What would happen if a unicorn's horn broke off?

[Stone Cold Applejack 381]

This question came into my mind after me and my friend were writing a scene in a fanfic we are making for my oc in which a unicorn gets his horn blasted off from a mortar round that landed to close. And after talking about it I decided to ask this. Like would they still be able to do magic, would it cut it down a bit, or something else?

Edited November 20, 2014 by Red Sage

[Fractured 2,683]

This question came into my mind after me and my friend were writing a scene in a fanfic we are making for my oc in which a unicorn gets his horn blasted off from a mortar round that landed to close. And after talking about it I decided to ask this. Like would they still be able to do magic, would it cut it down a bit, or something else?

Well, yes. Each of the tribes channel magic through different ways. With unicorns, magic is channeled out of the body through the horn. If said horn is damaged(like we saw with Shining Armor in Return of the Crystal Empire), or altered(seen with Twilight and the poison joke), then unicorns become unable to produce magic.

[Justin_Case001 4,855]

I think it would be the same as if a Blood's jewels were shattered in the Black Jewels Trilogy.  (I often equate unicorns in FIM to the Blood of the Black Jewels universe.)  I think they would still be able to do some very basic, simple magic, but their power would be greatly reduced.  The question is, would their horn ever grow back or be somehow reparable?

[FancyHorse 1,208]

As stated above, this seems to be the unicorns only way to produce magic.

 

In my opinion depending on the damage could factor either the inability to produce magic or perhaps just a limited use.

 

As for a horn to be repaired, like a narwale their horn is basically an extension of bone. Perhaps within time the horn will grow back it's original length.

 

But if possible extensive damage is done possibly magic and medical procedure could be required to either repair or if possible, implant a new one.

[Cwanky 17,443]

Well I can't imagine its particularly safe. 

 

As we've seen in Bridle Gossip, a neutralized horn like Twilight's renders the magic of a unicorn fairly useless. A broken horn may have a similar effect. 

 

Then again we have to remember that unicorns in Equestria, almost to a fault exclusively rely on their magic, and hence their horns for practically everything they do that doesn't involve bodily functions and walking. Worse case scenario the unicorn may forget at times that they have a broken horn and try to force magic of it. It could behave like a broken wand or conduit. Sure it likely may not do anything at all. Then again it may still backfire and cause the magic energy it is channeling to be released in a volatile and dangerous manner, ie backfiring on the user and those around it.

[Red Cedar 1,406]

I think the generally accepted theory among fans is that a unicorn would be unable to do magic (or severely limited at it) until their horn regrew.

[Celli 4,332]

Well, first of all, I think it would be extremely painful, as I seem to recall seeing somewhere that unicorn horns are sensitive, but also, I do think it would limit their magical abilities, or even render them useless, as seen in a couple of episodes.

[Castle_Cross 331]

I think it would be like when Ron's wand broke (Harry potter 2), the casted spells would act in a strange manner

Edited November 20, 2014 by Jay-cross

[VitalSpark 1,830]

All ponies are magic, including earth ponies and pegasi. Neither of those groups even have a horn, so I think it's safe to assume that the source of a pony's magic is not the horn.

 

Rather it seems that a unicorn's horn allows them to control their magic. So my theory is that if a unicorn's horn was broken, they would have less control of their magic. How much control they still had would depend on the size of the remaining stump.

 

This might manifest itself in them being unable to cast magic spells at will, and instead the magic building up inside their body, and occasionally reaching some kind of critical level where it bursts out causing random and unpredictable magical effects on the unicorn's surroundings. A magical burp if you will.

[Guest]

Regarding the unicorn's potential to cast magic without a horn, I personally see this as being rather difficult. Remember when Shining Armor was attacked by Sombra in 'The Crystal Empire'? He appeared unable to cast magic as a result. Whilst that could be argued to Sombra's use of dark magic against him, the spell itself manifests on the horn of Shining Armor (thereby perhaps implying the horn's function as a limb-like wand of sorts, without which SA seems magically-impotent). Tampering with the horn does not seem to remove the innate magic of a unicorn, although it does appear to limit the unicorn's ability to outwardly use it.

[Sunny Fox 5,929]

Point of order: the poison joke didn't affect Twilight's use of magic at all. She levitated a brush to comb her hair right before she saw what had happened to her horn.

 

As for Shining Armor, his horn might not have been damaged, either, he may just have had Sombra prevent him from using his magic, with the crystals being a symptom of the magical block, not necessarily the cause.

That one's more ambiguous, but you still can't just assume the crystals actually caused damage to his horn.

 

If it's because the magic couldn't reach the tip of horn, then a broken horn probably would impair magical ability. Otherwise, it seems even a unicorn with a broken/damaged horn could probably still use magic normally.

