Video game characters have shown off hundreds of different powers and abilities over the years, with the magic that they use being as varied as the games they appear in. Despite this, some magic abilities instantly scream villain whenever they show up. This can be because they are only ever available to the bad guys, or because the game starts to guilt the player for even thinking about using such magic themselves.
These spells and abilities can be deep parts of a game's lore, serve as intriguing examinations of morality, or can be instant signs that a certain character is pure evil. Either way, players will recognize these types of magic abilities as classic villain behavior.
6 Tendrils and Tentacles
Whether it is plant-like tendrils or dark tentacles, controlling living ropes is never a good sign. Archespores in the Witcher 3 are a prime example of this. Their bright colors may make them seem like beautiful, harmless flowers. However, they are monsters. These cursed beings arise out of land upon which a great deal of evil has been committed and attack any who pass their way. With this dark origin story, their poisonous spit attacks, and lashing tendrils, these dark monsters leave no questions as to their morality.
For some enemies, such as Dora-in-Grey from Dragon Quest 11, tendrils are simply a weapon in their arsenal. For others, it is a part of their identity. Hermeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory in The Elder Scrolls, is generally presented as a creepy mass of tentacles and eyes, which follow the player around. Other Daedra such as Lurkers also gain some control over tentacles, as does Miraak, showing that no good thing comes from controlling tentacles and tendrils.
5 Dark Magic
Often if magic is supposed to be considered evil, it is simply described as Dark Magic. The exact effects and workings can vary but it often involves dark colors and may be generally forbidden. Such magic appears in many video games but it is perhaps at its most dangerous in Divinity: Original Sin 2. This form of dark magic involves the void, a plane of existence ruled by the God King.
With the world of Divinity: Original Sin 2 being full of demonic possession and powerful magic, the morality of such magic is hazy but the effects are clear. Voidwoken are mindless, horrifying creatures that kill and feed on instinct, and summoning them never ends well. The Unforgivable Curses in Hogwarts Legacy are also described as dark magic, as to use one is to lose a part of one's soul.
4 Becoming Slimy
Although not as common as the vague concept of dark magic, becoming a slime monster is a fairly clear sign that a character may have lost their way. This is the case in Dark Souls 3 as some Hollows are infected with the Abyss, turning into massive black slime monsters called Pus of Man. These are far more challenging than regular Hollows and should be killed quickly before they can transform.
This infection is not restricted to just Hollows as the Wyverns in Lothric Castle rise again as slime monsters after being killed. Ludex Gundyr is similarly affected, turning into his serpentine form at half health. This form is linked to the undead and the corruption of the Abyss and is certainly not just a new look.
3 Consuming People
As a general rule, cannibalism is not exactly heroic. Cannibalism in Skyrim is done as part of a quest line for Namira, the Daedric Prince of sundry and decay who is also associated with slugs, spiders, and revulsion. Most of the companions in Fallout 4 will greatly disapprove if the Sole Survivor indulges in this dark habit. The blatantly evil Mythic Path in Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous called the Swarm-That-Walks also has similar abilities and is similarly condemned by companions.
Consuming not just the flesh but also the essence of the person, as Alex Mercer does in Prototype, must therefore be even worse. This ability is more than just having a snack as it completely erases the person from existence. Although Mercer may not have been an outright villain while using this ability in Prototype, it is no surprise that he becomes one by Prototype 2 and this ability was one of the first signs.
2 Blood Magic
For some reason, blood always seems to have some magic properties in fantasy video games, and manipulating those properties is considered to be a crime against nature. In the Dragon Age series, blood magic is widely regarded as evil and is linked with the Darkspawn and demonic possession.
Although the player can unlock the Blood Mage specialization in Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, the skills they gain are very different from the blood mages in the lore and so the general use of such magic is still not a good sign. The fear of blood mages is a major part of the story of the series and even affects Dragon Age companions such as Merrill. Vampire Lords in Skyrim also have access to magic powered by blood and given that these powers run by sneaking into people's houses and taking a sip from their neck, it certainly could fit into the villainous category.
1 Controlling Insects
When it comes to designing enemies, making them more disgusting is a classic way to make them seem more evil and scary. With that in mind, it could be argued that the most villainous ability is the most disgusting, and what is more disgusting than a swarm of insects? The Resident Evil series took this philosophy and ran with it as many of the characters throughout the series have had such powers. Each of the Dimitrescu daughters in Resident Evil Village can control swarms to damage Ethan, and Marguerite Baker in Resident Evil 7 does more than just control them, keeping them in a hive in her stomach. D'Vorah from Mortal Kombat has similar powers.
In Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, it is not just enemies who can control swarms but also the player themselves. Should they select the Swarm-That-Walks Mythic Path then they gain abilities based on controlling the swarm such as creating clones of themselves and infesting enemies. This Mythic Path does not hide its evil nature as the player becomes content to consume others and all Pathfinder companions will leave, unable to face what the Swarm has become.