An idea that I came up with for an anti-unicorn weapon for a story, A Series of Unasked Questions (isn't posted yet), which is a recursive fanfic of The Other Side of the Spectrum.

They're called Harlequin Waves, a combination of sound waves at a specific set of frequencies (simultaneously) that causes the passive, low level magic in unicorn horns to resonate. At low volume, the waves only cause mild headaches for unicorns, and a temporary inability to cast spells that wears off within two minutes of the waves passing. However, when channeled through dedicated sonic weaponry, the effect is much more drastic. When projected at decibel levels comparable to a rock concert, it can cause unicorns' horns to resonate enough to cause permanent brain damage. If projected even louder, Harlequin Waves will literally shatter a unicorn's horn.

This is where the "cruel and unusual" part comes in. See, unicorn horns aren't just made from bone. The outer horn is just bone, but the inner horn is actually an extension of the brain, with nerve tissue interlaced with threads of cartilage that serve to strengthen it, much in the same way steel bars serve to strengthen reinforced concrete. When the unicorn's horn is shattered, the brain tissue in the inner horn is destroyed as well, leading to what is the single worst way to die that any pony can suffer. Painful beyond imagining, and by no means instant. Because the inner horn is used only to regulate conscious projection of magic, and nothing else, it can take several minutes, or even hours, for the victim of Harlequin Waves to die.

However, despite how horrific they are against unicorns, Harlequinn Waves can be rendered largely harmless by an audio filtration spell, which would block most of the waves before they reached the unicorn. With that spell in place, the worse effect they can have is to give their victim a debilitating headache. Because of this, Harlequin Waves can only be used effectively if the attacker has the element of surprise on their side, since audio filtration spells are relatively costly and cannot be maintained indefinitely.

2164250

how do you think of these things? pretty cool thought

2164262

Honestly, I wanted a weapon that can make your head asplode...then I had to make it pseudo-realistic, so it only makes your horn asplode instead. On top of that, I overthink everything, so I came up with an explanation of the mechanics.

Plus, I wanted a weapon that Vinyl Scratch could feasibly design.

2164288

*cough cough**cough cough* who posted that!?

but no thats a pretty good idea anyway....can it make em dance before they die?

2164288 Realistic weapon that can make head asplode: Microwave helmet.
It's a combined Motorcycle helmet and microwave oven.

2164250 I might have to use this idea in one of my fics

2164295

Not unless you count flailing around on the ground and screaming.

2164377

.....well of the move's called get down on the ground then yeah i think it might just pass for a dance move

Hah, this thing seems like humans would come up with within a few days of fighting against ponies. Not that they'd need them, but still.

It also reminds me of Mars Attacks.

2164584
god that films funny....pierce brosnan gets his head replaced with a chuwawas

2164584>>2164295

Humans may have come up with the weapon shortly after the fight started, but its main delivery platform is something that took decades of supercomputer thinking to come up with and build.

2164883
Why waste time with decades? We're already using sound and lasers as a deadly weapon!
BASS CANNON

2164250
All weapons are cruel. That's the point of their existence. If you're going to kill someone then what does it matter? Shooting them in the brain with sound bullets is no crueler than shooting them in the head with regular bullets. It's take a few minutes to kill the target? Oh well; you're KILLING them.

Now, a few hours might be debatable, if only with regards to efficacy; a weapon that takes hours of constant application to kill is a very unreliable weapon, indeed.

2165983

Uh, it takes a few seconds of application to kill a unicorn. After all, once their horn explodes, death is guaranteed. However, it might take a few hours for that lethal effect to actually catch up to them.

Harlequin waves are "cruel and unusual" because once you shoot a unicorn with them, they'll just lie on the ground in unspeakable agony until they finally bleed out, or unless the sheer stress of the pain causes them a heart attack or something like that.

2170719
Oh. I misunderstood. I thought you meant it took sustained application to take effect.

I suppose the decent thing to do would be to put a bullet in their heads once they're disabled rather than leaving them to writhe.