Dragon’s Dogma 2 All Sphinx Riddles Solutions

In Dragon’s Dogma 2 you can find a Sphinx that gives you riddles. This guide shows the Sphinx Location and all 10 Riddle Solutions. Solving all 10 Riddles unlocks the Full Marks trophy (found a solution to every conundrum posed by the goddess of riddles).

Missable Warning: You only have 1 try to solve each riddle. If you give a wrong answer, it will lock you out of the trophy for that playthrough. You would then need to redo everything on another playthrough. If you are playing on PS5 it’s highly recommended to make a PS+ Cloud Save backup before approaching the Sphinx (be sure to turn off the autosync feature). If something goes wrong you can download that save from the cloud and redo the riddles. Alternatively, you can also make an “Inn Rest Save” by sleeping at an Inn, then “Reload from Inn” instead of reloading from last autosave.

For one of the riddles you need to remember where you picked up your first Seeker Token in the game. It’s highly recommended you keep a map screenshot or write down when you find your first Seeker Token, they are little hidden medals found all over the game.

Do the riddles while playing as Archer vocation. One of the riddles rewards you with “Unmaking Arrow” which can be used to instakill the Sphinx, but only archers can use arrows. Without this you would likely miss out on the final Sphinx reward “Eternal Wakestone”, which you need for the Reaper’s Scorn trophy / achievement.

Overview:

• Part 1 – Sphinx First Location
• Part 2 – Solving the first 5 Riddles
• Part 3 – Sphinx Second Location
• Part 4 – Solving the next 5 Riddles

Video Guide

Step 1 – Finding First Sphinx Location

Sphinx is found in Ancient Battleground (northeast of Checkpoint Rest Town) > in the north of it go through the destroyed fortress area and past the big troll miniboss to enter “Worldsend Cave” > go all the way through to the end to reach “Mountain Shrine” > there at the end of the path on the hilltop you find the Sphinx.

 

Step 2 – Solving the first 5 Riddles

Time Saver: For one of the riddles you will need to bring a pawn called “SphinxMother” or “SphinxFather” or “SphinxParent” (any of these 3 will work). To reduce backtracking, get one of these 3 pawns before going to the Sphinx. You can find one along the way at the Riftstone of Fellowship northwest of Checkpoint Rest Town. To make only the Capcom-made Sphinx pawn spawn in the rift you must turn off network features (System > Options > Network > Network Features = Off). Remember to change to Archer vocation before going to the Sphinx, you will need it to use the Unmaking Arrow to kill the Sphinx after solving all 10 riddles (only archers can use arrows).

Riddle 1: The Riddle of Eyes

“Our eyes are our allies, yet oft they betray, for eyes tell lies, so I advise, and thence do lead astray. Yet how will your eyes advise you? Venture through yonder door, and retrieve that which is of greatest value.”

The Sphinx asks you to go into the room downstairs, and tasks you with bringing back the most valuable item in that area.

Immediately after entering through the door, turn around and look up. You’ll see a chest above the entrance door. Go up the path next to the door and open the chest, it contains the “Sealing Phial.” This is the correct item you must give to the Sphinx. DO NOT CONSUME IT BEFORE PRESENTING IT FOR THE RIDDLE. The bottle is one use only, so if you consume it you can no longer solve the riddle for this playthrough.

 

Reward: The chest for solving the riddle rewards a Wakestone.

Riddle 2: The Riddle of Madness

“Love is as twin to madness, they say. They are bound fast, as night is to day. So bring forth your most beloved to me, that I might gauge the depth of your insanity.”

The Sphinx is asking you to bring a person to it, who is “your most beloved”. The easiest solution is to present your main pawn. Simply carry your main pawn with R2/RT and put it on the platform in front of the Sphinx. Then talk to the Sphinx and choose to respond to the riddle to solve it.

It also works if you put a character you have romanced, but putting your main pawn is the quickest solution.

