History Main / HarmfulToTouch

* The MacGuffin from the 1985 ''Film/{{Red Sonja|1985}}'' film makes any male who touches it [[NoBodyLeftBehind vanish]].

* The MacGuffin from the 1985 ''Film/RedSonja'' movie is lethal to any male who touches it.

[[folder:Fanfiction]]

* The AppliedPhlebotinum in ''Film/MysteryTeam.''

* TheArkOfTheCovenant is said in Literature/TheBible to smite anyone who touches it without specific ecclesiastical consent. This apparently applies also to anyone [[Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk looking inside]].

* Some magical items in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' will automatically inflict damage on anyone of the wrong alignment who picks them up. A few are safe to handle initially, but trying to invoke their power if you're the wrong alignment/class/whatever will cause damage to hp, xp, or abilities.
** A version of this mechanic also shows up in ''VideoGame/NetHack''.

* The Gloom in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'' is a black and red substance that saps the vitality of anyone who touches it. Several Hylians can be seen moaning in pain as they rest in bed due to them coming in contact with the Gloom. Standing in the Gloom for too long will [[MaximumHPReduction reduce Link's maximum health]], leaving him with less overall health unless he either goes to the surface, stands under a lightroot, or consumes food that can cure the Gloom.
* Phazon in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' is explicitly extremely dangerous to life in general. It tends to be rather immediately fatal to organisms exposed to it, and wildly mutative to things that aren't killed by exposure. Even with her Varia suit, Samus' health is depleted extremely quickly when in contact with Phazon, at least until she gets the Phazon suit. Ways of dealing with Phazon are developed in the following Prime games, but it still has a habit of killing everything it comes into contact with.

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* In ''Harry Potter and the Unspeakable'', the wand which Harry obtained from Ollivander's, made of meteorite and dubbed the "Celestial Wayfarer," was said to be harmful to any evil person who touched it. A particular character was later revealed to be Snape's evil stepfather on Polyjuice when he was forced to pick up the wand while in court and it burned his hand.
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* ''Film/Blade1998'': Blade sword has a rather nasty security feature on it, just in case Blade's prey get any ideas about using his weapon against him.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

* The {{Phlebotinum}} in ''Film/MysteryTeam.''
* ''Film/{{Blade}}'''s sword has a rather nasty security feature on it, just in case Blade's prey get any ideas about using his weapon against him.

* In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' the infinity stone has a tendency to quickly damage and then kill those who attempt to wield it without proper precautions. Luckily carrying cases that can contain it seem to be pretty easy to procure.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

[[folder:TabletopGames]]

* The Sword of the King of the [[EnchantedForestChronicles Enchanted Forest]] feels uncomfortably hot to anyone not in the King's family line.

* In the Star Comics version of ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'' only He-Man/Prince Adam could touch the Power Sword it would deliver a painful magical blast to any other living being -including He-Man's fellow heroes. Inorganic beings such as the Horde Troopers were unaffected though. It should be noted, however, that this along with pretty much all of the Star Comics falls under CanonDiscontinuity.

* In ''Series/BabylonFive'' a researcher who touched the surface of a Shadow vessel was described as having died instantly as if the life had just been sucked out of him.

* In ''TheBlackCompany'', a man tries to pick up SealedEvilInACan by hand and the sheer evil of it gives him a 3rd degree burn that won't heal.

* The [[AgonyBeam Agiels]] in ''TheSwordOfTruth'' series automatically cause pain to whoever touches them, including the wielder. The degree of pain, and whether they cause physical injury, can be adjusted.

* The Ark of the Covenant is said in Literature/TheBible to smite anyone who touches it without specific ecclesiastical consent. This apparently applies also to anyone [[Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk looking inside]].

* [[TheSilmarillion Silmarils]] will burn anyone who takes them that is not good enough to hold them.

* In the ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series, a Lens is this when not in contact with its owner. We see a few cases where someone other than the owner handles a Lens (usually another Lensman), but it's always with insulated forceps, gloves, and containers.

* In ''TimeBandits'' Kevin warns his parents not to touch a piece of Evil that the dwarves didn't dispose of. They (as usual) don't listen to him. Boom.

* The {{Phlebotinum}} in ''MysteryTeam.''

** A version of this mechanic also shows up in VideoGame/{{Nethack}}

* In ''VideoGame/LaMulana'', the Crystal Skull will hurt you if you touch it without having the Talisman of La-Mulana.

* In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' the infinity stone has a tendency to quickly damage and then kill those who attempt to wield it without proper precautions. Luckily carrying cases that can contain it seem to be pretty easy to procure.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

* In ''{{La-Mulana}}'', the Crystal Skull will hurt you if you touch it without having the Talisman of La-Mulana.

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]