Glyph of Warding
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Description
Inscribe a circle of arcane glyphs on the ground. When stepped on by an enemy the selected magical effect will trigger.
The glyph will last until triggered, or until a Long Rest.
Only one glyph can be active at a time.
Properties
- Cost
Action + 
Level 3 Spell Slot- Details
DEX Save
Range: 9 m / 30 ft
AoE: 4 m / 13 ft (Radius)
At higher levels
See each individual variant's page.Variants
How to learn
Classes:
Other ways to learn:
- Wizards with
Level 3 Spell Slots can scribe a 
Scroll of Glyph of Warding to their spellbooks.
Notes
- When the glyph is triggered, each of those affected by it rolls a
Dexterity Saving throw. If a creature successfully saves, they only take half the damage for the damaging variants of this spell, and suffers no ill effect for the non-damaging variants. - Only those considered an enemy can trigger the glyph; for the player's party this is indicated via a red circle beneath the creature, red outlines when highlighted, and denoted by a red dot in the minimap. Neutral, friendly, and allied creatures (highlighted yellow, green, or blue respectively) can safely traverse the glyph.
- This makes using the glyph as a trap difficult for many encounters. Specifically, those that normally only consider creatures hostile after dialogue.
- If the glyph is cast in an area where hostile creatures are already present, it triggers immediately.
- When the glyph is triggered everyone within the area is affected, regardless of allegiance.
- Only one glyph can be active at a time.
- If another glyph is placed while one is already active, the previous one vanishes with no effect.
- The limit is one per character; multiple characters can each have a glyph active at a time.
- When the spellcaster is surrounded by enemies, it is sometimes worth throwing the glyph down right at their feet. This is true for most AOE spells, but especially so for the sleep variant of Glyph of Warding:
- The shared Initiative system means an ally can immediately shove/help the spellcaster awake should they fall asleep due to their own glyph.
- Magical Sleep Immunity is fairly common, either from an Elixir of Peerless Focus or from Fey Ancestry
- Shadowheart, being a Half-Elf Cleric, can naturally utilize this tactic starting from level 5.
- The incantation for Glyph of Warding is Ira Et Dolor, Latin for "Anger and pain".
