The Ebony Blade is a Daedric Artifact that has been seen in several Elder Scrolls games and can be found pretty early on in Skyrim. It belongs to Mephala, the Daedric Prince of murder and deceit, and its unique effect certainly reflects her treacherous, terrifying nature.
It looks like a katana, perhaps taking more direct inspiration from the Blades' iconic weapons, but either way it's one of the neatest weapons in Skyrim thanks to its constantly-improving enchantment. Essentially, the more friendly characters that taste the Ebony Blade's edge, the more powerful it becomes.
Ebony Blade Stats And Effects
- Weapon Type: Two-Handed Sword
- Base Damage: 11
- Value: 2000 Gold
- Enchantment: Absorb 10 Health on hit, increased by 4 for every two friendly characters slain to a maximum of 30
The Ebony Blade's unique effect is to increase the power of its Absorb Health enchantment based on the number of friendly NPCs that the player kills. For every two friendlies slain with the Ebony Blade directly, its effect is increased by 4. This can occur five times (meaning 10 friendly NPCs must be killed) before it maximizes at 30 Health absorbed.
The Ebony Blade is a bit of a strange Two-Handed weapon, and it's not just because of its unique self-improving effect. It's a Two-Handed weapon, but its damage output is more akin to a One-Handed one. The Ebony Blade is the fastest Two-Handed weapon in Skyrim, which lets players get in more hits in less time and proc the Absorb Health effect more often.
How To Get The Ebony Blade
The Ebony Blade can be earned relatively early in the Dragonborn's journey. Head to Dragonsreach after completing "Dragon Rising", which sees the player investigate reports of a Dragon Attack at the Western Watchtower outside Whiterun. Players must deliver the news of the Dragon attack in Helgen to the Jarl to reach this part of the main quest.
After completing "Dragon Rising", head to the Bannered Mare and speak to Hilda about rumors. If the player has reached Level 20, they will be sent to investigate rumors of a Whispering Lady in Dragonsreach. As part of the quest players must pickpocket Jarl Balgruuf or Farengar for a key, so be sure to wear Lockpicking-boosting gear or only pickpocket them while they sleep. Head back to the Whispering Lady's door to find the Ebony Blade resting just inside.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
