Riddle me this: How often do you use riddles?

[77IM]

I use riddles as a form of "challenge translation:" that is, turning one sort of challenge into another. For example,
- If the PCs are searching for something or solving a mystery and they say, "Hey, magic exists, let's just consult an oracle," then the oracle will only answer the PCs' questions if they can answer his or her riddles. This makes sense because magic.
- If the PCs are in a trap-room (spiked ceiling descending, filling with water, poison darts, swinging blades, etc.) they can cope with the traps the old-fashioned way, OR they can answer the riddle(s) to disable the trap (or parts of it). This makes sense because it's how the builder of the trap-room is able to safely navigate it.
- Riddles are particularly good on treasure maps, as a way of providing hints and clues. The answer to the riddle makes a portion of the map clearer; without answering the riddle, the party can still follow the map, muddle about, and find the treasure, it's just a bit harder.

The key for me is that riddles are always opt-in. If the players WANT to engage with the riddle, they can, and it replaces some other sort of challenge they'd have to do. If the players would rather skip the riddle, they can just go do something else. This works very well with my DMing style, which is very player-directed and reactive, but it might not fit well with a more story- or plot-oriented DMing style.

 

[Sleepy Walker]

I use them rarely. I try to have at least two ways of getting through any situation, so no impassible magic locks or something. Riddles where that is the only way to pass, or pass without the near impossible odds it otherwise would be, are ones which can drag a session into the mud. I have enough problems getting players to arrive in enough numbers to have the session, so I would rather not drag a 3 room encounter into a 4 hour event of head scratching.

That being said, variety is the spice of life, so having the occasional riddle is a good way to change the mental gears. I find that good riddles are ones where if the player can figure it out they get something utterly non-critical, but useful or fun.