This article details the many challenges that have been present over the seven series of Raven, the children's game show series.
The many tasks and feats in which the warriors have to compete vary from series to series, some having been tweaked over time, and some only used in certain series. They test a variety of virtues, such as strength, agility, and teamwork, depending on the challenge. Warriors play games to win treasure rings, and should they fail the challenge, they lose one of their lives; and from Series 4 onwards, they also forfeit any rings gained playing the challenge.
Though some challenges test multiple virtues, such as teamwork and speed or strength and speed together, they have been grouped into the virtue that mosts closely represents them. The numbers in bold next to each challenge show the series that featured this challenge.
First Challenges
These challenges are the first played in each week, and introduce the warriors to their emblems. Usually, no lives are lost for the warrior placing last.
Hunt For The Standard: 1
Each warrior must follow a path through the forest formed by markers corresponding to their warrior colour in order to find their standard within a time limit. Unlike other first challenges, if they do not return with the standard in time, a life is lost.
Warrior's Gate: 5 · 6
The six warriors of the quest have to pull a canister up a rope to the top of some battlements, whereupon their standard will unfurl. Three, two and one rings are awarded to the first, second and third warriors, respectively. Played at the beginning of the week, no warriors will lose a life.
Warrior's Race: 7 · 8
The six warriors of the quest must race in canoes to the bank of the loch, where they must pull down their standard to reveal their emblem. Three, two and one rings are awarded to the first, second and third warriors, respectively. Played at the beginning of the week, no warriors will lose a life.
Speed
Battle of the Boats: 5 · 6 · 7
The warriors race in canoes to the opposite side of the loch, where two floating rings await the two fastest warriors; the loser loses a life. As there is no penalty for falling into the water, the challenge often resulted in warriors jumping into the water from their boats near to the floating rings - the fastest way to beat their fellow warriors should they paddle off-target towards the end. In series 7, teamwork is also key as two teams of three race to get three rings and avoid the floating demons, which if hit, will cost them a life.
Blasted Mountain: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
The warriors must assemble stones; the first series saw the warriors pulling sleds of stones towards them and building a totem; everyone stands behind the winner's totem to protect themselves from the demon's breath, with the winner and the first to pull up the sled gaining a life. From series two to four, a nearby volcano's fire would eliminate any warrior who did not construct the totem before the time ran out, with the survivors gaining a ring. From series five, the time limit was reduced, and shields were built with a pattern on the front to protect the warrior.
From series 7, on the final day, Raven explains that the warriors go underneath the mountain to attempt a set of challenges, rather than go around it by playing Blasted Mountain, as in previous quests. Once the final days' underground challenges are complete, the warriors emerge outside at the other side of the mountain to travel to the Last Stand.
Dark Path: 2 · 3 · 4
Two blindfolded contestants compete to be the first to get a ring on a post; they must follow their vine through Long Shadow Forest, until they come to the post with the ring on top. The vine they are following may be either the wrong path, represented with a skull hanging from it, or the correct path with a ring on it. Going beyond a skull will cause a demon to attack, and releasing the vine with two hands or losing the race to the final ring results in a life lost.
Dragon's Roost: 2 · 3
The warriors race in pairs, and attempt to climb up a huge climbing frame. Rings may be collected on the way up, but if a warrior does not get to the final ring, or falls, they lose a life.
Enchanted Stream: 3 · 4
Each warrior races against a partner to piece together a bridge across the stream and reach the rings on the other side. The warrior who loses the race is consumed by the mists of the Enchanted Stream and must lose a life.
Pole Climb: 4 · 5
The warriors must climb up tall poles which have rings hanging near the sides. Warriors may collect rings on the climb up; the warrior who gets the top set of rings keeps their lives, whilst the losing warrior forfeits a life.
Raft Race: 8
Two teams of three warriors race to build a raft at the side of the loch, and when it is constructed, paddle to a set of rings on a platform out on the loch. The first team to reach the rings wins, whilst the warriors on the other team each lose a life.
Raven's Rock: 8
The two warriors in last place perform an abseiling challenge down a cliff face, and collect rings on the way. The first warrior to collect the final ring at the base of the cliff wins the three rings they have collected, whilst the losing warrior forfeits a life, and ultimately, must face the Way of the Warrior.
Ring Rock: 3
Two warriors go face-to-face to fix a rock with a mythical picture on it. Pieces of the pictures are on the floor and they must fix them together into the square frame. The first warrior to win the race takes the gold ring from the centre, the loser must lose a life.
Ring Climb: 2
The warriors race in pairs, climbing up a long string of rope rings to grab a golden treasure ring at the top. The winner keeps the ring, whilst the loser forfeits a life, as do any warriors falling from the rope.
