When you cast this spell, you inscribe a glyph that affects other creatures, either upon a surface (such as a table or a section of floor or wall) or within an object that can be closed (such as a book, a scroll, or a Treasure chest) to conceal the glyph. The glyph can cover an area no larger than 10 feet in diameter. If the surface or object is moved more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered.
The glyph is nearly Invisible and requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to be found.
You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or standing on the glyph, removing another object covering the glyph, approaching within a certain distance of the glyph, or manipulating the object on which the glyph is inscribed. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most Common triggers include opening that object, approaching within a certain distance of the object, or seeing or reading the glyph. Once a glyph is triggered, this spell ends.
You can further refine the trigger so the spell activates only under certain circumstances or according to Physical Characteristics (such as height or weight), creature kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect Aberrations or drow), or Alignment. You can also set Conditions for creatures that don’t trigger the glyph, such as those who say a certain password.
When you inscribe the glyph, choose explosive runes or a spell glyph.
My question is whether or not it would be possible to have several Glyphs of Warding with a Hold Person spell fire off to hopefully ensnare a target and then, once the target is paralyzed by Hold Person, have several Explosive Runes fire off one after the other so that the target paralyzed takes a whole boatload of damage they can't save against.
As far as I'm aware, there is no limitation on how many Glyph of Warding can be cast upon a single object/surface.
The real questions that needs to be asked are: what object/surface are you planning on using, and (if an object) do you plan on ever moving that object more than 10 feet from where you originally cast the spell(s)?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The surface would be the ground in and around a house, so no moving unless someone decides to dig a bunch of holes which would probably cause them to fire off anyway depending on who's doing it.
As far as I'm aware, there is no limitation on how many Glyph of Warding can be cast upon a single object/surface.
The real questions that needs to be asked are: what object/surface are you planning on using, and (if an object) do you plan on ever moving that object more than 10 feet from where you originally cast the spell(s)?
Here’s a question...
if I place a glyph Of warding on the ground. Dirt.
can mold earth MOVE my glyph of warding 5 ft?
i assume yes since the spell says it can’t move more than 10 feet.
I would say that mold earth could move a glyph that was carved into dirt, but the caster would have to know about the glyph or it would be physically broken. For me, that would be enough to disarm the glyph, also how I would rule it if it were etched in stone and someone chipped some away. This is just a ruling though, there aren't even explicit rules for what happens if a glyph is physically damaged unless that's part of the trigger.
I think there is no problem having many glyphs, if you have the funds and the time to set them up. But multiple glyphs doesn't inherently achieve your stated goal of Hold Person -> Paralyzed -> explosive rune damage.
For me your main problem is triggering the Glyphs in sequence. The enemy arrives and triggers the Hold Person Glyph(s); maybe they get Paralyzed, maybe not. But either way, what triggers the explosive glyphs? The Glyph of Warding description doesn't call out any option of a time delayed trigger, nor anything so sensitive as to be able to detect the successful completed casting of Hold Person near-by, so what trigger are you proposing to ensure it explodes after the Hold Persons? Perhaps some physical gadgets could be set up to help delay the second trigger? This is now you setting up your own classic dungeon trap.
Your DM might allow it to work, but the RAW text of the spell doesn't get it all done for you.
I think there is no problem having many glyphs, if you have the funds and the time to set them up. But multiple glyphs doesn't inherently achieve your stated goal of Hold Person -> Paralyzed -> explosive rune damage.
For me your main problem is triggering the Glyphs in sequence. The enemy arrives and triggers the Hold Person Glyph(s); maybe they get Paralyzed, maybe not. But either way, what triggers the explosive glyphs? The Glyph of Warding description doesn't call out any option of a time delayed trigger, nor anything so sensitive as to be able to detect the successful completed casting of Hold Person near-by, so what trigger are you proposing to ensure it explodes after the Hold Persons? Perhaps some physical gadgets could be set up to help delay the second trigger? This is now you setting up your own classic dungeon trap.
Your DM might allow it to work, but the RAW text of the spell doesn't get it all done for you.
You actually can do this by having a glyph directly next to it that triggers explosion if glyph next to it triggers hold person.
not effective. And you’d have to guess right or alternate glyphs like a chessboard. But you could do it.
As far as I'm aware, there is no limitation on how many Glyph of Warding can be cast upon a single object/surface.
