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The description of the spell states you can store a spell of 3rd level or lower by casting it as part of the Glyph of Warding.

Does this require the use of one spell slot (because you are casting it as 'part' of casting the glyph), or two spell slots (one for the glyph and one for the stored spell)?

Also if it does expend two spell slots, when is the second slot expended? Is it expended upon storing it? Or upon the glyph's activation, which then casts the stored spell?

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Two slots -- one for the stored spell, and one for the Glyph (which must be the same level slot (or higher) as the spell being stored).

The Spell Glyph option of the Glyph of Warding spell (PHB, p. 246-247) states:

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 being stored has no immediate effect when cast in this way. When the glyph is triggered, the stored spell is cast. [...]

Both slots are expended when the Glyph with the stored spell is created, as that is when the spell caster is casting both spells.

There's nothing in the spell description that says it allows an extra spell to be cast and stored without using a spell slot. Using a spell slot is how casting and storing spells both normally work (per p. 201 of the PHB), so that's the general rule, and it holds unless a specific rule says otherwise for a particular application - which in this case it does not.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The only ambiguity I see is that is says it's cast 'as part of ' which to me implies it is a combined spell. To me that would only use one. I'm quite happy to go with the two slot ruling I just can't think of an concise argument against the combined spell argument. Any thoughts? \$\endgroup\$
    – Ross Constable
    Commented Dec 5, 2017 at 12:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ Actually scratch that, I just re-read your original answer, because it says the glyph must be cast at the same level or higher that implies the use of two. Thanks for your help :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Ross Constable
    Commented Dec 5, 2017 at 12:44
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    \$\begingroup\$ So it looks like Glyph can only hold level 8 spells (costing you your 8th and 9th level slots), unless you have another way of casting a level 9 spell (scroll, wand, etc. look like they would work). The "prepared" part of Glyph is dubious when you consider that Glyph is on the Bard list and they are spontaneous casters. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nick Brown
    Commented Dec 5, 2017 at 20:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ All a "spontaneous caster" is, is someone who has a fixed list of prepared spells, and cannot readily change them. So yes, you have to have the spell that you are storing "prepared", e.g. in mind ready and able to cast, to be able to store it in the glyph. \$\endgroup\$
    – Phil Boncer
    Commented Dec 5, 2017 at 22:21

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