D&D 1E Treasure "hidden by invisibility"

[Irlo]

If a version of the spell exists that can make objects invisible, where is it and how can I-the-PC-mage learn it?

AD&D 1e DMG page 115. Spell Research.

 

[Hriston]

Ah, the classic 1e gotcha moment when you opened a room and the DM said there was nothing inside so you just went to the next. You should have taken the Explore Pattern Delta procedure and known that you needed to use your 10ft pole to prod the ground by the door looking for traps before checking the ceiling for traps and only then, you can enter a room. Then you need to 10ft pole around the rest of the floor before checking the walls without touching them in case of contact poison. If done right, you could have found the invisible jars with the gold. However, you just moved on so not only do you not get the gold, you also get screwed since GP=XP. Double gotcha!

Here's a report of how it worked out in actual play. I wouldn't call what happened a gotcha, and the players/PCs weren't following anything like an SOP.

 

[ilgatto]

If a version of the spell exists that can make objects invisible, where is it and how can I-the-PC-mage learn it?
(...)

Well, there’s Sequester as @the Jester mentioned upthread, but I don’t suppose that quite fits the bill. Then again, perhaps it isn’t that unlikely that random dungeons are made with a magic-user of a respectable level in attendance.

P.S.: I suppose I’d better not mention The Great Net Spellbook.

 

[Meech17]

If a version of the spell exists that can make objects invisible, where is it and how can I-the-PC-mage learn it?

I'd imagine it's in the spell book of the mage who is so desperately trying to hide his life savings from you and your party of ne'er-do-wells who are ransacking his basement. The first step would probably be to try knocking instead of delving.

Invisible walls can be a fun gag. Especially if there's a monster behind it, holding something shiny and taunting the party.

When @GMMichael commented about this back on page 1, I instantly began planning a dungeon with a central hidden room full of treasure. When the party finds it, they see across from them in another hall sealed by an invisible wall a rival adventuring party, and then to the side in a third path they see a minotaur or something. Who's going to make it to the fourth and real path first?

 

[ilgatto]

(...) I don't think it's a good idea to just stick a random invisible treasure chest out of the way in a random, otherwise empty room. (...)

Hmm..., I've been running a wholly randomly generated dungeon for some time now and it is exactly that which has allowed me many a snicker. Although I have to admit that I did succumb to some blatantly obvious hinting when the PCs were about to miss an invisible Dragon Slayer.

Also, once they've come to realize that treasure can also be invisible, I've found that players can be pretty quick in adding “we also search for invisible items” to their standard procedure for empty rooms or, indeed, any room. In addition to “we also search for loose stones and tiles” and “yes, we go through every heap of dung we find wherever” of course.

But you can telegraph the existence of treasure so the players suspect they might have to do more to find it. For example, a locked, sturdy iron door, guarded by a strong foe. But apparently that room is empty. Another might be a dead wizard with a treasure map pointing to an "empty" room. "Invisibility" is in his spellbook.

Exactly.

 

[Lanefan]

There is glassteel spell for this!


Someone mentioned invisible walls.

Also, limited wish does wonders for such a magical effect to affect the sanity of players!

Glassteel and Limited Wish are, though, a fairly big step up the pay-grades from basic Invisibility.

Slightly more accessible and that can have the same effect when it comes to hiding treasure: Vacancy. (Illus-4, UA)

 

[ScottDeWar_jr]

By the way, I mistyped an effect, it's glass see, not glassteel.

Re vacancy
That would do it alright.
It being an illusionist spell, would require spell research by a wizard I would guess.

As for limited wish, I see nothing in the description that would allow the mimicking of a spell like vanish for the wizard.

 

[Mannahnin]

As for limited wish, I see nothing in the description that would allow the mimicking of a spell like vanish for the wizard.

Why not? Limited Wish can restore people from the dead and do all kinds of things, including permanent effects.

 

[Lanefan]

Why not? Limited Wish can restore people from the dead and do all kinds of things, including permanent effects.

Limited Wish can only revive the dead temporarily, if memory serves.

But making an object permanently invisible should be well within its purview.

That said, this is all about hiding treasure; and making a treasure chest invisible doesn't do anything about the treasure inside said chest other than make it easier to see....

 

[Joshua Randall]

If we take a very, very liberal reading of the phrase -- treating it more as a prompt than what it probably means -- it could be 'fully visible treasure [chest] protected by an invisible trap or monster'.

I kinda like the idea of a tempting treasure chest overflowing with gold, but there's an invisible stalker in the room.

Or an invisible pendulum blade trap: "Make a save vs. [IDFK, petrification? I forget the AD&D weirdness] - oh you failed? you take 2d6 points of slashing damage as something cuts across your back."