle of the Will
If you followed the lore, you already know who carries the will to defy ruin, and the answer is not a person. Return to the Mountain Stronghold where you first fought the Fallen Dragon and where a stranger intervened on your behalf. Look along the rear center of the main chamber, under the hole torn in the back wall, and you will find the Decorative Brooch on the floor. Picking it up unleashes waves of monsters into the stronghold, so fight or flee your way out, then hand the brooch to the Sphinx.
Two of the three Norgan riddles run through deep cold, so buy Heatstones before you set out and rest at the settlement between attempts. Travel and survival basics are in the Norgan region guide.
Rewards for Solving the Full Set
Finishing the base-game chain unlocks the big prize. After the tenth riddle the Sphinx turns hostile: strike it and it reveals four health bars, and it will try to fly off mid-fight. Aim only at its animal parts and keep your pawns on Wait so they do not force a retreat, or spend the Unmaking Arrow from the Riddle of Recollection once the health bar is on screen. Firing before the bar appears kills the Sphinx without completing the quest.
| Reward | Where it comes from | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Key of Sagacity | Dropped by the Sphinx after you defeat it | Opens the large golden chest in the Frontier Shrine |
| Eternal Wakestone | Golden chest, plus the quest's own reward | Revives the dead across an area in one use |
| 18,000 XP | Completing A Game of Wits with every riddle answered | Character progression |
| Norgan Portcrystal, 3,000 Rift Crystals | Dark Arisen Body and Soul riddles | Extra fast-travel anchor and currency |
| Eternal Wakestone | Dark Arisen Riddle of the Will | Same area revival item as above |
Common Ways Players Fail a Riddle
Most failures are preparation problems. The base-game chain is unforgiving by design, and a few items are easy to waste before you reach the Sphinx.
- Consuming the Sealing Phial. It is a usable item, and drinking it removes your only answer to the Riddle of Eyes.
- Owning no Seeker's Token. The Riddle of Rumination needs a first-token location to send you back to.
- Breaking the amphora. The Riddle of Futility fails the moment the vase shatters, so dodge everything on the road to Mural Byway.
- Missing the base-game window. A Game of Wits is cancelled if you never pick it up before finishing the main quest Legacy.
- Firing the Unmaking Arrow too early. It only counts after the Sphinx's health bar appears.
Because they sit on the main quest, the Norgan riddles can be solved at your own pace and are not wiped out by a wrong guess the way the base-game ones are.
FAQ
How many riddles does the Sphinx have? Ten in the base game's A Game of Wits chain, five per shrine, plus three in Dark Arisen's Norgan story line.
Can I retry a riddle if I answer it wrong? Not in the base game. One wrong answer and the Sphinx abandons your playthrough, so save first. The Dark Arisen riddles are main-quest steps and are not lost the same way.
Where do I find the Sphinx? The base-game Sphinx is at the Mountain Shrine north of Checkpoint Rest Town, then at the Frontier Shrine. In Dark Arisen it appears in the Norgan region as part of the main story.
What do I get for solving every Sphinx riddle? The base-game chain ends in the Key of Sagacity, which opens the golden chest holding an Eternal Wakestone, plus 18,000 XP. The Norgan riddles pay a Portcrystal, 3,000 Rift Crystals, and another Eternal Wakestone.
Do I need Seeker's Tokens to solve the riddles? Only for the Riddle of Rumination. It sends you back to wherever you found your first Seeker's Token, so the more of them you have collected, the easier it is to remember.
Related Guides
- Norgan Region Guide: Map, Story & Exploration — where the expansion's Sphinx riddle chain sits and how to survive the cold.
- Seeker Token Locations and All Turn-In Rewards — needed for the Riddle of Rumination and its Finder's Token.
- Lost Rites Dungeons: All 12 Locations and Rewards — the other Dark Arisen thread that shares the Empowered Godsbane Blade gating.
- Relic Appraisal Farming Guide — gear preparation before the Fimbl fight and the Mountain Stronghold ambush.
- Eternal Ferrystone Fast Travel Guide — cuts the return trips between shrines and the settlement.
More Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Guides
Does Dragon's Dogma 2 have cross save? Cross-progression status across PC, PS5, Xbox and Switch 2.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen DLC guide: release date, price, platforms, Norgan, Lost Rites, and what's new.
Dark Arisen level requirement: Norgan level 40, Lost Rites level 20, plus prep checklist before you go.
Dark Arisen price & editions: $29.99 DLC vs $49.99 bundle, Switch 2 bundle-only, what to buy.
Dark Arisen review roundup: Metacritic score, Steam rating, critic verdicts and is it worth it?
Dragonsplague explained: symptoms, combat buffs, Dragonsbaulk Draught cure and keep-or-cure strategy.
Eternal Ferrystone guide: how to get it from Brant, how to use fast travel with Portcrystals.
Hard Mode guide: how to enable, difficulty changes, old saves, and whether to start fresh or NG+.