The real questions that needs to be asked are: what object/surface are you planning on using, and (if an object) do you plan on ever moving that object more than 10 feet from where you originally cast the spell(s)?
Here’s a question...
if I place a glyph Of warding on the ground. Dirt.
can mold earth MOVE my glyph of warding 5 ft?
i assume yes since the spell says it can’t move more than 10 feet.
10 feet from the point of casting, not the physical matter they were cast upon. Casting on the dirt itself would be casting on an object, so yeah the glyph could be moved within that 10 ft radius.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Related question, if I place a glyph of warding, or several, within the pages of a book, would the book register the geolocation of my character as the location the spell was cast or would it consider proximity to me as the location?
Furthermore, if it is the geolocation of whatever plane I'm on at the time, how does that work exactly?
I ask because the Great Wheel style of cosmology is supposed to be in constant motion, which means that I am being moved a fairly sizable distance in cosmological space just in the casting time alone.
Realistically, I'm just trying to use unexpected spell slots on something that could be useful in the future, a decoy spellbook full of exploding runes.
If you can't use the spell in this way, then I'd have to say this spell is objectively worthless based on the extreme limitations and gold cost.
Related question, if I place a glyph of warding, or several, within the pages of a book, would the book register the geolocation of my character as the location the spell was cast or would it consider proximity to me as the location?
Furthermore, if it is the geolocation of whatever plane I'm on at the time, how does that work exactly?
I ask because the Great Wheel style of cosmology is supposed to be in constant motion, which means that I am being moved a fairly sizable distance in cosmological space just in the casting time alone.
Realistically, I'm just trying to use unexpected spell slots on something that could be useful in the future, a decoy spellbook full of exploding runes.
If you can't use the spell in this way, then I'd have to say this spell is objectively worthless based on the extreme limitations and gold cost.
Guidance from Sage Advice generally trends to use the frame of reference of the planet/frame/continent/land mass. If you cast it on a book, then you walk 10ft down the road then you have moved the glyph.
The smallest frame of reference that is suggested as acceptable would be something like a very large ship - like perhaps you could cast a ward on the door to the captain's cabin and then it remains active when the ship sails. I would recommend that to cast a ward on a part of a large vehicle should require an Arcana check to successfully stick - but a ward is never to be used as a mobile weapon, it is just a static trap.
I want to know how to actually cast it into a book so that the book in my inventory is saved in the game as having that spell cast on it, if that is possible in D&D beyond
You put it in the description of the book - the part you can easily show to other players.
Note. The real power of Glyphs of Warding is in combination with the 8th level spell Demiplane.
A cleric 1/Wiz 19 should have a Demiplane of Respite. Inside the Demiplane (30 ft by 30 ft by 30 ft), you have 4 different Glyphs of Warding set up with:
Cure Light Wounds, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Protection From Evil/Good.
Probably a good idea to get a scroll of Greater Restoration and Protection from Poison and load them into two more Glyphs.
When life gets hard, you enter your Demiplane rather than teleporting away. Get healed up, hang out for a while, and Plane shift away.
On multiple glyphs on an object and preparing a Demi plane style charge up room. The PHB says this. So I assume that each glyph has to be on a different target, ie you can’t cast 6 power up spells on a sword triggered by grabbing it FR its wall hanging say.
Combining Magical Effects
The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap. The effects of the same spell cast multiple times don’t combine, however. Instead, the most potent effect — such as the highest bonus — from those castings applies while their durations overlap, or the most recent effect applies if the castings are equally potent and their durations overlap.
For example, if two clerics cast bless on the same target, that character gains the spell’s benefit only once; he or she doesn’t get to roll two bonus dice.
also - the spell says
If the spell requires concentration, it lasts until the end of its full duration.
so does that mean if you glyph paving stones triggered by standing on them and saying “goat soup” you could stack haste, improved invisibility, etc etc all to fire off together when you walk down the corridor speaking the command words as they all last max duration?
On multiple glyphs on an object and preparing a Demi plane style charge up room. The PHB says this. So I assume that each glyph has to be on a different target, ie you can’t cast 6 power up spells on a sword triggered by grabbing it FR its wall hanging say.