Other confirmed characters who work for the riddle:

• Ulrika after completing her “romance” quest chain: Scaly Invaders > Readvent of Calamity > Trouble on the Cape > Home Is Where the Hearth Is
  • Ulrika will sometimes then show up at your house and ask you to travel with her back to Harve, which makes her good for bringing to visit the Sphinx. Or just carry her (press R2/RT to carry), use a Ferrystone to teleport with her to Portcrystal you placed at the Sphinx.

Reward: The chest for solving this riddle rewards a Portcrystal.

Riddle 3: The Riddle of Wisdom

“The parent knows the child, yet the reverse is far from true. The child knows not the parent: such is the parent’s due. I am a lost child; for kinship do I yearn. So bring to me my “Parent”, that I might better learn.”

For this you must find the Capcom-made pawn called either “SphinxParent” or “SphinxFather” or “SphinxMother” found inside Riftstones. Recruit one of them and put that pawn on the platform in front of the Sphinx, then talk to the Sphinx to offer the pawn as the riddle solution. These always spawn at the Riftstone of Fellowship northeast of Checkpoint Rest Town:

Alternatively, they are a guaranteed spawn at the Riftstone in Harve Village. Go to System > Options > Network > Network Features = OFF so only this specific pawn will appear in the rift (otherwise it shows a bunch of other online pawns).

Reward: 1200 RC (Rift Currency)

Riddle 4: The Riddle of Conviction

“Life is an enigma – a lender of mortal debt. Yet lighter pack makes fleeter foot and challenge nimbly met. So grant to me what you most prize, and thence elude your pondrous demise.”

This riddle is just the Sphinx asking you to present it with ANY item, with the Sphinx acting like you aren’t going to get it back. It then actually gives you a copy of the item you presented as a reward in the chest along with giving back what you presented, no matter what it was, so it is recommended you give it a highly valuable unique item like a Portcrystal to duplicate it.

This is a sort of joke riddle because there are no wrong answers. ANY item you give will solve the riddle, regardless of what it is. You could also give it an apple or steak or whatever else, doesn’t matter.

Reward: Duplicates the item you give.

Riddle 5: The Riddle of Rumination

“It’s ever the first we keep fond in our breast, and ever the first that eclipses the rest. You know of the Seeker’s Tokens, I trust? Those keepsakes of a fondly remembered journey? Yet where was it that you found your first? Retrace your steps, if you can – you might make a new discovery. Seven days, shall we say, ere you return? May your journey be a pleasant one.”

For this riddle, the Sphinx is asking you to return to the very first spot where you picked up a Seeker Token in this playthrough. There is no way to track this, you need to have noted which one you found first and return to it. When you arrive at the location, you’ll see what appears to be the Seeker Token back in that spot, but when picked up is a unique item called a Finder’s Token. Bring this back and give it to the Sphinx. If you don’t remember where you found your first Seeker Token in this playthrough, it will reset in New Game+ and will count the first Seeker Token location you find during the New Game+ playthrough. Also refer to Dragon’s Dogma 2 Seeker Token Locations, if you didn’t note your first seeker token this might help you narrow down where it was. If you never picked up a Seeker Token then collect any one of them now.

Reward: The chest for solving this riddle rewards 3 x Ferrystones.

Step 3 – Finding Second Sphinx Location

Once you have completed the first five riddles, the Sphinx says it is leaving for a second location and you need to find it again to continue playing. If you are quick enough you can climb onto its back before it flies away and ride it to the spot, but if you don’t you can then reach the new location “Frontier Shrine” by going through the river leading west under the Checkpoint Rest Town.

Second Sphinx Location – Frontier Shrine:

Here the Sphinx has another five riddles for you.

Step 4 – Solving the next 5 Riddles

Important: The order of riddles at the second location is randomized. If you get them in a different order simply do them in the order they are given. Check the riddle name it gives you against the ones below.

