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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.

It is clear that the person who casts the glyph also casts the stored spell into the glyph. It is clear that it is they who set all the spell's conditions and effects when they store the spell (DC, spell level, etc.).

However, there are effects which modify your spell after it is cast (see one example below). So it can be important, in some cases, to determine who is considered to be the caster of that spell after the spell glyph is triggered for the purpose of adjudicating these effects.

The spell says:

When the glyph is triggered the stored spell is cast.

But it never says who the caster is and it is a bit odd that it says that it was cast into the glyph (by the caster of the glyph and the stored spell) but then says the spell is cast again. This seems to imply a second casting of the spell.

Who is considered to be the caster of the spell upon triggering?

Is it the original caster or does the spell glyph "recast" the spell that was stored in it?


Examples:

  • If you cast dissonant whispers into the spell glyph and creature(s) trigger it and fail their saves, do they run from the person who cast the spell into the glyph or from the glyph itself?

  • If the stored spell is major image, does the original caster get to move and control the created image after it is triggered as if they had cast it normally? Or would they be unable to because the glyph is effectively the caster now?

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The Glyph is a proxy for the caster

Glyph of Warding - Spell Glyph States (emphasis mine)

You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph.

This is clear in that the caster is actively casting and storing the spell into the Glyph. At which point, the Glyph now acts a proxy for the caster and awaits the triggering action. When the trigger is realized, the glyph acts as an extension of the original caster and completes the spell casting.

Once triggered, Spell Glyph states:

When the glyph is triggered the stored spell is cast.

While the language could probably be clearer, the stored spell cast into the glyph by the caster and is now cast at it's target. The Glyph is merely acting as a proxy for the caster until the triggering requirements are met. Once met, the spell is released by the Glyph, but from the caster's original casting into storage.

Dissonant Whispers

In the case of this spell, the target would be moving away from the Glyph itself. While there is no RAW on this, it makes logical sense for the point of movement to start from the Glyph, rather than from the caster who is no longer there. The Caster effectively gave his proxy to the Glyph, and once cast all effects emanate from the Glyph.

Major Image

In the case of Major Image, the caster is determining the effects of the Major Image when they cast it into the Glyph. Once released via the trigger, the Glyph again acts as a proxy and completes the outward casting of Major Image in the place defined by the caster at time of casting. In order to control the illusion, you must remain...

within range of the illusion

Unless the caster remains within the 120' of the illusion, they can not control the it. In this case, the Glyph is again acting as a proxy, but the glyph has no functional control or ability to adjust - but if the original caster was in range, they could and would be able to do so.

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The Glyph's caster

Who is considered to be the caster of the spell upon triggering?

The original caster of the glyph spell, who is also the one who casts the spell into the glyph.

Is it the original caster

Yes

or does the spell glyph "recast" the spell that was stored in it?

The stored spell was cast in the creation of this particular glyph. What the glyph is doing is storing the magical effects until the glyph is triggered.

Duration: Until dispelled or triggered

The caster casts the spell. The glyph is a discrete magical effect that allows the stored spell's magical effect to be delayed until the trigger.

You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph. (SRD V 5.1, p. 149-150)

The you here is the caster of the glyph spell.

What is a spell?

A spell is a discrete magical effect. (PHB. Ch 10, p. 201)

A caster is a who. A spell -- like the magical effect created when you cast Glyph of Warding -- is a what.

You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. {snip} You can further refine the trigger so the spell activates only under certain circumstances ...

A similar mechanic to assess the spell DC, slot level, spell attack bonus, etc (the whole magical effect) cast into the glyph is the ring of spell storing. It to stores the effects of a spell cast into it until a later time. There are other mechanical differences between the glyph and that ring that make further comparison moot, such as being able to store multiple spells and portability.

  • As @NickBrown kindly noted: "caster" is the glyph's caster as he/she existed at the time of casting the spell into the glyph. Level ups, curses, magic items, and even death which have occurred since then should not affect the power of the spell when finally triggered.

Your cases:

• If you cast dissonant whispers into the spell glyph and creature(s) trigger it and fail their saves, do they run from the person who cast the spell into the glyph or from the glyph itself?

