CHANGED MY MIND about best weapons for a MINOTAUR: FANTASY RE-ARMED

[@LightningDragonGamer]

*a group of adventurers walk into a cave and find a nobless door blocking the way. They decide to knock. It's a Minotaur with a door for a shield.* There's a DnD encounter idea

[@Jackb290]

Dev Lightning can I use that for my story

[@TheNiksa11]

Dark Souls 3

[@giulioaprati338]

Dev Lightning very good one

[@MarkATorres1989]

Me: Ye adventurers see a door in the far end of the corridor. Player1: I advance to open the door. Player 2: I look about to check any traps in the corridor. Player 3: I turn around to check our backs for possible ambushes. Me: Very well, 1 as you approach the door, 2 is now certain there are no traps within the corridor. However, 3. you realize the entrance behind you has suddenly shut. Players: Oh no... well guess we have to move forward- Me: Then as you turn, 1... you notice that the door before is closer now. Player 1: What? Me: In fact the door is getting closer to you as if picking up speed. Player 2: A mimic? Me: You hear distinct heavy footsteps of something big and heavy. Player 3: I roll nature to figure out what it is!?! Me: You think there is something strong enough to hold the door and it is charging at you. Players: What?!?!?! (players got impacted and smashed back as the door hits them) Me: It stands with notable horns on its bull like head, towering over 1 despite him being a barbarian. Wearing scarps of armor that is poorly mismatch but mostly due to its sheer bulk and size. In one hand... the door it greeted you with. On the other hand. A fearsome looking mace with spikes. Players: A Minotaur? Me: A Minotaur with a Door.

[@simoneriksson8329]

Genius! Not only using the door as a shield but as camouflage makes this idea even more effective!

[@dmand2353]

The image of a Minotaur running into a village and ripping a door off of some poor peasant's house to use as a shield is quite funny.

[@scojo6373]

He's not there to window shop for weapons, he's there to door shop for a shield.

[@BullDogBreed75]

would make for an interesting insurance claim that's for sure

[@Th3Sw0rdB3ar3r]

Peasant: Oy! that's my door! Minotaur: ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR! Peasant: okay okay you can keep it!

[@angeltales748]

Minotaur: haha door! Peasant: I guess it was time to move out anyway Minotaur: *smashes peasant with the door*

[@peeblekitty5780]

Heyyy don't mind me im just gonna take this and go, ok thanks cya

[@BingleBangleBungle]

Man, finally after hours and hours of going around in this labyrinth I have reached the exit. Now let me just open this door and...

[@liviutampei7235]

jezzbull RIP

[@bray2964]

Beautiful

[@arcallium]

Is there a door though...

[@haillobster7154]

You'll be missed.

[@Otto_Von_Beansmarck]

Some... Body once told me the world was gonna roll me

[@lukediehl1210]

