The Quest’s Quests: Oblique Strategies

Quest's Quests
Written By Vincent Tanforan

Oblique Strategies is a series of cards designed by artists Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt to provide inspiration and instigation in creative endeavors. All of the original Oblique Strategies (and some added in later editions) are available as an online generator at https://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html. Interpret one strategy in light of your situation, or refresh the generator until you notice patterns in the suggestions like 4D tarot. Follow suit at your own discretion. 


  1. Be less critical more often

  2. Retrace your steps

  3. Put in earplugs

  4. Be extravagant

  5. What are you really thinking about just now?

  6. Into the impossible

  7. Bridges: build / burn

  8. Ask your body

  9. Fill every beat with something

  10. Breathe more deeply

  11. Don’t be afraid of things because they’re easy to do

  12. Go to an extreme, move back to a more comfortable place

  13. Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them

  14. Get your neck massaged

  15. Don’t break the silence

  16. Use an unacceptable color

  17. Don’t stress one thing more than another

  18. Ask people to work against their better judgment

  19. Do something boring

  20. Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency

Vincent Tanforan

is a Quest Editor and a junior History/Literature major. He is passionate about writing, covering news and feature topics for the Quest, alongside creative fiction in his personal endeavors. When he's not rotting in the library basement, you can find him blasting obscure industrial music in KRRC or walking through Eastmoreland after dark.

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