Spider's Web: 7
Two warriors must climb the vertical spider's web, collecting rings on the way. The first reach the highest ring wins the challenge; the loser forfeits a life.
Stone Bridge: 7
Two warriors race to reach the ring on a pedestal in the centre of the loch, and must use a plank of wood to cross stepping stones that are otherwise too far apart to reach. The first warrior to reach the ring wins, with the loser forfeiting a life; if a warrior falls into the water, they will also suffer this fate.
Stone Soldiers: 7
Played beneath the Blasted Mountain, a demon blocks the path for each warrior, and must be vanquished by reassembling the warrior statue in front of them, petrified from battles waged centuries ago. The first warrior to do so wins a ring, whilst the remaining two will lose a life.
Strength
Balance Beam: 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
The two leading warriors choose a weapon each from the 'weapons rack' - a sceptor, war hammer, triangular mace or regular mace - then try to knock each other off while sitting on a large horizontal beam. The winning warrior gains a ring, then stays on to fight the person who is third, and so on, until all warriors have fought; falling warriors forfeit a life, winners receive rings. In series five, there are three battles between the two leading warriors, the two middle warriors and the two losing warriors.
Deep Loch: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
The warriors must jump into the deep loch and swim to the other side. Rings are won by the first warriors to complete the challenge, with a life lost for anyone who fails to make the swim (or if Raven had to assist) and, in later series, for the warrior who comes last. The number of rings has changed between series: for series 2 and from series 5 onwards, there were 3 rings for the first warrior, 2 for the second and 1 for the third, whilst in series 3, the fourth and fifth warriors also gained a ring. In series 4, as five warriors take part, the first gained four rings, the second gained three, and so on, to the penultimate warrior gaining one; series 7 also saw the challenge being taken up by only five warriors.
Long Staff: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
Similar to the Balance Beam, with the warriors fighting on two floating platforms in the loch or on two tall towers, using staff like weapons. Up to series four, the victor remained to fight the next opponent; after this it became three fights between two warriors. The victor gains a gold ring, with the falling warriors losing a life.
Ring Rack: 6 · 7 · 8
Two warriors must pull a rope towards themselves so that the rack swings to their rings; if the opponent is stronger, the rack will swing towards their rings. The challenge is over when both rings are collected by one warrior. The losing warrior also loses a life. In series 8, the two warriors had to pull to knock skulls from posts to reveal their rings.
Swinging Ball: 2
The warriors swing a giant ball trying to knock each other off the towers. The warrior who falls loses a life, with the winner facing the next warrior, until all the warriors have played the challenge.
Treasure Ring: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7
Two warriors sit in coracles, each with a long rope that are attached to the bank and a chest with a gold ring on top. They must use their rope to pull themselves towards the treasure ring before their opponent; whoever fails to reach the ring before their fellow warrior must forfeit a life. The game is usually played with six warriors - two different warriors for three races.
Wrestling Ring: 7
Upon a small platform above the loch, two warriors are equipped with wrestling pads on their hands and must attempt to push their opponent into the loch. The loser will lose a life, with the winner gaining a ring.
Agility
Boulder Run: 7
Played beneath the Blasted Mountain, the warrior must push a boulder along a narrow passageway, avoiding impassable routes and dropping rocks from above. Collecting the first ring attached to the side of the passageway, or rolling the boulder past the ring without picking it up, will wake a demon behind them, who will push their own rock and attempt to catch the warrior. At the end of the passageway, the boulder must be pushed into a hole and open a door for the warrior to escape.
Dead Man's Gorge: 8
Each warrior takes it in turn to leap from the banks of the gorge to pick up the first ring, and must then float down the river to pick up two further rings that hang above them. If they do not pick up any rings, the demon on the bank at the end of the river will take them, and they will lose a life.
Nevar's Eye: 5 · 6
Two warriors are blindfolded to avoid the gaze of Nevar's blinding eye, and given a stick to feel their way along a path of stepping stones. The first warrior to grasp the rings on the plinth at the end of the path wins, but if they stand on the ground, are touched by one of the two demons walking endlessly back and forth across set points on the path, or are beaten to the ring by their opponent, they will lose a life.
Stepping Stones: 1 · 2 · 5 · 6
The warriors must jump across a series of unstable floating stones strung across a river. In series 1, the warriors cross one of two routes of stones, and jump through a hoop at the far end, giving them a ring; falling off loses the warrior a life. In series 2, pairs of warriors (from the leading two to the last two) race against each other over the stones to the hoop and, after diving through, must swim to the floating ring. The warrior who grabs it first wins the ring, whilst the losing warrior - or any warrior who falls off the stones - forfeits a life. In series 5 and 6 the warriors take it in turns to cross a river with a single path of stones over it; making it to the other side of the river earns two gold rings, whilst falling in means the loss of a life.