You know, I just realized that I have some knowledge that might be relevant to discussions of minotaur combat. I grew up raising cattle. 1) In regard to the effectiveness of a goring charge, very effective. I was gored by a nasty Holstein steer, right in the gut when I was 14, so I know what I'm talking about. Bodies getting stuck on the horns are very unlikely because the horns have a naturally smooth, in some cases almost polished texture. Also, the horn will not necessarily penetrate. It varies between individual animals, but some horns are actually quite blunt. In those cases, it would function more like a (historical) warhammer, focusing the force in a small area, breaking bones and damaging internal organs without breaking the skin. As far as the head being exposed, it isn't that much of a problem considering the thickness of a bovine skull. 2) In regard to the increase in strength relative to size, there is a biological justification for this. There is a gene mutation which causes a phenomenon known as "double muscling". An entire breed of cattle has been created around this trait, the Belgian Blue. Google it. 3) In regard to eyesight, there is an often overlooked fact about the eyes of many herbivores. In addition to being oriented more toward the sides of their head, the pupils are often slitted horizontally. This can afford up to a 270 degree field of vision. True, there is less overlap between the visual field of each eye, but this just means that the binocular field is somewhat narrower. They are still fully capable of judging distance, it just may be in a 30 degree arc vs 60 degrees (arbitrary numbers chosen to illustrate) 4) In regard to the NEED for armor, many people use the words "thick hide" as a lazy justification. Take it from someone who has skinned, literally, hundreds of animals, a sharp blade will pierce it easily. The only animal I ever had trouble penetrating the hide, was a bear. 5) Coming back to the issue of musculature, there is one thing many people don't know about cattle. The powerful leg muscles that aid in a charge also mean that they can JUMP! I have personally seen a young, healthy, Hereford bull jump over a 5 foot high fence like it wasn't even there. That's impressive for an animal that weighed 3/4 of a ton. Conceivably, a minotaur could leap right over the first rank, landing in the middle of the group and lashing out wildly on all sides. 6) While not universal, most fantasies depict minotaurs with hooves. It cannot be underestimated how devastating a kick can be. I suffered a dislocated knee and fractured patella from a Charolais once, and he was barely half grown 7) Fun fact, cows kill more people every year than sharks. That means that you should be less scared of a shark-man than a minotaur

[@foolslayer9416]

Wait, would a female minotaur have one pair or two pairs of breasts?

[@lred1383]

@@foolslayer9416 Idk, but either way that is gross and i don't like you for putting that image into my head

[@foolslayer9416]

@@lred1383 It's biology, put on your grownup pants

[@lred1383]

@@foolslayer9416 Still though... the way i initially imagined it was like some really disturbing fetish thing, and now, even though i rearranged some aspects of that image, the first impression still haunts me.

[@wizardtim8573]

@@foolslayer9416 Minotaur anatomy is often a blend of human and bull. So I'd say either works honestly, though in terms of fantasy depictions they often only have 1 pair (the males almost always have a human torso and 1 set of breasts, so females would likely follow suit).

[@carbon1255]

MIND THE DOOR! MINDDEDOOR! MINNODOR!! MINOTAUR, MINOTAUR! Guy traumatised when confronted with the door assault could only say "Minotaur" afterwards, hence the name.

[@tylerduncan1657]

This is a bad ass comment, you just made my fucking night. Thank you

[@gaia9020]

perfection

[@GreenLanternCorps2814]

Still better than the conclusion of Game of Thrones.

[@krkrbbr]

Norville Rogers Thank you for the enlightenment thee bestowed upon us oh wise one we truly are blessed by your dumbfuckness

[@LadyGameshine]

@Alexander it is a joke they're aware it isn't the real reason behind the name

[@Shardalon]

Wow, can you imagine the tower shield as part of a war tactic for a race of Minotaurs? Just a frontline of 7-8 foot tall beasts charging full tilt into the opposing army with giant shields in front of them blocking arrow fire and whatnot. That would be devastating.

[@nicholasroberts8378]

Shardalon welp it sounds like the oppenet army would need to just carry loads of siege equipment like ballistas, trebuchets and so on BC a tower shield Minotaur charge is basically a moving wall.

[@aero5560]

Or... You know... A charging line of doors

[@Just_A_Dude]

Yeah, but the front line is supported by a bunch of archers firing javelin-sized arrows from outside your retaliation range.

[@TheLostArchangel666]

Shardalon Total War: Warhammer's beastman faction needs this... Lol

[@nicholasroberts8378]

Just A Dude That's when you bring in horse archers to harass the archers. Also tower shields are fairly cumbersome even with their increased strength the tower shields are being built to their size so they will obviously be heavier than a human tower shield so combined with armour you just kite them till they tire, and arrows are not unending and have infinite range. I still believe most siege engines would out range Minotaur Bowmen, or have equal range at the least, and since siege engines like ballistas and trebuchets are meant to do damage to multiple targets from great range while a bows accuracy decreases with greater range. One thing that I feel would work against Minotaur Bowmen, which would depend on the setting, is that cows are natural short sighted, not talking about eyes on the side just the eye muscle in general, which means long range weapons and not real suited for the Minotaurs.

