Glyph of Warding
Abjuration
Level: Magic 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target or Area: Object touched or up to 5 sq. ft./level
Duration: Permanent until discharged (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No (object) and Yes; see text
Spell Points: 5, XP
You create a magical trap.
This powerful inscription harms those who enter, pass, or open the warded area or object. A Glyph of Warding can guard a bridge or passage, ward a portal, trap a chest or box, and so on.
You set the conditions of the ward. Typically, any creature entering the warded area or opening the warded object without speaking a password (which you set when casting the spell) is subject to the magic it stores. Alternatively or in addition to a password trigger, glyphs can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or kind. Glyphs can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or to pass those of your religion. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Glyphs respond to invisible creatures normally but are not triggered by those who travel past them ethereally. Multiple glyphs cannot be cast on the same area or object.
When casting the spell, you weave a tracery of faintly glowing lines around the warding sigil. A glyph can be placed to conform to any shape up to the limitations of your total square footage. When the spell is completed, the glyph and tracery become nearly invisible.
Glyphs cannot be affected or bypassed by such means as physical or magical probing, though they can be dispelled. Mislead, polymorph subschool spells, and Nondetection (and similar magical effects) can fool a glyph, though nonmagical disguises and the like can’t. You can identify a Glyph of Warding by observing it for one full round and making a DC 13 Spellcraft check. Identifying the glyph does not necessarily discharge it and allows you to know the basic nature of the glyph (version, type of damage caused, what spell is stored).
Depending on the version selected, a glyph either blasts the intruder or activates a spell.
Blast Glyph: A blast glyph deals 3d8 points of damage to the intruder and to all within 5 feet of him or her. This damage is acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic (caster’s choice, made at time of casting). Each creature affected can attempt a Reflex save to take half damage. Spell resistance applies against this effect.
Augment: For every additional 2 spell points you spend, the Blast Glyph version of the spell deals an additional 1d8 points of damage.
Spell Glyph: You can store any harmful spell that costs 5 spell points or less in the glyph. All level-dependent features of the spell are based on your caster level at the time of casting the glyph. If the spell has a target, it targets the intruder. If the spell has an area or an amorphous effect the area or effect is centered on the intruder. If the spell summons creatures, they appear as close as possible to the intruder and attack. Saving throws and spell resistance operate as normal, except that the DC is based on the number of spell points spent on the spell stored in the glyph.
The Glyph of Warding spell and the companion spell are cast in immediate succession - you must pay the companion spell’s spell point cost on the round after you begin casting the Glyph of Warding spell. The 10-minute casting time is the total for both castings. The companion spell may not have an unmodified casting time of more than 1 round. The companion spell may be augmented or affected by a metamagic feat, but this choice must be made at the time the Glyph of Warding spell is cast.
Augment: For every additional spell point you spend, the Spell Glyph version of the spell can store a spell costing one more spell point.
Note: Magic traps such as Glyph of Warding are hard to detect and disable. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill to find the glyph and Disable Device to thwart it. The DC in each case is 25 + spell level, or 28 for glyph of warding.
Experience cost: 40XP