Invisible item
Invisible items are a feature that appears in SLASH'EM, GruntHack and SlashTHEM. Invisible items are mostly the same in function as normal items with additional quirks due to their invisibility - there are also some exceptions depending on the item.
Generation
There is a 1⁄1250 chance that a randomly generated item will be created as invisible, with the exception of mummy wrappings, zorkmids, and any boulders in Sokoban.[1][2] Zapping an object with a wand of make invisible or dipping it in a potion of invisibility will turn it invisible.
If an invisible monster is killed and leaves a corpse, the corpse will be created as invisible.
The guaranteed wand of wishing in the Castle will always be generated as invisible inside its container.
Description
Invisible items on the ground cannot be seen unless the hero walks over them or has the see invisible property; monsters will not pick up invisible objects if they cannot see invisible, but this does not prevent them from pathing to the item, frequently causing them to stand on top of it or wander near its location.[3] Dipping an invisible item in a potion of see invisible will remove its invisibility.
For the most part, an invisible item has no appreciable difference from a visible counterpart, e.g. an invisible blindfold or towel will still blind the hero while worn. There are some exceptions, however:
- An invisible weapon has a +3 to-hit bonus against monsters that cannot see invisible, and the disarm technique cannot be used against invisible wielded weapons.
- Invisible items cannot be stolen by a monster that cannot see invisible, with the exception of an invisible set of body armor or cloak worn on top of a visible shirt or suit of armor.[4] No monster with a theft attack in SLASH'EM can also see invisible.<
- Invisible items such as scrolls and books cannot be read unless the hero can see invisible. Monsters do not have this same restriction, but cannot pick up invisible items without see invisible anyway, so this only becomes important if a monster is randomly generated with an invisible item.
- An invisible mirror will not function if applied towards a monster without see invisible.
- Walking over an invisible item will give the same message as walking over other unseen items (e.g., while blind).
- Invisible corpses that petrify on contact, such as that of a cockatrice, will not stone a hero that is not wearing gloves.
GruntHack
In GruntHack, slightly different descriptors are used for the gradual rotting of an invisible corpse (e.g. "smelly" instead of "off-color"), which is most easily observed with stalker corpses in particular.
Messages
- You feel here <an invisible foo>.
- You walked over a square with one or more invisible items.
- Where did the <foo> go?
- You dipped a visible item into a potion of invisibility.
- So that's where the <foo> went!
- You dipped an invisible item into a potion of see invisible.
