Unlocking the Ebony Blade’s True Potential: A Deep Dive into its Enhancement

The Ebony Blade, a Daedric artifact obtained through The Whispering Door quest in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, is a weapon shrouded in mystery and dark power. Unlike most weapons in the game, its power isn’t improved through traditional means like smithing. The Ebony Blade gets better by killing NPCs who trust you. For every two slain, its Absorb Health enchantment increases by 4 points, starting from a base of 10 and maxing out at 30 after 10 kills. This dark pact with the Daedric Prince Mephala is the key to unlocking the blade’s full potential.

Understanding the Ebony Blade’s Unique Enhancement

The Ebony Blade’s enhancement system is intrinsically linked to the player’s moral choices. It’s a dark bargain, rewarding betrayal with increased power. Let’s break down the mechanics:

• Trust is Key: The victims must have a disposition of “friend” towards you. This generally means NPCs whom you have helped, completed quests for, or even hired as followers.
• Incremental Improvement: The blade’s Absorb Health enchantment doesn’t jump to its maximum instantly. Instead, it increases incrementally after every two qualifying kills.
• Mephala’s Approval: After every two kills, Mephala, the Daedric Prince associated with the blade, will whisper a phrase indicating the blade’s growing power. These phrases serve as confirmation that the kills were valid and the blade is indeed becoming stronger. Listen for her approval to know you are progressing!
• No Smithing Allowed: Unlike other weapons, the Ebony Blade cannot be improved at a smithing forge. The in-game book, “Admonition Against Ebony,” explains that the blade is impervious to conventional forging methods.
• No Visual Change: The Ebony Blade’s appearance does not change as it becomes more powerful. The only indicator of its enhanced state is the increased Absorb Health effect and Mephala’s commentary.

The Ritual Stone Exploit: A Controversial Method

A well-known, and somewhat controversial, strategy to fully power the Ebony Blade involves using the Ritual Stone found early in the game. This stone allows you to reanimate corpses to fight for you. The exploit works like this:

1. Find a suitable NPC to kill – someone you’ve helped and would be considered a friend.
2. Kill that NPC with the Ebony Blade (this counts as your initial kill).
3. Use the Ritual Stone power to reanimate the NPC.
4. Kill the resurrected NPC with the Ebony Blade. This counts as the second kill towards the next upgrade.
5. Wait at least 24 hours in game for the body to be able to be resurrected again.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 until the blade is fully powered.

This method allows you to power up the Ebony Blade with a single initial sacrifice, avoiding the need to kill multiple friendly NPCs. However, some players consider this an exploit and prefer to power up the blade through more conventional (albeit morally questionable) means.

Maximizing the Ebony Blade’s Potential

Once fully powered, the Ebony Blade becomes a formidable weapon. Here are a few tips to maximize its effectiveness:

• Invest in Two-Handed Perks: While considered a one-handed weapon, the Ebony Blade benefits from the Two-Handed skill tree. Perks that increase attack damage, critical hit chance, and stamina efficiency will significantly boost its effectiveness.
• Enchantments: While you cannot smith the Ebony Blade, you can enchant armor and jewelry to complement its abilities. Fortify Two-Handed, Fortify Health, and Resist Magic are all excellent choices.
• Strategic Combat: The Absorb Health effect makes the Ebony Blade an excellent weapon for prolonged combat. Use it to sustain yourself in tough fights, draining health from your enemies while replenishing your own.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Ebony Blade

Here are some frequently asked questions that are related to Ebony Blade:

1. How do I start the quest to get the Ebony Blade? The quest, “The Whispering Door,” starts in Whiterun. You need to reach level 20. Talk to Hulda at the Bannered Mare, or Proventus Avenicci, the Jarl’s steward, to hear rumors about the Jarl’s strange children. This will lead you to investigate the whispering door in the basement of Dragonsreach.

2. Does the Ebony Blade’s damage scale with my level? No, the Ebony Blade’s base damage does not scale with your level. However, the Absorb Health enchantment increases as you power up the blade by killing trusted NPCs.

3. Can I improve the Ebony Blade through smithing or enchanting? No, the Ebony Blade cannot be improved through smithing. The in-game lore specifically states that it is impervious to conventional forging. While you cannot directly enchant the blade, you can use enchantments to enhance your own abilities that complement the blade’s capabilities.

4. How many NPCs do I need to kill to fully power up the Ebony Blade? You need to kill 10 friendly NPCs to fully power up the Ebony Blade.

5. How do I know if an NPC counts as a “friend” for the Ebony Blade? Generally, any NPC who has a positive disposition towards you and whose dialogue changes after you complete a quest for them will qualify. This includes followers, people who have paid you for work, or those you’ve otherwise helped.

6. What happens when the Ebony Blade is fully powered? When fully powered, the Ebony Blade’s Absorb Health enchantment reaches its maximum of 30 points. Mephala will also utter a line about the sword being returned to its “full glory.”

7. Does the Ebony Blade’s appearance change as it becomes more powerful? No, the Ebony Blade’s appearance remains the same regardless of how many NPCs you kill.

8. What are the best perks to use with the Ebony Blade? Since the Ebony Blade benefits from the Two-Handed skill, perks like Barbarian, Champion’s Stance, Devastating Blow, Sweep, Warmaster and Limbsplitter are highly recommended.

9. Is the Ebony Blade a Daedric artifact? Yes, the Ebony Blade is considered a Daedric artifact associated with the Daedric Prince Mephala.

10. Is there a way to power up the Ebony Blade without killing friendly NPCs? Not without exploiting game mechanics. The intended way to power up the Ebony Blade requires killing friendly NPCs. The Ritual Stone exploit mentioned above is an exception, but considered by some to be cheating.

11. Does the Ebony Blade count as a one-handed or two-handed weapon? The Ebony Blade is wielded with two hands, but it uses the Two-Handed skill. It benefits from Two-Handed perks.

12. Can the Ebony Blade be disarmed? Like other weapons, the Ebony Blade can be disarmed if you are not immune to disarming effects.

13. What is the maximum Absorb Health enchantment for the Ebony Blade? The maximum Absorb Health enchantment for the Ebony Blade is 30 points.

14. Is the Ebony Blade the most powerful weapon in Skyrim? While the Ebony Blade is a powerful weapon with its unique Absorb Health enchantment, it’s not necessarily the most powerful. Other weapons, especially those with customized enchantments, can potentially deal more damage.

15. How can I report a bug or issue related to the Ebony Blade? You can report any bugs related to the Ebony Blade to the game developer or on online forums dedicated to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For more on game design and the impact of player choice, explore the resources available at the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.

By understanding the mechanics and lore surrounding the Ebony Blade, players can make informed decisions about whether to embrace its dark power and reap the benefits of its unique enhancement system.