Riddle 6: Riddle of Reunion

The 6th Riddle is automatically solved upon finding the Sphinx in this second location. Finding the Sphinx is the riddle. The first chest on the left will be open upon arriving at the Sphinx, open it for 100,000 Gold. With that the 6th riddle is already done.

Reward: The chest for solving this riddle contains 100,000 G.

Riddle 7: Riddle of Futility

“How easily the mind unravels! Some say it’s pain that does it best, others darkness – but I say neither. Rather, I say a mind cannot be more soundly broken than when it beholds its earnest efforts laid low in a single stroke. Could your survive such despair? We shall see. Here I have an amphora destine for Ser Maurits in Battahl. Deliver it to him, but beware; it’s rather fragile.”

The Sphinx will give you a vase. You are given a waypoint to Bakbattahl where an NPC is that you must reunite with the vase. The vase isn’t allowed to break or it will fail the riddle and cannot be attempted again for this playthrough!

Instead of bringing the vase to the NPC, it’s much easier to bring the NPC to the vase. Place a Portcrystal at the Sphinx (you got it as a reward from 2nd Riddle). Then travel to Bakbattahl > in the north of the town to go to “Mural Byway”. There you find a single NPC standing in front of the Mural, he is called “Maurits”:

He’s an elderly male beastren character with white hair. Talk to him to confirm his name is “Maurits” in the dialogue box. Pick him up with R2/RT, walk out to the open where there’s no obstruction above you (necessary to use Ferrytone), while carrying him use a Ferrystone to teleport back to the Portcrystal at the Sphinx. It will teleport him along with you if you’re carrying him. Drop him off next to the vase (be careful not to destroy the vase). Then a cutscene automatically starts and he’ll be happy to be reunited with his vase. Talk to the Sphinx afterward to finish the riddle.

If you need Ferrystones: 3 Ferrystones were in the reward chest for the 5th riddle. Alternatively, you can buy them from Isaac’s Wares in Bakbattahl with the 100,000 Gold you got from the 6th reward chest. If the vendor is out of Ferrystones rest on a bench for 14 days in a row and he’ll restock his inventory.

The alternative way to solve this riddle is to carry the vase yourself all the way to Bakbattahl but this is not recommended. If you were inclined to do it the hard way, save regularly along the path by clicking System > Save and Continue. If the vase breaks, click System > Return to Title Screen Without Saving, as long as it didn’t autosave you will reload at the last save and can retry.

Reward: Eternal Bond (Ring)

Riddle 8: Riddle of Differentiation

“So vast is the world, and full of life; you are but one of many. Indeed, in the grand scheme, we are as distinct from one another as pebbles on a beach – yet we do so love to extol our differences. But are these differences so great? If you believe so, this next task should prove exceedingly simple. I seek this man. If men are so distinct, I’m sure you’ll find him in a trice.”

The Sphinx will show you the image of an NPC it wants you to find and bring back to it. Watch very carefully here, pay attention to the hairstyle if the character has straight hair or curly hair. It’s highly recommended you take several screenshots or a video capture of this (if you are on PS5 can use the built-in share capture and then rewatch it).

You will need to bring back the correct person: either Dante or Vergil. They look almost identical, the key difference being their hairstyle. You can go to Pause Menu > History > NPC Logbook > look if you have entries for “Dante” and “Vergil”. Then you can compare their images which one it is that you need.

 

Before looking for them, make sure you have placed a Portcrystal at the Sphinx (reward from 2nd riddle). Then you can carry the person and use a Ferrystone to teleport back to the Sphinx instantly.

They are both in Checkpoint Rest Town, Dante has straight hair, Vergil has curly hair.

Dante walks in the part of town north of the border at day. He usually walks outside the shops.

 

Vergil walks in the part of town south of the border at day. He usually walks up and down the path where the Oxcart Station is south of the gate. (The NPC Logbook falsely lists his location as Bakbattahl, but he’s actually in Checkpoint Rest Town in the southern Battahl half of the town).