Combining Magical Effects
The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap. The effects of the same spell cast multiple times don’t combine, however. Instead, the most potent effect — such as the highest bonus — from those castings applies while their durations overlap, or the most recent effect applies if the castings are equally potent and their durations overlap.
For example, if two clerics cast bless on the same target, that character gains the spell’s benefit only once; he or she doesn’t get to roll two bonus dice.
also - the spell says
If the spell requires concentration, it lasts until the end of its full duration.
so does that mean if you glyph paving stones triggered by standing on them and saying “goat soup” you could stack haste, improved invisibility, etc etc all to fire off together when you walk down the corridor speaking the command words as they all last max duration?
You don't need to walk. It's accepted by absolutely everyone that unless your wizard is an absolute idiot, they can come up with a way to put all the glyphs close enough to each other to work on one spot inside your bag of holding (or similar). Then the wizard ducks inside, activates them all at once, and ducks back out wearing an incredibly large number of buffs.
Hello. Question. For spell glyph option, are you able to cast Holy Weapon onto a weapon, then activate the spell?
The definition says: The spell must target a single creature or an area.
Since Holy Weapon is a touch spell (not targeting a creature or an area), would this spell not be able to be used with Glyph of Warding, or would the touch of the weapon the glyph is on be the "area"?
Also, if it is allowed, are you able to dismiss Holy Weapon with a bonus action after Glyph of Warding has activated the spell on the weapon?
Since Holy Weapon is a touch spell (not targeting a creature or an area), would this spell not be able to be used with Glyph of Warding, or would the touch of the weapon the glyph is on be the "area"?
An area is a square, cube, cone, cylinder, sphere etc., since holy weapon targets a weapon it wouldn't work with glyph of warding.
Though the fact that a flying sword exists means it (very tenuously) could target a single creature, but I'd say only an animated weapon would be capable of triggering the glyph in that case.
So, Glyph of Warding:
When you cast this spell, you inscribe a glyph that affects other creatures, either upon a surface (such as a table or a section of floor or wall) or within an object that can be closed (such as a book, a scroll, or a Treasure chest) to conceal the glyph. The glyph can cover an area no larger than 10 feet in diameter. If the surface or object is moved more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered.
The glyph is nearly Invisible and requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to be found.
You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or standing on the glyph, removing another object covering the glyph, approaching within a certain distance of the glyph, or manipulating the object on which the glyph is inscribed. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most Common triggers include opening that object, approaching within a certain distance of the object, or seeing or reading the glyph. Once a glyph is triggered, this spell ends.
You can further refine the trigger so the spell activates only under certain circumstances or according to Physical Characteristics (such as height or weight), creature kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect Aberrations or drow), or Alignment. You can also set Conditions for creatures that don’t trigger the glyph, such as those who say a certain password.
When you inscribe the glyph, choose explosive runes or a spell glyph.
My question is whether or not it would be possible to have several Glyphs of Warding with a Hold Person spell fire off to hopefully ensnare a target and then, once the target is paralyzed by Hold Person, have several Explosive Runes fire off one after the other so that the target paralyzed takes a whole boatload of damage they can't save against.
Sure, seems possible and valid.
As far as I'm aware, there is no limitation on how many Glyph of Warding can be cast upon a single object/surface.
The real questions that needs to be asked are: what object/surface are you planning on using, and (if an object) do you plan on ever moving that object more than 10 feet from where you originally cast the spell(s)?
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The surface would be the ground in and around a house, so no moving unless someone decides to dig a bunch of holes which would probably cause them to fire off anyway depending on who's doing it.
Here’s a question...
if I place a glyph Of warding on the ground. Dirt.
can mold earth MOVE my glyph of warding 5 ft?
i assume yes since the spell says it can’t move more than 10 feet.
Blank
I would say that mold earth could move a glyph that was carved into dirt, but the caster would have to know about the glyph or it would be physically broken. For me, that would be enough to disarm the glyph, also how I would rule it if it were etched in stone and someone chipped some away. This is just a ruling though, there aren't even explicit rules for what happens if a glyph is physically damaged unless that's part of the trigger.
I think there is no problem having many glyphs, if you have the funds and the time to set them up. But multiple glyphs doesn't inherently achieve your stated goal of Hold Person -> Paralyzed -> explosive rune damage.
