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d'Bwobsling
2008-01-31, 03:54 PM
I'm starting a campain where I need some good riddles. Any ideas/links?

Runolfr
2008-01-31, 03:57 PM
Here's a couple of links...

http://www.rinkworks.com/brainfood/p/riddles3.shtml
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/riddles/intro.shtml

There's also a riddles thread in the forums somewhere.

Rastafast
2008-01-31, 03:58 PM
Get a book of riddles.
I aquired one years ago and have never regretted it.

My DM source books.

Dictionary
Thesaurus
Riddle book
Name book

snoopy13a
2008-01-31, 04:02 PM
If your players haven't read any Tolkien, you can steal a couple of riddles from the Hobbit.

Here's a website, I don't know how good their riddles are though:

http://www.riddles.com/



As for puzzles in roleplaying games though, couldn't a person playing a wizard argue that while he/she can't figure out the riddle, their character with an Int of 18 should be able to?

Likewise, shouldn't an intelligent person playing a stupid character be unable to give the correct answer (even if they know it) because their character would not be able to figure it out?

Human Paragon 3
2008-01-31, 04:11 PM
Here's one I used in my first campaign about... oh, 11 years ago:

What makes men blind,
makes babies scream,
hides the thief,
and breaks the beam?



Answer: The Dark.

This was used to jumpstart my entire campaign, which sadly only lasted 2 sessions. : (

Deepblue706
2008-01-31, 04:18 PM
Buy a book of riddles. Most of the ones on the web are pretty lame.

sonofzeal
2008-01-31, 04:43 PM
Here's one that I wrote myself.



I can eat, but I can never be full.
I can be felt, but I can never be touched.
I can die, but I can never live.

I am form without substance.
I am protection without safety.
I am day without sun.

My giver was cursed
My followers are feared
My name is a warning

Of all the destroyers I am the greatest
For I bring the inevitable end of all.
Who am I?



Fire

Citizen Joe
2008-01-31, 04:57 PM
As for puzzles in roleplaying games though, couldn't a person playing a wizard argue that while he/she can't figure out the riddle, their character with an Int of 18 should be able to?

Likewise, shouldn't an intelligent person playing a stupid character be unable to give the correct answer (even if they know it) because their character would not be able to figure it out?

This is exactly why I don't like the idea of intelligence being a character stat.

Gabriel_Luna
2008-01-31, 05:11 PM
The Exeter Book is an actual collection of riddles from the middle ages that survived (miraculously, it's actually a cool story as to how it survived) to modern times. I've had a lot of fun drawing riddles from it. It adds something to the game if your players know the riddles were actually written at a time that is appropriate to the setting.

The site I go to was down when I started typing this post, but it appears to be back up. Here's hoping it stays that way. http://www2.kenyon.edu/AngloSaxonRiddles/texts.htm

Enjoy!

Prometheus
2008-01-31, 05:20 PM
The Thieves Guild (http://www.thievesguild.cc/riddles/) has a bank of Riddles.
It also has a rather nice bank of other challenges as well.

I second the Exter Book of Riddles, the old english feel definitely adds to the fun. Watch out for ones that allude to Christianity though. I have nothing against it, but its not exactly of this setting.

I might also add that wherever you get your riddles, you'll want to be careful that they aren't too easy or too hard. If they don't get multiple guesses, either make them get multiple riddles, or don't have a wrong answer penalize them heavily

AKA_Bait
2008-01-31, 05:30 PM
One thing to keep an eye out for, especially wih net riddles, is that they occasionally have more than one soloution that fits the riddle. Be willing to accept an alternate answer if it actually does fit the riddle. I have gotten very frustrated with DM's in the past when they wanted a particular answer to a riddle when several fit and the only reason one was correct and the others were not was DM fiat. Don't do that to your players.

Ascension
2008-01-31, 05:32 PM
As for puzzles in roleplaying games though, couldn't a person playing a wizard argue that while he/she can't figure out the riddle, their character with an Int of 18 should be able to?

