History Main / HornAttack

* ''Arduin'' RPG, ''The Compleat Arduin Book 2: Resources''

* [[DoubleSubversion Double-Subverted]] with narwhal tusks, which aren't horns ''per se'' but oversized teeth. Although presumed for decades to have served as a weapon in defense or male/male competition, it's now known that their outer surface is riddled with sensory receptors that detect water pressure, temperature, salinity and particulate levels: to strike one tusk against another would be painful and overwhelming for both animals, as anyone who's gotten hit in the teeth or bit into something cold can tell you. What were ''thought'' to be "duels" between male rivals are now theorized to be a form of peaceful tactile communication, conveying what sort of water conditions each male has been swimming through. [[https://www.sciencealert.com/never-before-seen-behaviour-reveals-the-violent-purpose-of-the-narwhal-s-tusk Recent footage]], however, has shown narwhals using their tusks while hunting to strike and stun fish for consumption... very carefully. To put it into perspective, it'd be like having one of your teeth grow as long as your arm and using it like a baseball bat.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': the moves "[[TropeNamer Horn Attack]]", "[[OneHitKill Horn]] [[ThisIsADrill Drill]]", "Megahorn", "[[LifeDrain Horn Leech]]", and "[[ExtraOreDinary Smart Strike]]".

* The sheer diversity of horned/antlered animals today and [[{{OlderThanDirt}} in Earth's past]] is a testament to the ostensible TruthInTelevision of this trope. However most examples from nature tend to be subversions: horns are primarily for [[BlessedWithSuck display of fitness]]. Only when contenders for mating rights/territory/food are evenly matched are they used aggressively, though most of the resulting scraps are akin to wrestling matches. When things have GoneHorriblyWrong this doesn't stop horns being used as offensive weapons among species, especially when prey defend themselves against predators, but unlike the fictional examples it isn't their main function.

** In the series' backstory during the [[SlaveRevolt Alessian Revolt]] against the [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]], the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Divines]] themselves sent aid to the revolting Nedic people under Queen Alessia. In particular was the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Aedric demi-god]] Morihaus, the "[[ALoadOfBull winged man-bull]]". Going with his "man-bull" theme, his favored style of combat was to gore enemies with his horns. When Alessia's [[EternalHero divine champion]], Pelinal Whitestrake, was cut to pieces after his battle with Umaril the Unfeathered (BigBad leader of the Ayleids), Morihaus scared off the remaining Ayleids when he "shook the whole of the tower with mighty bashing from his horns." The tower in question was the ''massive'' White-Gold tower that now stands as the Imperial Palace in the Imperial City.

** One of [[Franchise/Spyro Spyro the Dragon's]] original abilities is a high-speed charge with his magnificent golden horns. In Spyro 2 and Year of the Dragon he can also use a jump-and-dive downward headbut.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', {{unicorn}}s and [[WingedUnicorn alicorns]] use their horns to cast magic, including combat magic. Particularly skilled and powerful individuals such as Twilight Sparkle can fire, or even ''rapid''-fire, [[FrickinLaserBeams beams]] from their horns.

Subtrope of NaturalWeapon. See also RhinoRampage, ALoadOfBull, and HornedHumanoid. Can result in being ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice. For attacking someone with the ''other'' kind of horn, see InstrumentOfMurder.

* Jen-Tai from ''{{Weaponlord}}'' can throw people using the ram-horns on her helmet.

* [[DoubleSubversion Double-Subverted]] with narwhal tusks. Although presumed for decades to have served as a weapon in defense or male/male competition, it's now known that their outer surface is riddled with sensory receptors that detect water pressure, temperature, salinity and particulate levels: to strike one tusk against another would be painful and overwhelming for both animals. What were ''thought'' to be "duels" between male rivals are now theorized to be a form of peaceful tactile communication, conveying what sort of water conditions each male has been swimming through. [[https://www.sciencealert.com/never-before-seen-behaviour-reveals-the-violent-purpose-of-the-narwhal-s-tusk Recent footage]], however, has shown narwhals using their tusks while hunting to strike and stun fish for consumption... very carefully. The sensitivity of these tusks means they can't be used haphazardly,

