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)
Now this would take many hours of preparation to pull off... But... What if I were to use Glyph of Warding to apply catapult to 100s of ball bearings. It says ‘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’ and its range/area to cast is touch, what if I stuck my hand in a bag of holding and cast it on every individual ball bearing and put it inside a smaller seperate bag inside the bag of holding with an activation condition of using the Mending cantrip within 1 foot of the ball bearings and the condition to not damage/hit me or the bag of holding. This would essentially allow me to stockpile a bunch of them over time for later use, as the inside of a bag of holding is in a different dimension and there for still the same place I cast it right?
Now I know it is dispelled once it leaves the bag as it is in a different area from where I cast it (the bag of holding) but if I were to Reach in and grab the ball bearing bag not taking it out aim the bag of holding at a creature with it open and cast Mending, would the spell activate and keep its momentum and shoot at full speed out and at the thing I am aiming at?
Assuming 1 ball bearing would do 1d4 bludgeoning damage and having hundreds of them would be insanely OP and most would likely kill anything in 1 turn.
my DM would never allow this, but maybe yours is more lenient about using stupid tactics to kill things.
glyph of warding + artificer= grenade
As a DM, how would you rule on this:
A spellcaster casts third level Cure Wounds spells through the glyph into flasks while leaning into a Bag of Holding. Later on, the party can pull out flasks as needed for doses of healing. Does this violate the 10' rule?
I'm 11 so I can't DM
Why not?
Think of this like a trap, meant to trigger when you're away.
This is "the best defense is good offense", not just straight up normal offense.
Since you "cast it as part of creating the glyph" I'd say you don't at all bypass adverse effects. Rather, you instantly get the bad bits while the good comes later. And that. Is it.
This is a touch spell and familiars can cast touch spells. send your familiar ahead and have it place multiple runes in a place you will end up doing combat in. set the trigger to be command words that the enemy cant guess like some gibberish of some sort and write it down for yourself. now you have spells that can be cast without actions and without concentration in the heat of battle.
Long answer: You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph.
short answer: yes
This feels like it was made more for Dungeon Masters to make traps with than for Players to use, with the 10 foot of movement breaking the spell and the high cost.
Glyph of warding + bestow curse (possibly upcasted to 5th level) for some hag/fey-like “gift” shenanigans
It doesn't matter where you are/go after you cast the spell. "If the surface or object is moved more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell..." is saying that if THE SURFACE OR OBJECT that you cast the spell on of moved... You cast this on a an entrance to a room you need to keep intruders out of and walk away. If you cast the spell on a rug in front of the door and the rug is moved more than 10 ft from where it was when you cast the spell (i.e. - in front of the door), the glyph is broken. You can go wherever you like, just don't move the rug (or just cast it on the floor).
could you create a glyph for the spell "glyph of warding" which triggers upon something like "in contact with air", creating an everlasting cycle? i don't know what this would be useful for, but i'm sure someone will find a use for it.
This spell can NOT be moved after its cast. No matter what you cast it on the object can not move more than 10 feet. Moving to extra-dimensional space is considered moving. So skip the bags of holding.
Yes you can cast it on ball bearings. But why? If they role more than 10 feet the spell is broken. Not triggered, broken dis-spelled.
I just cast it on a sling stone and drop it in the path of my enemy. The trigger can be anything. Like "explode when the first(second or third if you want to be tricky) humanoid passes within 10 feet.
I once used it on a door. Triggered by the door being unlocked. It triggered a 'banishment' spell. The thief came back but the party was ready for him.
Bottom of a mug. Left in the enemies house.Or just on a table he will find.
Do you want to know the best way to protect your spell book? Make more than one and hide them. Make a few fakes and trap those ones.
Ok, so, hear me out: You can't move the object more than 10 feet from where you casted the spell. If I cast it in a subspace, and then move said subspace, it should not get dispelled, now should it? And how much were the Bags of Holding going for?
cast fireball or mockery if you are a bard.
So Dispal Magic aside, how does a rogue disarm a door with an inscribed glyph of warding? Is there away besides trying to trigger the trap from afar...?