The Circle: 1
Two warriors compete against each other in this challenge. They must attempt to toss small bags of chalk at the black cloaks on their opponent's upper body, whilst defending against attack with a small shield. They must remain in their own semicircular area, or else a life is lost. After three bags have been tossed by each warrior, the warrior with the most hits scored earns a ring, whilst the other warrior loses a life. In the case of a tie, the warrior to score the next hit is declared the winner. In the first week, the warriors were split into two teams of three, and the winning team all won rings; from the second week, it became an individual challenge, with the winning warrior staying on to face the next opponent.
The Chasm: 7
Played beneath the Blasted Mountain, the warriors must traverse a narrow beam across a chasm, avoiding the boulders that swing at various points along the beam. As the warrior comes closer to the end of the beam, it begins to sway more forcefully. Two rings hang above and slightly to the side of the beam, should the warriors choose to collect them, but they must be careful not to pull too hard to release the ring, as this will affect their balance.
The Eyeless Demons: 1 · 2 · 4
Two warriors, each carrying a pole with chimes at either end, must race to a ring without being heard by the blind demons, each equipped with a either a battleaxe or a death staff. If the warrior is touched by the demons' weapons, steps outside the rope, or fails to collect the ring before their opponent, they will lose a life. Series 4 altered the challenge, as each warrior carries a stick with hooks on, and skulls on the sides of the path that contained rings now had the chimes attached, with the race being to the final skull; warriors who lost would keep the rings they collected.
Wizard's Maze: 2 · 3 · 4 · 5
Taking place in the Wizard's Tower, the two leading warriors (occasionally the two losing warriors) must manoeuvre a long pole with four hooks on it through a complex upright maze, collecting small bowls of dragon's blood, and be the first to get to the end without spilling a drop. Series 5 saw only two bowls being used.
Courage
Cliff Face: 7
The warriors take it in turns to climb up a cliff collecting three gold rings. On collecting the first ring, a demon appears and climbs after them. If they fall, or get caught by the demon, they lose a life.
High Walk: 1 · 2 · 3 · 7
The warriors take it in turns to climb a very tall tree wearing harnesses, and walk along a beam, collecting four rings as they go. They must place their hand against the red hand print on the far tree to complete the challenge. In the first series, rather than rings, the warriors had to collect three keys (four in the final week) to open a portal to the next challenge. The third series introduced a short block in the centre of the beam that the warriors had to walk over, whilst the seventh series changed this to a see-saw that had to be crossed carefully.
High Rope: 5 · 6
On the fourth or fifth day, the warriors cross a rope suspended from a tree to earn three rings.
Leap of Faith: 1 · 2 · 3 ·4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
The harnessed warriors take it in turns to climb to the top of a tall tree and jump, trying to catch the gold rings dangling from above. If a warrior is not brave enough to jump, they are returned to the ground by Raven, and must lose a life. With one or two rings close to the platform and two or three more further away, it is up to the warriors to gauge how far they can jump (however, in series 7, the three rings are all dangling from the same skull). In series four, warriors climbed a tall pole rather than a tree, and falling meant a life was lost. In the first series, they were helped down by Raven.
Loch Leap: 7
The warriors must take a running jump up a ramp suspended above the loch, and leap off into the water to grab rings; one is close to the ramp, two are further away. If no rings are collected, a life is lost.
Teamwork
Battering Ram: 5 · 6 · 7
On the first or second day, two teams of three warriors must break a gate, on the other side of which are rings. However, the battering rams are some distance away from the team's gate, and must use logs which support the ram to get it closer. Warriors can also climb onto the ram to collect rings which hang over the warriors' heads. The first team to break down the gate earn gold rings, while the members of the other team lose a life.
Demon Army: 7 · 8
An advancing army of five demons must be hit with rocks fired from a catapult to vanquish them. Two warriors hold the ends of the rope catapult, whilst one aims and fires. In addition, one demon dressed in black robes can regenerate when hit. The team of warriors must vanquish all demons before they reach the ring pedestal in front of the warriors.
Dwarf Mine: 4 · 5 · 6
The two leading warriors go into a cave supported by pillars; one warrior reads symbols at the back of the cave, describing them to the other warrior, who must then push the support with the same symbol on it. If they do, they get a ring, with four rings in total. If three false supports are pushed, or time runs out, the warriors will be trapped inside, losing a life. Considered a difficult challenge, few warriors have completed it; they are Kinsa and Wilga, Linma and Darna, and Nejad and Tezan.
