When you cast this spell, you inscribe a glyph that later unleashes a magical effect. You inscribe it either on 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.
Explosive Runes. When triggered, the glyph erupts with magical energy in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the glyph. The sphere spreads around corners. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 5d8 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage on a failed saving throw (your choice when you create the glyph), or half as much damage on a successful one.
Spell Glyph. You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph. The spell must target a single creature or an area. The spell being stored has no immediate effect when cast in this way. When the glyph is triggered, the stored spell is cast. If the spell has a target, it targets the creature that triggered the glyph. If the spell affects an area, the area is centered on that creature. If the spell summons hostile creatures or creates harmful objects or traps, they appear as close as possible to the intruder and attack it. If the spell requires concentration, it lasts until the end of its full duration.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage of an explosive runes glyph increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3rd. If you create a spell glyph, you can store any spell of up to the same level as the slot you use for the glyph of warding.
* - (incense and powdered diamond worth at least 200 gp, which the spell consumes)
with this spell, you can get around only being able to concentrate on one spell at a time.
If you know, where a fight is going to happen, and have time to prepare, or you know demiplane or a similar spell, you can (if you have the money) put yourself under as many concentration spells as you want.
You can also combine to glyphs with the same trigger for an automatic wall of force & sickening radiance death trap
Great trap for the bbeg's lair
Hallooo, Pectis. I actually was still wondering about this, and I like it a lot! So the Magic Mouth spell gives you audio (10 gp apiece, mobile), and the Programmed Illusion spell gives you audio & video (no consumed components, 10 minute delay between performances, location-based). Then Glyph of Warding grants the machine more complex interactions with the world (200 gp apiece, one-time use, tethered to a location), and Symbol can give you more unique security features... I'm excited >:D
(Shout out to DIemortalscum for mentioning Programmed Illusion:)
It is such a shame that warlocks don't get this. It would combo beautifully with the genie patron warlocks vessel. You could make buff glyphs in your vessel, and once per day use it to have multiple concentration buffs going.
Is it possible to use spell glyph and store a 9th level spell with it? It says you can store a spell up to the level of the spell slot you used for the glyph but not sure its possible cause when i looked up wizard spell slots they only get up to one 9th level spell slot. [Never played D&D before, just now looking into it]
Two Glyphs of Warding:
One has Force Cage, one has Sickening Radiance and a boss now has a kill room.
Create many glyphs set to be triggered if any nearby glyphs go off, then have a handful that have specific triggers such as, death of glyph caster, trigger word, if any glyph is dispelled within range, exc exc. Combine this with a clone spell and you would have to be very clever about it to live through the encounter. Also obviously combine this with normal protection measures such as hollow, arcane lock, guards and wards. The glyphs would be rather annoying to replace but worth it in long run to stay alive. Also anyone know a glyphs triggers detection range? Because it could totally be used for early detection of enemys . Example a glyph to warn if a dangerous creature escapes imprisonment so you would have time to prepare based on distance from the creatures prison
Can cantrips be stored? , also if you store mage hand would it only be able to attack or would you be able to set it to move objects?
If you move 10 feet then you trigger the spell. Because you triggered the glyph. It’s impossible to put a glyph on something or someone and be able tO move more then 10ft from that spot with out triggering the clause the glyph is broken and therefor a waste of two spell slots.
If it didn’t have a 10 foot reach I could cast a fire rune on ballista bolts and explode everything!
When storing a spell at higher levels, do you spend the spell slot for G.O.W. and another slot for the stored spell? I.e. to store a 5th level spell in the glyph, would 2 5th level slots need to be spent?
Id imagine this could work with a bag of holding or similar, considering it is an extradimensional space, aka its own demiplane of existence, the object wouldnt necessarily be moving while traveling. Though id personally rule it to trigger as soon as its out of the extradimensional space. Casting a buff spell for instance on a piece of paper and putting it in the bag, then taking it out of the bag when you need it could be extremely useful.
This would maybe have to take into account the "movement" from space to the plane or vice versa as potential movement, it would really depend on your DMs generosity.
Says the glyph can't cover more than a 10 goot diameter, so, we've a maximum size, but what of a minimum size?
A Spell Glyph of Guards and Wards could be quite an intriguing security system. Dungeon's a lot worse to leave than enter...
Or a Geass Glyph that, say, compells a dungeon delver to refrain from being within 10 feet of whatever item the glyph was placed on, trigger being the item being moved 10 feet from where the glyph was cast, the distance limit before the glyph breaks from being moved too far.
because it says "If the surface or OBJECT" you could cast it on yourself yes but you couldnt move more than ten feat because the part where it says surface or object so even if you arnt an object you are a surface
What if I glyph of exploding on a small price of paper and out it into a mini cupcake. And offer said cupcake to a target at a bazaar. Having prepared the glyph at the seller stall. If they ingest the cupcake and glyph then boom. Without walking away with it of course.
So, a simple question:
For a Spell Glyph, do I expend a separate slot for the spell put in the glyph, I. E. Spell Glyph of Bestow Curse costs 2 3rd level slots, one for Glyph and one for Bestow, or do the two "share" a spell slot, essentially, 1 3rd level slot for both Bestow Curse and for Glyph of Warding?
If it would be double spell slots, could one use, say, a scroll, spellwrought tattoo, ring of spellstoring, ect. that has the spell they want instead?
When casting a spell glyph, you cast "glyph of warding" and then you cast "Bestow Curse" to put "Bestow Curse" in the glyph,so long as those other items say that you "cast" that spell, you can use it instead of casting via your own spell slots.
"You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph." (emphasis mine)
It is tricky, cause it depends on what your DM considers to be a "prepared" spell, so talk to your DM first.
I, personally, for now (until someone provides me with a different valid viewpoint), would only allow the spells to be prepared (for the purpose of casting GoW) from the casters own spell slots, not from magic items, as the info I have on that stems from the interpretation of some entries in the PHB on preparing spells.
First of all, sorry for the late reply/replies. :) In most circumstances, you cannot cast two 9th level spells as a 17th level (and above) spellcaster able to cast 9th level spells only has one 9th spell slot at a time, however, if you can say have a boon that grants you two 9th level spell slots or have some other means to cast a 9th level GoW while retaining a 9th level spell slot needed for the casting of the spell to be stored in the GoW, then yes. However, some DMs allow the spells that need to be prepared for the casting of GoW to be cast from a magic item, but based on what I read thus far that would not work. But still, talk to your DM and see.
Yes, cantrips can be stored in the glyph, as they are of a lower level (level 0) than the ones mentioned in the GoW description, provided that they satisfy the other GoW description requirements.
The GoW description also states: "The spell must target a single creature or an area.", so creating a Mage Hand would not fit that description, as it is not an area of effect spell, nor does it target a single creature at its casting and also, while we are at it, Mage hand cannot be used to attack as per its description, although there are some clever ways to circumvent that.
You can't move the item more than 10 feet though