======Riddle Enemy====== {{:patterns:riddleenemy-planescape.png?direct}} [[games:planescape|Planescape: Torment]], Cassius gives the option of fighting with strength or wits ([[http://shrines.rpgclassics.com/pc/planescape/curst_prison.shtml|image source]]) =====Description===== A riddle enemy is one who must be overcome through a battle of wits, in the form of solving riddles or answering trivia questions. Riddle enemies are rarely aggressive, even when attacked. Punishment for a wrong answer, however, is often a loss of hit points or abilities. ===== Variables ===== * **Type**: whether the quiz is trivia (real-world vs. story-based) or riddles * **Reward**: the reward for winning the encounter * **Punishment**: the punishment for answering incorrectly * **Optional vs. Non-optional**: whether the player can bypass the riddles, either through ignoring the enemy or by engaging in combat instead =====Examples===== * [[games:planescape|Planescape Torment]]. The jailkeeper at the prison in Curst offers the player the option of fighting him with strength, wits, or speed. Choosing the "wits" option initiates a series of riddles that the player must answer correctly. * [[games:marvel-ua|Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]. The boss MODOK requires the player to answer a series of trivia questions (requiring [[patterns:moxie_action|real-world knowledge]]). Failure to answer correctly results in a loss of hitpoints for the player. After completing the trivia questions, the player must still engage in a [[patterns:boss_battle|boss battle]] with MODOK. * [[games:bg2|Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn]]. A room in the Spellhold dungeon is full of stone faces. Each time a face is touched, the player is transported to a statue in the center of the room, who asks the player a riddle. An incorrect answer is punished with hitpoint loss; all riddles must be answered correctly to progress through the dungeon. =====Related Patterns===== * [[patterns:puzzle|Puzzle]]. Riddle enemies are closely related to puzzle rooms, which are more environmental in nature. Some puzzle rooms require the player to answer riddles, such as a room in [[games:bg2|Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn]] where the player must answer riddles associated with statues by placing the item that symbolizes the riddle's answer in the statue. =====Quest-Level Relationships===== * [[patterns:altering_side_stub|Altering Side Stub]]. Can act as a alternate solution to the quest {{tag>level:EnemyEncounter games:bg2 games:marvel-ua games:planescape}}