Proper Use Of Glyph of Warding

[SpikeFightwicky]

Howdy folks,

I have a few questions about the spell Glyph of Warding. Suppose the glyph is inscribed in a scroll, and is set to explode upon seeing the glyph (going by the spell description, let's say the glyph is an inscription that says BOOM in common, and is set to trigger as soon as someone sees the word). How is the Intelligence check handled? Upon opening the scroll and seeing the letters (that form BOOM), the spell triggers. But they're allowed an INT save to recognize that it's a glyph... but by the time they see it and are able to do a save, the glyph explodes. So what's the sequence of events if they suspect nothing?

[JackPhoenix]

The victim unfurls the scroll, the glyph explodes. No Investigation check necessary, as the trigger is set in a way that doesn't give the victim an opportunity for it.

If, for example, the glyph was triggered by touching the scroll, and the scroll was lying on a table unfurled, the would-be victim would have a chance to notice it before touching it.

[NNescio]

Howdy folks,

I have a few questions about the spell Glyph of Warding. Suppose the glyph is inscribed in a scroll, and is set to explode upon seeing the glyph (going by the spell description, let's say the glyph is an inscription that says BOOM in common, and is set to trigger as soon as someone sees the word). How is the Intelligence check handled? Upon opening the scroll and seeing the letters (that form BOOM), the spell triggers. But they're allowed an INT save to recognize that it's a glyph... but by the time they see it and are able to do a save, the glyph explodes. So what's the sequence of events if they suspect nothing?

They see an empty scroll. Nothing happens.

The glyph "is nearly invisible and requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to be found." If you set the glyph to explode upon seeing the glyph, then it will not be triggered until, well, someone actually sees it.

[NecessaryWeevil]

They see an empty scroll. Nothing happens.

The glyph "is nearly invisible and requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to be found." If you set the glyph to explode upon seeing the glyph, then it will not be triggered until, well, someone actually sees it.

"Roll a 15 to die."
"...you mean to NOT die, right?"
"Nope."

[No brains]

If you take a piece of paper and cover the top half of each line in my post, would you be able to tell the gist of what I typed? Would you be able to tell I used Latin letters in the English language? Would you be able to guess the font I used? Now, if you had done any of those, would you have considered that really 'reading' my post? There are tricks you could conceivably do to identify something before reading it, especially if you don't want to read something because it will blow up on you.

Now it's up to the DM to interpret the exact mechanism by which the glyph works because it's weird that it can know when someone else has read it. Does the glyph really know if it has been read? Does it read the person's mind back? Do words have a measurable knowledge-transferring magic in that world? Alternately, does the glyph explode when it senses the first plausible condition that it might be read? Maybe the glyph can sense light levels? Maybe it can sense a person breathing on the page they're reading.

Working with one or both of those points can give reasons for the reader to not explode. Maybe someone rolls a scroll out just a little and sees the edge of OOTS-style purple text in time. Maybe they tie a sting to the scroll and pull it open in front of a fire that makes enough light and air current to fool the glyph into exploding early.

[Bjarkmundur]

I don't like discouraging my players from investigating stuff I put in front of them. If I start doing that session 1 will simlpy end with everyone becoming carpenters and living happily ever after. So for arbitrary reason I sometimes give them a chance to make a 'spidey sense' style insight check (I got a bad feeling about this) or an arcana check to detect a slight warp in the weave. Alternatively I foreshadow these kinds of events with something like a hum in the air that gets louder as they get closer.


....and now I now I have to make a custom feat "You can read backwards without any additional effort"

[Safety Sword]

I think the intention is that the Investigation check is to find the glyph without triggering it.

I guess the check is the difference between

1. Hey look. Words. *BOOM*
2. Hey look, a glyph of warding in words *BOOM*

So, knowing why you blew up, I guess? Some spells are just not worded very well.

[SpikeFightwicky]

Yeah it seems pointless to have the trigger be something very complex, unless the point is to create a self-destructing object.

I might have to figure out another option instead of this spell!

[NaughtyTiger]

if reading it was the trigger, it is all for naught if they pick up the scroll without reading it, then read it around the campfire... glyph disabled.

[SpikeFightwicky]

if reading it was the trigger, it is all for naught if they pick up the scroll without reading it, then read it around the campfire... glyph disabled.

And that's fine I know they'd open it right there, though. I mean, it would be a scroll on the ground in a dirt tunnel used by goblins. And none of them have ever experienced Glyph of Warding before. I'm 90% sure they'd read it on the spot!