[@ampeyro]

Adventurer 1: Look! That wall is closing in. Adventurer 2: No worries, It's the classic moving wall trap, we have 5 minutes to solve a puzzle. Adventurer 1: But it's moving VERY fast. And I don't see any puzzle. Adventurer 2: Maybe we have to find a trap door or... Oh f#@k it's nearly here! Adventurer 1: It's not a wall, it's a shie... *SPLAT*

[@shadiversity]

I love this so much!

[@fenorlex1126]

Me: *Eating an orange near their corpse* I warned you both, but you didn't listened.

[@ThibautVDP]

12:40 "a flat type object that is readily available" no, he doesn't mean a... "it's the DOOR!" at that moment i almost spat out my cola and thought back at a recent D&D session, where our Goliath party member used a door to help the party advance against a tunnel of enemies. gold!

[@SirAroace]

Minotaurs using axes is actually cultural, as the symbol of the Minoans/Greeks is the Labrys Axe.

[@readmarx420]

Not the point of the video though

[@dango470]

​@@readmarx420 kinda relevant though Minions literally made up the minotaur Look at the extreme diversity of weapons used by human beings all over the globe and timespan. Most of the time, "what is the best weapon" isn't an answer of fitting a thing to biology. It's a matter of environment and resources, logistics and convenience, and culture (aka, skill transfered over generations). The spear and shield is the best weapon combo, and the sword is a sidearm for personal protection, yet look at where the romans took it

[@iamasalad9080]

@@dango470 Minions!?

[@dango470]

@@iamasalad9080 yeah some of their experiments really got away from them. dont ask how they got the human-bull hybrid, you dont wanna know

[@remingtonwright6796]

Which, like the bearing sword, was so large and inefficient to make and weild, it was more of a status symbol or a ceremonial piece

[@whade62000]

Minotaur guarding a labyrinth: tears off a large door and breaks off a hinge to use like a gladius “I DON’T NEED A WEAPON...MY LABYRINTH IS MY WEAPON!”

[@carbon1255]

I can just imagine "WAGA WAGA WAGA" as the ensuing chase occurs through the labarinth as the hero collects coins.

[@benthomason3307]

how the heck could a hinge function as a gladius?

[@animeotaku22]

@@benthomason3307 You're not being creative enough. Anything can be a weapon if you're creative enough.

[@ladymarcy7830]

@@animeotaku22 You could use a toilet as a weapon if you were smart and creative enough

[@AmadisLFE]

@@ladymarcy7830 Uh, well, I.. I guess you aren't.. wrong.

[@Talon323]

Its funny, for a professional, the minotaur with a door on his left hand is so much more fearsome than a classicly depicted minotaur.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

Until you realize that gets in the way and they can't kill you as easily and you feel safer. They don't lower as much to get more mass and power behind it and it deflects you off to safety instead of being gored or trampled. You might break a few bones but they have to line you up just right and can't see you from behind it. Still like getting hit by a truck, instead of a train. Without it he would be doing donuts on your face. It does make more difficult the best maneuver to defeat the charge, jumping the bull.

[@PlayerSkillFTW]

Shields themselves were pretty lethal weapons. The "Deadliest Warrior" series did a test with a Spartan shield, and found that a shield bash from it hit with the same force as a 30 MPH car wreck. The shield actually turned out to be one of the deadliest pre-firearm weapons they ever tested. Now imagine a shield bash/ram from a 6 foot Tower Shield/Door with a 7-8 foot, 600+ pound creature behind it. Good luck jumping a 7-8 foot man bull with big horns on it's head.

[@tecwynjones6532]

@@PlayerSkillFTW Just to add that they're also most likely in a labyrinth, which means that the walls got to turn at some point. This means that the charge won't just hit once, but twice, thrashing the skull, ribs and pelvis against the hard surface of the wall. Pretty brutal stuff.

