Do unicorns really need their horns to cast magic?

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

It seems to me that horns are used for precision more than anything. So what if the horns were removed the same way cows and goats get theirs removed by farmers? 

 

There would just be a big hole left. Could the magic still come out of the hole and be put to use?

[GrimGrimoire 4,973]

Heck if I know. But in most fictions removing a Unicorn's horn either kills or cripples them... so....

 

So that is my opinion. Others headcanons may vary.

[Ganondorf8 11,370]

Without their horns, they wouldn't be able to use magic, but if they could then it would just go all over the place. A horn is needed to keep control of their magic and to use the right amount without going too far. Also, removing their horns would be devastating to them, not to mention you being condemned by others for procuring something deemed precious.

[The_Gobo 36,257]

I liken the horns to a focus/wand in DnD.
It's not needed, per se, in order to cast, but it does amplify/enhance the magic being cast.
Though I still have yet to find a detailed description of general magic in FiM.
Mostly for lack of looking.

[Queen Sparkle 104]

Yes they need their horns to cast magic, they can't do without it. We're shown this by season 3 episode 1 where Shining Armor's horn gets corrupted by black crystals making it impossible to cast anything, and from what we've seen a spell has to reach the tip of their horns before casting it, there's a whole theory saying that all races have magic, since Earth ponies don't have horns or wings the magic is channeled into their body thus giving them a somewhat super strength, and since pegasi don't have a horn it is what makes them fly, unicorns channel it into their horn, since alicorn have more magic then most ponies it channels it into their wings, body, and horn. Weather you believe the theory or not is your decision but given the proof from S:3 EP:1 as well as other episodes I can say that in my head canon unicorns need their horns to cast, just like pegasi need their wings to fly.

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

Yes they need their horns to cast magic, they can't do without it. We're shown this by season 3 episode 1 where Shining Armor's horn gets corrupted by black crystals making it impossible to cast anything, and from what we've seen a spell has to reach the tip of their horns before casting it, there's a whole theory saying that all races have magic, since Earth ponies don't have horns or wings the magic is channeled into their body thus giving them a somewhat super strength, and since pegasi don't have a horn it is what makes them fly, unicorns channel it into their horn, since alicorn have more magic then most ponies it channels it into their wings, body, and horn. Weather you believe the theory or not is your decision but given the proof from S:3 EP:1 as well as other episodes I can say that in my head canon unicorns need their horns to cast, just like pegasi need their wings to fly.

The black crystals only blocked Shining Armor's flow of magic. That's different from removing the horn completely. The horn seems to work more like a funnel for concentrating spells than anything. What I'm trying to figure out is whether magic can still come from the hole that's left after dehorning. 

[PiratePony 8,476]

In the Discord two-parter, it was the lack of horns that kept Twilight and Rarity from using their magic. Of course, it was really Discord's powers, but it seems like the lack of a horn stunts the magic. Also it always glows when magic is being used. 

[Lil Pip 775]

Horns are made of alicorn, you would need to research it also as its a magical organ probably, not like a normal horn and cannot assume based on evidence from non-magical-horned-creatures.

But while we are at it we should see if Pegasi need wings to fly.

[El Duderino 879]

I've always had my own little idea of how this works.

All ponies have magic, right? They just have different ways of using it. Pegasi focus their magic through their wings, which allows them to fly and do other related things. Earth Ponies don't have a way to focus their magic, so they've adapted to be able to use their magic in less direct ways like having extra strength or non-directly affecting nature and their surroundings (like how plants grow better when an Earth Pony grows them).

Unicorns are able to cast spells because they have a way of focusing their magic into a spell (their horn). Without their horn, they would have no way of focusing their magic, and they haven't adapted to use magic in a non-direct way like Earth Ponies. It's not that they wouldn't have magic anymore, they just wouldn't have a natural way to focus it and use it.

 

But that's just how I like to explain it to myself.

[cmarston1 5,959]

In my headcanon, I would say that yes the unicorns need their horns to cast magic.

Given how other forms of media portray removing a unicorn's horn, I see no reason why they would be able to use their type of magic without a horn.

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

The visual representation of their horns channeling magic seems to confirm the rule.

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

Here's some food for thought then. 

What if prosthetics were a thing in Equestria? If a pony's horn broke off in some kind of accident, could they get it replaced with an artificial horn via surgery? And would that allow them to use magic? Or could it only be done with the horn they grew up with?