For me your main problem is triggering the Glyphs in sequence. The enemy arrives and triggers the Hold Person Glyph(s); maybe they get Paralyzed, maybe not. But either way, what triggers the explosive glyphs? The Glyph of Warding description doesn't call out any option of a time delayed trigger, nor anything so sensitive as to be able to detect the successful completed casting of Hold Person near-by, so what trigger are you proposing to ensure it explodes after the Hold Persons? Perhaps some physical gadgets could be set up to help delay the second trigger? This is now you setting up your own classic dungeon trap.
Your DM might allow it to work, but the RAW text of the spell doesn't get it all done for you.
You actually can do this by having a glyph directly next to it that triggers explosion if glyph next to it triggers hold person.
not effective. And you’d have to guess right or alternate glyphs like a chessboard. But you could do it.
Blank
10 feet from the point of casting, not the physical matter they were cast upon. Casting on the dirt itself would be casting on an object, so yeah the glyph could be moved within that 10 ft radius.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Related question, if I place a glyph of warding, or several, within the pages of a book, would the book register the geolocation of my character as the location the spell was cast or would it consider proximity to me as the location?
Furthermore, if it is the geolocation of whatever plane I'm on at the time, how does that work exactly?
I ask because the Great Wheel style of cosmology is supposed to be in constant motion, which means that I am being moved a fairly sizable distance in cosmological space just in the casting time alone.
Realistically, I'm just trying to use unexpected spell slots on something that could be useful in the future, a decoy spellbook full of exploding runes.
If you can't use the spell in this way, then I'd have to say this spell is objectively worthless based on the extreme limitations and gold cost.
Guidance from Sage Advice generally trends to use the frame of reference of the planet/frame/continent/land mass. If you cast it on a book, then you walk 10ft down the road then you have moved the glyph.
The smallest frame of reference that is suggested as acceptable would be something like a very large ship - like perhaps you could cast a ward on the door to the captain's cabin and then it remains active when the ship sails. I would recommend that to cast a ward on a part of a large vehicle should require an Arcana check to successfully stick - but a ward is never to be used as a mobile weapon, it is just a static trap.
I want to know how to actually cast it into a book so that the book in my inventory is saved in the game as having that spell cast on it, if that is possible in D&D beyond
You put it in the description of the book - the part you can easily show to other players.
Note. The real power of Glyphs of Warding is in combination with the 8th level spell Demiplane.
A cleric 1/Wiz 19 should have a Demiplane of Respite. Inside the Demiplane (30 ft by 30 ft by 30 ft), you have 4 different Glyphs of Warding set up with:
Cure Light Wounds, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic, Protection From Evil/Good.
Probably a good idea to get a scroll of Greater Restoration and Protection from Poison and load them into two more Glyphs.
When life gets hard, you enter your Demiplane rather than teleporting away. Get healed up, hang out for a while, and Plane shift away.
On multiple glyphs on an object and preparing a Demi plane style charge up room. The PHB says this. So I assume that each glyph has to be on a different target, ie you can’t cast 6 power up spells on a sword triggered by grabbing it FR its wall hanging say.
also - the spell says
so does that mean if you glyph paving stones triggered by standing on them and saying “goat soup” you could stack haste, improved invisibility, etc etc all to fire off together when you walk down the corridor speaking the command words as they all last max duration?
Life's hard - get a helmet!
You don't need to walk. It's accepted by absolutely everyone that unless your wizard is an absolute idiot, they can come up with a way to put all the glyphs close enough to each other to work on one spot inside your bag of holding (or similar). Then the wizard ducks inside, activates them all at once, and ducks back out wearing an incredibly large number of buffs.
Hello. Question. For spell glyph option, are you able to cast Holy Weapon onto a weapon, then activate the spell?
The definition says: The spell must target a single creature or an area.
Since Holy Weapon is a touch spell (not targeting a creature or an area), would this spell not be able to be used with Glyph of Warding, or would the touch of the weapon the glyph is on be the "area"?
Also, if it is allowed, are you able to dismiss Holy Weapon with a bonus action after Glyph of Warding has activated the spell on the weapon?
An area is a square, cube, cone, cylinder, sphere etc., since holy weapon targets a weapon it wouldn't work with glyph of warding.
Though the fact that a flying sword exists means it (very tenuously) could target a single creature, but I'd say only an animated weapon would be capable of triggering the glyph in that case.
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Thanks. That's what I thought.