10 Amazing Video Game Items (That Actually Curse You)

Skyrim's Ebony Blade is an ideal example of beauty being deceiving. A Daedric artifact, the shiny black two-handed sword hides a dark secret.

The Blade previously belonged to a dark Daedric goddess named Mephala. As a result, the weapon thrives on treachery and death - while the player has the sword, for every two friendly characters you kill with it, the weapon's Absorb Health enchantment is reinforced, starting at 10 and topping out at 30.

Well, you may be saying, this one's easy. Don't kill any friendlies. The problem with that is...this is otherwise a fantastic weapon. Although it's a two-handed weapon, it swings just about as fast as a one-handed one does, and although it has low damage per hit, the quicker attack speed helps make up for this.

Oh, and did we mention, the Absorb Health effect has unlimited charges? That's right, once you level the sword up you'll be taking another 30 health off with each strike at just about the same speed as with a one-handed weapon.

The cost, of course, of this sword is a moral one. Is the Dragonborn's overall mission and life more important that the lives of the friendly characters you have to kill to maximize the sword's usefulness? Do the ends justify the means?

This is just another small piece of why Skyrim has flourished as a game for over a decade.