[@fenorlex1126]

Counter Charge!!! *Charges with Demoknight Set*

[@dmitryivanov5411]

"Hey Ivan what happened to your door?" "It was ripped off it's hinges during the night by a Minotaur." "Wait WHAT?!" In the distance a Minotaur is running away with a door as a shield. Now people should fear Minotaurs not just for their brutality but also for their tendencies to rob people of their doors. Great. Also sounds like a great start for a D&D quest. lol

[@josephvickrey5396]

I'm stealing this.

[@zachnerdydude6605]

charging at someone with their own door as a shield

[@Casedilla73]

Pesky bird minotaur

[@FrostE789]

@@josephvickrey5396 Just like the minotaur.

[@Gottaculat]

New quest started: A Knight of Hard Knocks

[@DakkogiRauru23]

Shad always makes me crack up whenever he reaches ideas that will just doom hypothetical opponents to embarrassing deaths. Giant with sling and scythe? Check. Minotaur with tower shield? OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHHOOOOOOO CHEEEEEEECCCCCK!

[@sternis1]

I can imagine that after this video was released, a lot of DnD players found themselves facing Minotaurs with doors.

[@fasgamboa]

Now my players will surely die... and its all your fault...

[@Nerobyrne]

"Close the door Ned, that'll keep the minotaur out!" --Farmer Bragad, last words

[@therhun5938]

Ah one of those youtubers who actually do something with the opinions from the comments, and use it to expend their own knowledge. Great work btw!

[@bretonic1812]

It reallly feels like there's a great connection between shad and his audience.(=

[@mlmf2012]

Yup, i suggested a towershield in the last vid, pretty sure im not the only one. Though a warhammer with massive strength imo mihgt be better than axe

[@jtnoc5927]

It probably would be if they need to pummel something huge. For human size opponents, the shield should be more than enough.

[@marscaleb]

OMG that depiction of a minotaur charging through a labyrinth with a giant shield is scary as hell! Okay, yeah, I think it goes without saying that the best possible weapon for a minotaur to use, would have to be... a Browning .50 Calibur Machine Gun. (With a heavy tower shield in the other hand of course.)

[@justaguest5540]

If your giving your minatours a .50 cal machine guns, well... I’ll be handing out some auto-loading grenade launchers, proper metal bullet-proof shields with proper heavy armour and as backup would be some small maces (which can also be stun batons if need be) This way they’ll hide in their shields, lay down “artillery support” blowing up any humans crazy enough to either hide in a defensive location or charge right at them. And when their out of grenades, expect my heavily armoured minatours to charge right at them at full tilt in heavy armour, “Stun-maces” and proper steel bullet-proof tower shields. (Just some thought I had about what a modern-day minatour would use)

[@lawrencemorris2261]

@@justaguest5540 that would cost a lot though. But with some good innovation you can make some cheap and very effective arms for a mino. Even better would be defensive, since they are built very bulky and robust. They might be slow but they could carry a lot, meaning you can put something heavy over it, and it won't have a problem carrying it. But that's only if it is crossbreed between a dextrous adaptable man and an ox artificially selected over decades to carry heavy things long distances. Another huge advantage would be the collar bones, but I don't have enough battery time to explain that.

[@kj12351]

@@lawrencemorris2261 Slow? 500-1000kg Running 35 MPH! How is that slow?

[@IndraKatiK]

Random Dungeon Adventurer: "Hey, is it just me or that door in the hallway getting close to us really fast?" Veteran Adventurer: "It's the minotaur! Rrrruuun"

[@thewallachianbard6975]

Minotaur : Knock knock! Human Peasant : Whomst be there? *BASH* Minotaur : THE DOOR!

[@dudetheman3]

*watches first video* 'hmm... Shad didn't get super worked up and excited, I wonder if he missed something.' *watches second video* 'That's better!'