Likewise, shouldn't an intelligent person playing a stupid character be unable to give the correct answer (even if they know it) because their character would not be able to figure it out?

This reminds me of our current campaign. Our DM gave us a cipher that looked too difficult for us to figure out (and we didn't want to take the time to try on our own), so we just passed the buck off to an NPC at the local mages' guild and we're in the middle of getting it translated in exchange for a side quest. Circumvents the puzzle nicely and gets us more experience and loot than just solving the thing ourselves. :smallbiggrin:

...'course, with my luck we'll probably get back only to find out that they couldn't solve it either...

Collin152
2008-01-31, 06:23 PM
Ciphers just aren't fair. I should know, I'm still waiting for someone to crack one of my own invention, even letting the guy use the boundless powers of a computer to help him.

Chronos
2008-01-31, 06:34 PM
Here's one I made up some time ago:

Never at noon, never at night
Always my back is out of sight
If you would see me, I appear
When the world dries its tears.
A rainbow

Another one, loosly translated from Latin (from the story Appolonius Rex):

Born of earth, strengthened by fire
I sit on high, master of water
Clay roofing tiles
I like that one for a D&D game, since it rather meshes with the Four Elements.

Caracol
2008-01-31, 09:17 PM
I got some riddles rooms if you want. How to go there, moving objects there, trying not to die... This sort of stuff. Tell me if you want one of these.

DiscipleofBob
2008-01-31, 10:04 PM
For the character with 18 Int... take a riddle with multiple verses that can technically be solved in the first verse. If his character makes an intelligence check of the appropriate DC, then give him a little bit more of the riddle. He gets a bit of an advantage over the other characters, but you don't give away the answer.

sonofzeal
2008-01-31, 10:09 PM
For the character with 18 Int... take a riddle with multiple verses that can technically be solved in the first verse. If his character makes an intelligence check of the appropriate DC, then give him a little bit more of the riddle. He gets a bit of an advantage over the other characters, but you don't give away the answer.
My riddle above works for that, actually. I'd recommend starting at the bottom though - the earlier stuff is more straightforward and it gets more obscure as it goes.

Icewalker
2008-01-31, 10:20 PM
As for puzzles in roleplaying games though, couldn't a person playing a wizard argue that while he/she can't figure out the riddle, their character with an Int of 18 should be able to?

Likewise, shouldn't an intelligent person playing a stupid character be unable to give the correct answer (even if they know it) because their character would not be able to figure it out?

The way I solve this is by giving the people with high int slight hints.

I'm also guessing that riddles work badly in pbp games. I'll know eventually, my current adventure I'm running has several.

SadisticFishing
2008-01-31, 10:25 PM
This is exactly why I don't like the idea of intelligence being a character stat.

Heh, if you're going to argue like that, you may as well say there should be no mental stats whatsoever, as there's no way your 36 int grey elf wizard would actually make a plan as ridiculous as... well, anything you're doing.

You still need to roleplay somewhat, just decide where to draw the line as a group.

Citizen Joe
2008-01-31, 10:26 PM
As GM you could say "Guy tells you a riddle. Everyone roll an intelligence check (d20+Int bonus)"
Take the best result.
25+ give them one of the easy, classic, everyone's heard the riddle before
20-25 give them a classic riddle
15-19 give them a new riddle of average difficulty, probably a one word answer
10-14 math/logic puzzle
5-9 hard math/logic puzzle
1-4 "What is the speed of blue?"

Collin152
2008-01-31, 10:34 PM
1-4 "What is the speed of blue?"