 

[ShintX 180]

The same way if wings got cut off. They'd loose the ability to fly or use magic. But there might be a solution if that stuff happens i think  Either way. I'm sure its not gonna happen ^^

Edited November 20, 2014 by ShintX

[MidnaShadows 141]

I think it would be the same as if a Blood's jewels were shattered in the Black Jewels Trilogy.  (I often equate unicorns in FIM to the Blood of the Black Jewels universe.)  I think they would still be able to do some very basic, simple magic, but their power would be greatly reduced.  The question is, would their horn ever grow back or be somehow reparable?

 

yeah the horn regrows

 

unles you snap it off but then it would fully fall off and regrow

 

just like a pegasus wing, that regrows to

 

because magical

 

ponies are magical charle

 

shunnnn

[Venomous 18,813]

I feel like that they would still be able to use their magic.

[Toast 55]

I've always wondered that too. I remember sweetie belle smacked rarity's horn in an episode to disable her magic. I don't know what to think at this point. Twilight seemed to pick up her comb just fine before she realized what had happened to her horn in the picture above.

[CrackedP0t 7]

Maybe it depends on the length of the stub left? Like, maybe they can only do very little magic if an inch is left, but their powers are only slightly affected if the tip comes off.

[Kapitan zur See Hans (Daz) 883]

I would imagine said unicorn would be in crippling pain, but idk, I'm not a unicorm. Though I just assume they lose the ability to perform magic or are able to in a limited state, even to the point of being unable to levitate small objects.

[Snow Frostflame 3,567]

*pulls out a medical chart* they will be going through excruciating pain much like if you lost a limb and they would need to be treated immediately.... they should still be able to cast spells if they recover but their horn will never look the same again........ unless they get plastic surgery and if it where to completely come off they would still be able to cast spells but they would look odd

 

now for those who think I'm full of crap how magic works is by knowledge, focus, and mana.... they keep the spell in their mind, they focus to cast the spell. and use mana to cast a spell....... anything magical uses mana

Edited November 21, 2014 by Bonnie The Bunny

[knuckles 150]

i think their magic will be limted because i think that magic is interal power for unicorns like mind power :okiedokielokie:

 

as for twilight maybe because she is powerful at magic so it would easily to pickup her comp

Edited December 16, 2014 by knuckles

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

 

 

Something like that, I suppose.

 

Of course, he's the most-OP Unicorn ever, so...

Edited January 22, 2018 by A.V.

[YouAreWorthSoMuch 102]

From the Fallout Equestria Tabletop Rules.

A crippled horn is severely painful and makes all spellcasting require a successful Science
check and inflicts a -­30 penalty on all spell casting which stacks with any other penalties. All
other actions are at a penalty of -­10 which stacks with any other penalties. Additionally, all spells
cost an extra +10 strain. If a horn is crippled through a critical hit, the horn is shattered, reducing
her Potency to 0, making spellcasting impossible, and increasing the penalty for all other actions
to -­20.

Basically - It's shattered hand levels of painful, and spellcasting is impossible. According to FO;E. 

 

Taking the fact that the horn is clearly both the magical focus for a unicorn and a bone i'd say that this interpretation is likely to be entirely accurate.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Bandersaur

[Magnum Flare 553]

My canon is that broken horn would react the same way Ron Weasley's broken wand does. It'll be uncontrollable magic.

[Silverhoof 2,839]

It is possible that a broken horn could be Fatal. It depends on a few factors that we do not know yet.

 

1) Does the horn tie directly into the brain? I have seen a picture from 20% Cooler showing the horn's base is hollow and filled with Brainstuff that merges seamlessly into the brain. (its not cannon, but there has been no cannon anatomy studies released)

 

2) Amongst regular ponies we have seen NO broken horns at all. Again indicating this could be fatal. The Sombra example on the previous page doesn't count. His body is an amorphous mist and like Sauron, he was not fully formed yet. He may have even been the one undead creature in Equestria.

 

[sweetolebob18 724]

The episodes don't deal w this at all (top level canon).  IDK about the books & comics (2nd level canon).  Fan fic seems to pretty universally say No horn, no magic.

 

IMO, it might be possible for a unicorn to retrain & regain at least some magic (Ever read the book My Left Foot?).  However, at the least it would be temporarily crippling.  Still, Zecora casts magic without a horn & Cadence had some magic as a Pegasus, so it is at least theoretically possible.

 

Also, unicorns have a few innate spells (like Rarity's gem hunting) that might be easier to regain than general magic use. 

[Eloquence 2,076]

I would say no horn usually means no magic. Without the conduit, unicorns can't transmit their magic outside of their bodies, just like pegasi and earth ponies can't (who we know also have magic in them from Twilight's Kingdom). However, in much the same way that Hagrid from the Harry Potter series was able to use a different conduit with limited success when his wand was taken, I think a unicorn who worked at it might still be able to do some simple spells, either by using a different part of the body as a conduit or having an artificial one, like a prosthetic horn.