The major benefit of the glyph of warding spell is that you don't have to be there when the stored magical effect goes off. In this case, the point of origin of the spell's magical effect is a sufficient point of origin for a direction to run from. Since the rules don't try to specify all edge cases, make a common sense ruling. If the caster happens to be in visual range when the glyph is triggered, it would certainly be sensible for the caster's location to be where the target runs from.

• If the stored spell is major image, does the original caster get to move and control the created image after it is triggered as if they had cast it normally? Or would they be unable to because the glyph is effectively the caster now?

Neither, unless the caster is within range to do all of that.

As long as you are within range of the illusion, you can use your action to cause the image to move to any other spot within range.

If you aren't in range (you being whomever casts the major image) you can't use that feature of that spell since you don't meet that requirement of that spell.

Once again, the major benefit to the glyph of warding spell is that the caster need not be there when the effect is triggered. If the caster takes advantage of that benefit, then for spells where some micro-management of the effect is needed that micromanagement sub feature can be lost as a cost of the benefit of having a "fire and forget" spell ready to trigger. As above, use a common sense ruling. It is within reason to believe that a third level spell might not be all things to all casters nor perfectly compatible with all other spells.

The above adjustment in the stored spell's magical effect is consistent with a spell's duration no longer being selectable for a spell with the concentration requirement. Usually, when a spell caster has a concentration feature in a spell, the caster can stop the spell before the full duration. In the glyph case, it runs for the full duration since the caster is not there to micromanage it. It makes sense that if you aren't there (within range) to micromanage the illusion, you can't micromanage the illusion. The glyph is something you are storing the spell's magical effect in; it is not described as a sentient being.

The matter of concentration

If the spell requires concentration, it lasts until the end of its full duration.

That a spell requiring concentration can be cast into a glyph is addressed here. The default to "full duration" addresses both

  1. That nothing can hit a glyph to break concentration (a glyph has no HP)
  2. The spell's duration can't be selectively shortened.

The spell in the glyph is preloaded to do one thing. As @NautArch put it, this feature of the spell 'unloads' the concentration requirements from the caster but does not change who cast the spell.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 18:14
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    \$\begingroup\$ You say "What the glyph is doing is storing the magical effects until the glyph is triggered." But the rules say "When the glyph is triggered, the stored spell is cast." \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 22:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Mooingduck It was already cast, however, when the caster put the spell into the glyph. The spell's magical effect is waiting for a trigger before it takes place. 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 ... so it has already been cast. Its magical effects are stored until the trigger happens. While IMO a better rendering of the language you cite might have been be "casting is completed when the glyph is triggered" that does not change who cast the spell. The glyph is a What, not a Who. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 22:47
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    \$\begingroup\$ The rules talk about two casts. You claiming there's only one cast "then a storing of the effects" runs directly contrary to the rules. I do agree that that would have been a better rendering of the language, which would have prevented this from occurring. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 22:52
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    \$\begingroup\$ @mooingDuck Nope, not contradicting the rules, and I am done with this answer. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 22:54
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You cast the spell

You can store a prepared spell of 3rd level or lower in the glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyph Emphasis mine

Basically you cast the spell. The effect is stored and transferred by the glyph.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Not saying that this is not the correct answer but I have to disagree with the reasoning. The question seems to be about this part of the spell: "When the glyph is triggered, the stored spell is cast" which is a second casting of the spell and not the initial one when the glyph is created \$\endgroup\$
    – Sdjz
    Jan 10, 2018 at 15:32
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    \$\begingroup\$ I think you can still update this answer to reflect the difference between the spell cast into the glyph and the release cast of it when triggered. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Jan 10, 2018 at 15:44
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    \$\begingroup\$ One thing I'm curious about is that the spell glyph when triggered has concentration effects explicitly not tied to the original caster. That would seem odd if the original caster was still considered to be the caster. \$\endgroup\$ Jan 10, 2018 at 16:20
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Rubiksmoose The glyph offloads the concentration from the original caster - it doesn't change who cast it. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Jan 10, 2018 at 16:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ The quote you have says nothing about the spell that is cast by the glyph, only the creation of the glyph. There are two actions, creating a glyph (part of which is casting a spell into it) and triggering the glyph (part of which is the spell being cast). \$\endgroup\$
    – Luke
    Jan 10, 2018 at 22:05

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