Well, given that "blue" is part of the visible spectrum of light, it therefore moves at a speed equal to or infintesimally less than the speed of light (Which, for the life of me, I can't remember)

Gralamin
2008-01-31, 10:37 PM
Well, given that "blue" is part of the visible spectrum of light, it therefore moves at a speed equal to or infintesimally less than the speed of light (Which, for the life of me, I can't remember)

About 3 * 10^8 m/s (closer to 2.97*10^8 m/s I think)

Silverkiss
2008-01-31, 10:43 PM
299.792.458 meters per second, exactly. ;)

Collin152
2008-01-31, 10:46 PM
299.792.458 meters per second, exactly. ;)

Can you have two decimals in a number?

Voyager_I
2008-01-31, 10:56 PM
Can you have two decimals in a number?

Decimals can go on infinitely. Pi =/= 3.14 :smalltongue:

Icewalker
2008-01-31, 10:56 PM
Can you have two decimals in a number?

no...

:smalleek:

Interesting idea, but if your riddle has a specific answer that is actually necessary that intelligence check for riddle idea would be way too much work.

Chronos
2008-01-31, 10:57 PM
Those aren't decimals, those are place markers. Many parts of the world use a dot where we Americans would use a comma, and vice versa.

Silverkiss
2008-01-31, 10:57 PM
Hmmm sorry, that weren't decimals, where I live whe use dots each 3 numbers, I meant the number 299792458.

Edit: Chronos is right, here where I live for example we use commas for decimals instead.

Collin152
2008-01-31, 10:57 PM
Decimals can go on infinitely. Pi =/= 3.14 :smalltongue:

No, but it also does not equal 3.1.4
Anyways, I typically don't even see the commas being used.

Voyager_I
2008-01-31, 11:03 PM
Oops, you're right. Those aren't decimals at all! However, you can have more than one of them. It goes every three digits, until you run out of digits.

Prometheus
2008-01-31, 11:06 PM
You could argue riddles are any of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. Most character have at least one of those to a decent (read, above average) degree.

Gralamin
2008-01-31, 11:16 PM
Charisma has no real effect on riddles. :smallconfused:

Prometheus
2008-01-31, 11:28 PM
Charisma has no real effect on riddles. :smallconfused:
Possibly it doesn't help much, but I'd consider the following:
-Relating to the author's intentions
-Interpreting poetic (rather than philosophical (Wis) or cryptic(Int)) phrases
-Encouraging all PCs to contribute and cooperate
-Recognizing when another PC is on track
-If there is a riddle-giver, reading their expressions for how close you are. (People like this is why we have to perform double-blind studies)

Collin152
2008-01-31, 11:36 PM
Charisma has no real effect on riddles. :smallconfused:

It helps you say half-assed answers that just barely squeeze by as being right.
Also allows you to have a shot of having heard it before.

Gralamin
2008-01-31, 11:40 PM
Possibly it doesn't help much, but I'd consider the following:
-Relating to the author's intentions
-Interpreting poetic (rather than philosophical (Wis) or cryptic(Int)) phrases
-Encouraging all PCs to contribute and cooperate
-Recognizing when another PC is on track
-If there is a riddle-giver, reading their expressions for how close you are. (People like this is why we have to perform double-blind studies)


Charisma (Cha)

Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness.
Charisma has nothing to do with relating to the Author, Poetry, or Recognizing when another PC is on track. Most of those I would attribute to wisdom ("Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition.")

Edit:

It helps you say half-assed answers that just barely squeeze by as being right.
Also allows you to have a shot of having heard it before.
A bluff check is not a valid way of beating a riddle :smalltongue:
And heard it before? That would be a knowledge check, or a bardic knowledge. The only way charisma could help is gather information which takes hours.

Citizen Joe
2008-01-31, 11:40 PM
"What is the speed of blue?" is one of the suggested riddles for the Astrosphinx in Spelljammer. The correct answer is to run away as fast as you can. If you answer incorrectly, it attacks. If you answer correctly, it explodes in a deadly chain lighting doing ridiculous amounts of damage.

This could just as easily be "What is in my pocket?" or other apparently nonsensical tests.