[@zacharyirving7943]

Shad: 'There is a weapon that would work really well for a charging minotaur' Me: he's going to say a shield. Shad: 'And a minotaur has access to a decent sized shield' Me: he's going to say a door. :D Could you imagine though? One night a minotaur walks into a small village knocks on a random door, the villager answers grumbling about how late it is. As the poor villager turns white, the minotaur says "need shield" rips off his door and walks away. XD XD XD

[@krankarvolund7771]

I don't think the miotaur will ask, but it's pretty funny XD Or just, the minotaur came, rip the door, and when on the morning the village wake up and see that a door is missing, there is just one drunk to said "There is a giant cow, she ripped the door and go back into the mountains" XD

[@Shardalon]

Oh heck yeah. Like a wandering good guy minotaur, sees a threat, knocks on the nearest door, yanks it off the hinges when the owner answers, is like "sorry, bring it back later". Next day there's a beaten up, blood spattered door crookedly shoved back into the doorway.

[@sompret]

If they were a playable race in Divinity: Original Sin 2, that could very well happen.

[@GnarledStaff]

Zachary Irving I picture the characters from Looking For Group webcomic, fits several of them perfectly.

[@aloysiusprasetyo3737]

Peasant in fantasy setting have it rough with Goblin Raid and minotaur stealing your door

[@06arnoldcharles]

Shad man can you imagine how much more terrifying dungeoneering would be if you go to open a door but it's a trick from the minotaur and the door pulls back and this giant axe swings down on you. Thats like built for a D&D encounter

[@shadiversity]

Ha ha ha, now all dungeons doors are going to have aggressive ill-tempered Minotaur behind them!

[@MrKitsune9]

06arnoldcharles I was just thinking about that

[@sertaki]

I will sooo steal this to unleash hell on my players at some point. Great idea! :D

[@shadowgear7032]

06arnoldcharles I have a better idea. Who needs the Roman legion. I'm going to have some big bad tame the minotaurus and turn them into a standing army. On the planes. What is going to take down a minotaurus in heavy armor with a tower shield and a gladus charging across the planes in formation.

[@sertaki]

Gandalf. Gandalf would stop them.

[@ballom29]

12:33 : the minotaur git gud "knock knock" "who's here?" "THE DOOR!" *slam

[@mywayfernandez8704]

ASDF!

[@andrewhoward6946]

"As you step into the room, the walls begin to close in on you! Make a Perception check" "25?" "The walls just moo'ed at you. You realize you're trapped between two minotaur shield formations."

[@fenorlex1126]

Me, recently enters the Labyrinth: *Shoots one Minotaur with flintlock pistol at the leg* How much damage?

[@commenturthegreat2915]

@@fenorlex1126 You miss, the bullet bounces back and hits your knee. You are now a guard.

[@fenorlex1126]

@@commenturthegreat2915 *As a Chamberlain (Senior Officer) of a distant Kingdom's main household, I brought a few Guard Regiments with loaded cannons to the Labyrinth*

[@SIRJACOBSTINE]

@@fenorlex1126 must be real unfortunate to learn that a dragon that happened to be passing by burned them all to a crips right after you entered the labyrinth.

[@fenorlex1126]

@@SIRJACOBSTINE ..... *1 modification later* *Literally brutalising said Dragon with the cannon in melee, while constantly rolling 14s and over* I've been through Valhalla, and learned the art of fighting with a cannon.

[@njnjco]

Holy cow (pun intended). I am going to give a Minotaur a door in a future campaign.

[@bretonic1812]

also man really appreciate you doing this it shows great humility

[@bretonic1812]

Ayy two hearts and a pin im doing great today thanks man your great (=

[@windhelmguard5295]

still would have apreciated a mention of helmets during the armour section, with a neck as huge as the ones minotaurs are usually depicted with, it would be able to comfortably carry one really massive helmet to protect it's skull and maybe even reinforce it's horns. imagine a king comissions the construction of a labyrinth and wants a minotaur guarding it, he would make damn sure that this minotaur is as well equiped as it gets, massive reinforced shield, thick heavy helmet (perhaps even reinforcing the horns with steel fitings), shin guards with sharp pointy bits, to fully cover it's body gaisnt anything that might be lurking arround in there, and a mace, axe or sword to complete an unstopable package of death.