* The sheer diversity of horned/antlered animals today and [[{{OlderThanDirt}} in Earth's past]] is a testament to the ostensible TruthInTelevision of this trope. However most examples from Nature tend to be subversions: horns are primarily for [[BlessedWithSuck display of fitness]]. Only when contenders for mating rights/territory/food are evenly matched are they used aggressively, though most of the resulting scraps are akin to wrestling matches. When things have GoneHorriblyWrong this doesn't stop horns being used as offensive weapons among species, especially when prey defend themselves against predators, though unlike the fictional examples it isn't their main function.
* A more true-to-trope example of RealLife head-mounted weaponry can be found in swordfishes, sailfish, and the unrelated carpenter sharks. They sport an elongated rostrum used in hunting and defense.
* Subverted with narwhal tusks. Although presumed for decades to have served as a weapon in defense or male/male competition, it's now known that their outer surface is riddled with sensory receptors that detect water pressure, temperature, salinity and particulate levels: to strike one tusk against another would be painful and overwhelming for both animals. What were ''thought'' to be "duels" between male rivals are now theorized to be a form of peaceful tactile communication, conveying what sort of water conditions each male has been swimming through.

* Subverted with narwhal tusks. Although presumed for decades to have served as a weapon in defense or male/male competition, it's now known that their outer surface is riddled with sensory receptors that detect water pressure, temperature, salinity and particulate levels. What were ''thought'' to be "duels" between male rivals, clashing their tusks against one another, are now thought to be communication as to what sort of water conditions each male has been swimming through.

[[caption-width-right:350:Seaking just wants to be sure to get his point across...]]

** ''Pokemon Black/White'' introduces the Legendary Trio of Terrakion, Cobalion, and Virizion whom all know the SignatureMove of "Sacred Sword". True to their [[ShoutOut Musketeer theming]], the attack is basically them using their own horns as a sword. The Anime takes it even further and shows that the move causes a horn made of energy to emerge from their heads a la some sort of natural beam sword.
*** Keldeo (the honorary "fourth member" of the trio) can also learn Sacred Sword as well as its own signture move "Secret Sword". It should be noted that learning Secret Sword causes Keldeo to change form including its horn growing larger and more powerful.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cerulean_gym_seaking_horn_attack.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Seaking just wants to be sure to get his point across ...]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In the third ''OnePiece'' movie, the villain goes on OneWingedAngel after eating some magical golden horns and transform in a giant furry behemoth with large golden antlers. Not only he's strong enough to cause an earthquake when he headbutts the ground, but he can also [[KillItWithFire heat them up]]. In the main series, Chopper's strongest form is the "Horn Point".

** Subversion: Duval's pet Bison, Motobaro tries to ram Luffy as Duval gushes about how his "Heart-Crushing Horns" are unstoppable and capable of bringing down walls and dams.... then when the two impact, we clearly see that Motobaro's horns are far above Luffy. Chopper even lampshades this.

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', we have the Arrancar Yylford, whose OneWingedAngel form, [[ALoadOfBull Del Toro]] mainly relies on extensible, sharp horns, which he use to gore Ururu and Renji. A "beam-shooting" example would be [[HairTriggerTemper Apacci's]] basic form, as she cast the Cero ray from the horn on her mask.

* Several of the demons Guts has fought in ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' have tried to use their horns against him, including several of the demons of the Eclipse, [[spoiler:Rosine in her true Apostle form]], and the Great Goat Head once he gets upgraded to full-on demon.

* ''ComicBook/ElfQuest''

[[folder:Multiple Media]]
* ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'''s Kane-Ra bull and the MixAndMatchCritter Rahi Nui, which has the head of a Kane-Ra, usually use this strategy. The Rahi Nui, at its first appearance, was in fact defeated by [[DeadlyDodging letting it drive its horns into a rock wall with so much force, it couldn't pull itself out]]. Strangely, the actual Kane-Ra toy is an aversion, as it has a jaw-snapping attack, and the horns are just decoration.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''

*** The ''TabletopGame/{{Mystara}}'' setting has a few of these: actaeon (does 2-16 HitPoints of damage by goring opponents with its antlers), horned chameleon (horn do 1-6 HitPoints), some armored herbivorous dinosaurs (e.g. the triceratops does 5-40 HitPoints), gargoyles (1d4 HitPoints horn damage), gorgons (2-12 HitPoints with horns), unicorn (horn does 1-8 HitPoints) and narwhale (horn inflicts 1d4 HitPoints).

* Savage Oppress puts his horns to good use in ''StarWarsTheCloneWars'', ramming a Jedi headfirst and stabbing her with his horns before finishing her off with his lightsaber.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': the moves "[[TropeNamer Horn Attack]]", "[[OneHitKill Horn]] [[ThisIsADrill Drill]]", "Megahorn", and "[[LifeDrain Horn Leech]]".

* Chaosium's supplement ''All the Worlds' Monsters''

* MarvelComics supervillain The Rhino has a rhino suit he's permanently bonded with. His attacks generally involve running at you bent over with his horn poking out.