Collin152
2008-01-31, 11:41 PM
"What is the speed of blue?" is one of the suggested riddles for the Astrosphinx in Spelljammer. The correct answer is to run away as fast as you can. If you answer incorrectly, it attacks. If you answer correctly, it explodes in a deadly chain lighting doing ridiculous amounts of damage.

This could just as easily be "What is in my pocket?" or other apparently nonsensical tests.

If a tree falls in a forest, who will win the super bowl ten years from now?

Jack Zander
2008-02-01, 01:28 AM
My favorite riddle is the door with a magic mouth cast upon it which states, "Answer my riddle incorrectly, and the door shall lock forever. [insert any old riddle here]"

The solution is to not say a word and simply walk through the unlocked door.

Talic
2008-02-01, 01:28 AM
The answer to this,
Is strange as can be.
The greater it grows,
The less you see.

Darkness

Round as an apple,
Deep as a cup,
Yet none of the oceans,
Can e'er fill it up.

a Sieve

osyluth
2008-02-01, 01:53 AM
I got some riddles rooms if you want. How to go there, moving objects there, trying not to die... This sort of stuff. Tell me if you want one of these.

Sounds cool. Could you show me one or two?

Caracol
2008-02-01, 10:15 AM
Sounds cool. Could you show me one or two?

First room:
You are in a big circular chamber, with a winding staircase right in the middle. The stairs are blocked by a metallic net that sorrounds them by alla sides. There is no way to broke it.
You notice, along the wall, a strange device, made by 9 square containers, filled by strange triangular stones. A plate explains how it works.
"There are 28 stones.The path will be clear by putting 9 stones in each row of bins, but keeping the middle bin empty. If you put less than nine stones in one row, the path will be closed."
And you notice that if you try to put out from the bin a stone at random, another metal net emerges from the floor and sorrounds the staircase, making now two barriers between you and the stairs. You put the stone back in the bin, and the second net disappears. You continue reading.
"Along the walls there are 4 triangle-shaped holes.Fill them with the one stone each, and a second set of for holes will be opened. Fill them too, and the staircase net will go away, and the path will be clear.
But keep the 9 in each row, or it will be closed again."

MAP (small, sorry) (http://api.ning.com/files/V1mL*dW2oZbsaa9B6oOg0YnnEkjA3ZpxZdS*-CTiXUA_/1st_chamber.bmp?width=300)

There are several ways to rearrange the stones. One of them is for example, this:
252
5#5 is the initial situation,
252

333
3#3 take the first 4 stones,
333

414
1#1 take the other ones.
414

There are some other ways, the important is to keep the number of 9 in each row.

Important: I'm assuming that the players do not have spells or other abilities to pass over this. To be sure, if you want the player to do it without "cheating", put an antimagic field or an impossible Disable Device DC.
This applies also to the other room I will post.

Chronos
2008-02-01, 03:53 PM
My favorite riddle is the door with a magic mouth cast upon it which states, "Answer my riddle incorrectly, and the door shall lock forever. [insert any old riddle here]"

The solution is to not say a word and simply walk through the unlocked door.Tempts Fate (http://www.goblinscomic.com/tf5.html) agrees.

d'Bwobsling
2008-02-01, 05:59 PM
As for puzzles in roleplaying games though, couldn't a person playing a wizard argue that while he/she can't figure out the riddle, their character with an Int of 18 should be able to?

Likewise, shouldn't an intelligent person playing a stupid character be unable to give the correct answer (even if they know it) because their character would not be able to figure it out?

whenever I give a riddle I try to base it off the players inteligence not the characters. It isn't very fun if the parties wizard rolls a 25 and gets a uge hint, or one of the smarter players who's playing a barbarian rolls a five but knows the answer.

Devils_Advocate
2008-02-03, 12:30 AM
I'm smart, but I suck at riddles. I think that I'd be comfortable discounting character intelligence on that basis alone. Maybe the wizard is like me that way, and maybe the barbarian is an idiot savant of some sort. Neither of those things strikes me as terribly implausible.