Approach the correct character, pick him up to carry him (press R2/RT to carry people), then bring that person back to the Sphinx. Then while carrying the person use a Ferrystone to teleport back with him to the Sphinx if you placed a Portcrystal there. If you are unsure if it’s Vergil or Dante you need, make another save backup here or rest at an inn to make an Inn Save, then you can reload if you brought back the wrong person. If you are out of Ferrystones, they are sold at general stores for 10,000 Gold and you can rest on a bench for 14 days to refresh the vendor’s inventory.

Reward: Whimsical Daydream

Riddle 9: Riddle of Recollection

“Now, questions beget questions, and I have one for you. How many riddles have you solved thus far? My memory fails me, you see. Remind me, and make it plain. Let yonder statues be your means. For every question aptly answered, bring one here before me.”

To the left of the Sphinx are some stone statues. Pick them up and place them in front of the Sphinx. You don’t have to put them on the platform in front of the Sphinx, just put them on the ground in front of the Sphinx. You must put the amount of statues that corresponds to how many riddles you solved CORRECTLY so far. If this is your 9th riddle and you answered all 8 previous riddles correctly, then you must put 8 statues in front of the Sphinx, then talk to it again to confirm. Remember that finding the Sphinx’s secnd location counts as a riddle too. Because the order of riddles is randomized you must adjust for that. If you failed any riddles you must subtract those from the count. You can see how many you solved by the amount of Sphinx Reward Chests that are unlocked. So if you have 8 chests unlocked (5 at first location, 3 at second location) you must put 8 statues. If you have 7 chests unlocked you put 7 statues etc.

Then talk to the Sphinx again and confirm “Yes” that you are happy with your count.

Reward: Unmaking Arrow

IMPORTANT: Before triggering your final riddle, make sure you are playing as Archer vocation and have opened the reward chest to get the Unmaking Arrow. You need this to instakill the Sphinx, otherwise it will fly away and you won’t get its key to open the final chest.

Riddle 10: Riddle of Contest

“Though ours is a battle of wits, tests of mettle are more to your strength. Is that not so? Come, try your arm – though he shall be your opponent, not I. However, I am not one to be amused by a simple duel. Bear this ring into battle, that I might gauge your true strength.”

To the right of the Sphinx an enemy will spawn. The Sphinx will automatically equip you with a ring that makes you deal practically no damage. An easy workaround is to grab the opponent with R2/RT, then press R1/RB to throw him off the cliff on the right. He will instantly die from the fall and the Sphinx will automatically talk to you to complete the riddle.

Reward: Ring of Ambition

Step 5 – Defeat the Sphinx

After solving all riddles, talk to the Sphinx and she’ll try to fly away. Quickly attack her with any standard attacks to start the boss fight against her. She has 4 health bars total.

Equip the Unmaking Arrow from the inventory and shoot her in the leg with it (reward from Riddle of Recollection). This will instakill her. DON’T SHOOT HER IN THE FACE, SHE WON’T DIE THIS WAY (must shoot the “beast” part of her body, ideally the back legs). If you deal normal damage she will attempt to fly away at low health and won’t properly die, then you wouldn’t be able to get the key she drops, likewise if you shoot her in the face with Unmaking Arrow she will shrug it off and fly away. By shooting her with the Unmaking Arrow in the back legs she is guaranteed to die completely and drops the key plus 10,000 Gold.

Use the key on the big gold chest behind her. It gives the item Eternal Wakestone. This item is needed for  Reaper’s Scorn trophy / achievement to perform a miracle for several people at once. To unlock that trophy, kill at least 2 NPCs in Vernworth or Bakbattahl and put them in the morgue, then step outside and use the Eternal Wakestone to revive them. This counts as a “miracle for several people” because the Eternal Wakestone revives everyone in the area (regular Wakestones only revive one person). If you let the Sphinx fly away you’ll miss this trophy and need another playthrough. Upon defeating the Sphinx you will also complete A Game of Wits side quest.

Reward: Eternal Wakestone

For more guides check out Dragon’s Dogma 2 Wiki.