Giant Shield: 1
Taking place in Raven's Lair, three warriors work together to guide a silver orb through a large, circular maze to the centre, making sure that the orb does not fall down any of the holes in the board. If they cannot guide it to the centre in time, they will each lose a life; success will win each warrior a gold ring.
Millstone Towers: 3 · 4 · 5
Two teams of three must bring three millstones through three sets of pillars and place them into a stand, one on top of the other, then climb the millstones and pull a lever, turning the demon blocking their path to ash; this also produces a ring for each warrior. If the warriors knock a pillar during the challenge, and the dragon's egg on top falls off, the team will be paralysed for 15 seconds, giving the other team an advantage. Series 5 instead used skulls on the pillars.
Puzzle Stack: 8
Two teams of three work to pull in a set of puzzle pieces attached to rope and floating in the loch. They then assemble them into the correct orientations before climbing on them to reach a set of rings that dangle overhead. The first team to reach the rings wins, whilst the members of the other team lose a life each.
Snake Pit: 4
The warriors split into two teams and must pass across an area of ground with snakes in it. Each team has three planks to use and must use them at all times, even if one warrior is eliminated by touching the ground and is eliminated from the game. Any remaining members of the team that lose the race across the pit must also lose a life.
Spider's Tunnel: 1 · 2 · 3
Two warriors must climb through a series of giant spider webs in a cave, seeking holes through which they can fit, collecting rings and making it out before the time is up. The warriors are roped together, so they must ensure that they go through the same holes in the spider's web and do not get tangled up.
Spider's Wood: 6
Three warriors must negotiate a giant spider's web collecting rings; any dropped rings are lost. If they touch any webs, or are too slow, they lose a life.
The Gorge: 7
Two warriors work together to match symbols, one warrior working in a gorge reading the symbol, and one on the bank matching against three potential symbols written on skulls. Once the skull is identified, the warriors must fill a bucket with water from the gorge. The water is used to fill the skull and retrieve the ring which floats to the surface. They must work with speed, as a demon advances forward, attempting to catch the gorge warrior.
Thrall Demons: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
Taking place in the Wizard's Tower, the leading warrior is blindfolded and another warrior (chosen by the leader) must verbally guide them through a maze of strings, which are strung across the chamber. Attached to some strings are bells, and the warrior must make it through without disturbing the inactive demons by snagging the strings. If they complete the task, the leader gets three rings, and can choose how to divide them up between themselves and their helper. In the first series, the challenge was played by the final three warriors, who were guided through by Raven himself to the single ring at the end - though he turned away and did not look in their direction, merely speaking the path from memory; it was up to the individual warriors to follow his instructions exactly.
Thrall Forest: 8
Similar to Thrall Demons, but takes place outside; the guide, who is the warrior in second place, stands on a platform at the entrance to the thrall threads and must direct the blindfolded leading warrior through the maze of threads to collect the rings.
Torture Chamber: 5 · 6
Two warriors enter the wizard's tower, one given a pole and the other a net. They must manoeuvre them round a maze to unhook rings. The gates holding demons back are continually opening, and if they fail to get out before the gates open, the demons will take them.
Tower Build: 4 · 5 · 6 · 7
Two teams of two warriors each compete to build a tower out of blocks in order to reach two rings positioned high above the towers. One warrior stays on top of the tower as it is being built, whilst the other passes blocks up to them. The winners are the first to reach the rings, with the team members losing a life if the tower falls, a warrior falls from it, or the other team reaches the ring before them.
Troll Trap: 3
Inside a cage at the far end, there are three gold rings suspended from the top of the cage; the floor of the cage is pressure-sensitive and will close the door if touched. In teams of three, two of the warriors must manoeuvre a lance from outside for the third warrior inside to stand on. Whilst the lance is being moved this warrior must hang from vines connected to the top of the cage. If either the warrior or the lance touches the floor the trap will spring shut. Once the gold rings have been collected the team have a limited time to get the warrior out or the trap will spring shut. Considered a difficult challenge.
Water Demon: 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
A warrior must row in a small coracle into a lake, grab a ring from a small platform and race back before the water demon guarding the ring catches them. For extra help, two other warriors must pull the third warrior onto shore. In later series, the warriors walked out along a walkway to get rings; as soon as the rings are taken, the walkway disappears and the warrior must climb into a coracle, with two other warriors on the shore pulling the warrior back to safety before a demon in a canoe catches them.
