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{{flavour|An intricate puzzlebox containing an unknowable prize. Transforms the user into a riddle-loving sphinx. In this form, they are capable of wearing a cloak and barding, and their melee attacks cause powerful winds to strike their foe which do increased damage for every open space next to them. They are also masterful enchanters, casting Hex spells much more easily and ignoring a portion of their foe's Willpower.

Alas, their love of riddles is so compulsive that even the most hardened adventurer will be unable to resist posing them to new foes they encounter, no matter how unwise this may be.}}

[[File:riddle talisman.png]] A '''riddle talisman''' is a [[talisman]] that turns you into a [[sphinx marauder|sphinx]].

==Useful Info==
When e'''V'''oked, a riddle talisman transforms you into Sphinx Form, which lasts until you end the form. Entering or exiting a form takes 5 turns.

Sphinx Form has the following effects:

'''Offensive traits'''
*Unarmed combat: 3 base damage (no bonus)
*Attacks create an [[airstrike]] on the target, with the damage scaling with Shapeshifting skill:
**Below minimum: (1-4)d11 damage (0 skill) - (1-4)d13 damage (17 skill)
**Above minimum: (1-4)d13 damage (17 skill) - (1-4)d18 damage (25 skill)
**More open spaces adjacent to the target will result in a higher damage dice being used.
*Aid to Hexes: The [[Spell Success#Modifiers|raw failure rate]] of [[Hexes]] is reduced by x66.6% (equivalent to going from 0 -> 2 levels of [[wizardry]], stacking independently with wizardry).
*All enemies have their [[willpower]] effectively lowered by 40 (Will-) for the purposes of your actions, similar to using an [[guile|orb of guile]] without its downside.
*Encountering new enemies will sometimes force you to [[shout]], possibly [[vex]]ing or [[confusing]] foes.

'''Defensive traits'''
*+15% HP
*+7 AC
*Willpower+
*Grants [[flight]].
*[[Barding]]s can be worn, even if this would not be possible normally. This does not apply to [[Felid]]s.

'''Restrictions'''
*'''[[Transformation#Useful Info|Melded Gear]]:''' All armor except bardings and cloaks
*'''Suppressed [[mutation]]s:''' Anatomy

Sphinx Form has a minimum [[Shapeshifting]] skill of 17, below which you get an [[Talisman#Skill|HP penalty]]. The maximum skill for this form is 25.

==Strategy==
The willpower reduction is strong; many monsters have surprisingly low willpower, which makes even low-level hexes like [[Slow]] effective on enemies found later in the game. The buff is not just for spells, as [[wand]]s, [[scrolls of fear]], and [[Lugonu]]'s Banishment can all benefit.

Having to put ~17 levels into Shapeshifting, in addition to Hexes (or another will-related skill) is a lot, especially considering the presence of infinite will enemies. However:
*If it helps clear enemies pre-[[Zot]], it's arguably worth it on its own.
*In places where you need to deal with a lot of infinite will enemies (e.g., [[Zot:5]]), the Shapeshifting skill can be used for another form like [[Dragon Form]].

{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:auto; padding:0; text-align: center"
! Sphinx form || Sphinx form (barding) || Felid || Gargoyle || Gargoyle (barding)
|-
| [[File:Sphinx form.png]] || [[File:Sphinx form barding.png]] || [[File:Sphinx form felid.png]] || [[File:Sphinx form gargoyle.png]] || [[File:Sphinx form gargoyle barding.png]]
|}

==History==
*Riddle talismans were added in [[0.33]].

{{Forms}}

Riddle talisman - Revision history

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