Wisdom
Dead Man's Vault: 6
The two leading warriors must manipulate sticks of metal placed in a cage to cover up gaps, giving a path to a golden ball. If this reaches the bottom, the vault will open to reveal the rings inside.
Demon Causeway: 4
Three warriors must pass two demons in a chess-like game, played on a 7x7 board, set at a 90 degree angle. The warriors can move one square in any direction while the demons can only move one square forwards or sideways. Landing on certain squares will gain them a treasure ring. They must get to the gold square at the end without the demons moving onto their square, and so removing them from the game. Considered a difficult challenge, it often resulted in all remaining warriors losing a life.
Demon Square: 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
Voiced by: Gareth Thomas
A wisdom tree makes statements which are true or false, and the warriors must choose whether to step onto the white path - true - or the black/red path - false. If they are right they can take a step forward, if they are wrong they remain where they are. A demon on each path behind them moves forward regardless after every question; two wrong answers and the demon will catch them, losing them a life. Reaching the tree produces a ring.
Gold Rush: 3
Taking place in the Wizard's Tower, the warriors must piece together a jigsaw style path to make it to the other side of a room. They compete against two other warriors and the warrior who completes the path across first gains a ring. If a warrior doesn't come first (first round stages) or comes third (final round), or touches the ground, they lose a life.
Old Troll: 1
Warriors take it in turn to solve a riddle given by the old troll at his house, answering on chalk and slate, and handing it in at the door. Taking the slate, the troll will give a single ring if successful; if they fail, a life is lost and they must pull their hand away from the troll, who will try and grab them. In the last week, even though every warrior correctly answered the riddle, the old troll gave extra "prizes" as well as a ring - Intho received an armful of porridge, Hadan an armful of tar and feathers, and Lamar a smattering of slime. Halei's ring had a wet fish stuck through it.
Riddle Bridge: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 . 8
Voiced by: Gayanne Potter
A pair of warriors must solve a riddle posed by an enchanted book, one at the book and one stepping onto lettered squares that spell out the answer before Raven's hourglass runs out. This challenge was found in the Vale of Dunan in series 1, and was called the Riddle Path.
Riddle of the Portal: 1
Situated at the Dark Pools, in this final challenge Raven determines the two warriors that go to the final week. There is a portal with a riddle on the top of it. One word in the riddle is the answer, and the warrior must whisper into the 'listening rock' what their answer is. If the portal opens, they will step through into the final; the leading warrior goes first. For example, 'answer with wisdom and step through here'; the answer was the word 'wisdom' itself.
Skull Cage: 7 · 8
A large brass cage contains one bronze, one silver, and three red skulls, which rest on a number of poles that cross the cage in different directions. Two warriors must take turns to pull a pole from the cage so that their skull reaches the floor of the cage to win a ring. Knocking a red skull to the floor will instead cost them a life.
Accuracy
Burning Battlements: 2 · 3 · 5 · 6
The warrior must put out three continually burning flames breathed onto the battlements by a dragon, using a catapult and ice balls, within the time limit. If a warrior fails to extinguish any of the fires, they lose a life.
Fire Demon: 2 · 6
Played on the first and final day respectively, the warriors are equipped with an ice staff and, blindfolded, they must attempt to put out a floating, burning ball controlled by a demon, by listening closely and hitting it with the staff.
Fire Water: 7
Warriors must use a catapult to fire rocks across the loch and hit the floating, stationary target, within the time limit. It will explode on impact, and provide the warrior a ring; failure to hit it at all will result in a life being lost.
Lava Pit: 7
Played beneath the Blasted Mountain, a large pit of lava holds a central island piled with skulls of three different colours. The warriors must hook the skulls, using a long rod, through a hole above the eye sockets, and place the skull on ledges surrounding the door behind them. To open their door and allow their escape, ten skulls must be positioned in total; the first warrior to do so gains two rings, whilst the other two perish, and must lose a life.
Serpent's Eye: 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
An archery tournament, with black targets and a red serpent's body around the outside, the head at the top, and a green oval in the centre. Each warriors gets three shots. If they hit the green oval, they obtain two gold rings; the black yields no consequences. Failing to hit the target after three attempts, and from series 4, hitting the red serpent, means a lost life. In addition, from series four, warriors only get one gold ring for each time they hit the target.
Target Run: 7
Warriors take it in turns to use a crossbow to fire arrows in an attempt to hit a black, spherical, and horizontally-moving target which appears when Raven throws a rock in its direction. Each of the three targets they hit wins them a ring, and failing to hit a single target loses that warrior a life.
Zip Line: 6
The warriors are attached to a zip-line so that they 'fly' along a line, attempting to collect rings on the poles that they are carrying. Warriors lose a life if they spear no rings.
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