[@randybowen4675]

A flanged pole-mace, a decent spike or short thick blade, langets and four curved quilions, long leather wrapped handle with riveted, weighted(?) pommel. length debatable.

[@resart5445]

IntoBeyond *in battle

[@adrianglennbionat]

It's really hard to take in that those snobbish Europeans think so lowly of Chad. Their all claiming to be more "legit" and "authentic" just because they were born in the old country.

[@lvd8122]

The poor villagers will probably be really frustrated that some beasts always steal there new doors:D

[@gaia9020]

Guest: Is this the door to the bathroom? Me: actually - Guest: * opens door * Me: - its a Minotaur.

[@ShieldWife]

Great set of videos. I like the sword and large shield combination as well. I just wanted to mention in regard to the stereotypical two handed axe that there is a good reason for the link. The Minotaur of legend was associated with King Minos of Crete, the name being related to both Minotaur and the pre-Greek Minoan civilization of Crete. The Minoan people had a prominent weapon, that was ceremonial if not used in battle, which was a double headed axe called the Labrys. The Labrys is linked to the Minoan word Labyrinth, which is the home of the Minotaur. So it seems pretty reasonable that the Minotaur should use a double headed axe, the Labrys. Maybe he can use it one handed and use a shield in the other hand. I know that isn't what these videos are about, but I just wanted to mention it. Pardon me if somebody else mentioned it earlier.

[@a.g.m8790]

Wow. I love finding these quick little history lessons in comments

[@Wirrn]

This is what I was going to add. The labry's that existed were very clearly not weapons at all, but do appear to be symbols of power, so its easy to see a Minoan Minotaur using an axe for that reason

[@StarboyXL9]

I always pictured a Minotaur as wielding a two-handed (even for him) massive double-sided battleaxe that is literally so big the Minotaur can cleave/crush a fully armoured knight in a single blow. At the cost of being vulnerable because no shield. I mean, trading a shield for the ability to one-shot your enemies seems like a half-decent trade off to me

[@tobek284]

I intended to mention this too, but was beaten to the punch. I'll just point out the obvious symbolic and ritual nature with the curved axe heads of the labrys representing horns and power, magically speaking. Excellent and informative post.

[@XnecromungerX]

Hey shad, at the 9 minute mark you go into how ramming with horns is not a very good use in how they could get stuck ect. From being on an Australian farm with bulls as a kid, i saw them sometimes use them for ramming but not very often. They mostly used their horns for moving objects vertically. with a flick of the horns. This is when they were actually angry and trying to cause harm to another bull. For example if a Minotaur is fighting an opponent, they might gore a person and flick their body into an upright stance again to basically open their body up. That's how real bulls seem to fight, that vertical cutting motion. As you said this exposes them, but it's a far more useful tactic then ramming. Shields could be disarmed by this particular movement too, as the Minotaur starts with its head down and flicks it up to remove weapons and shields.

[@portsouth]

Well would this go back to the question of what kind of horns do they have?

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

Side or forward facing? The side ones charge maybe the forward facing flick? Sometimes see them charge and ram people into the ground then start flicking to gore their guts out. I guess if they stick out to much it keeps them from doing that well.

[@IDrawOthers]

I literally just finished watching your original video.

[@MarkATorres1989]

Thanks to this video and the previous one, I made a D&D encounter for my friends that were taken for a ride. Me: Ye adventurers see a door in the far end of the corridor. Player1: I advance to open the door. Player 2: I look about to check any traps in the corridor. Player 3: I turn around to check our backs for possible ambushes. Me: Very well, 1 as you approach the door, 2 is now certain there are no traps within the corridor. However, 3. you realize the entrance behind you has suddenly shut. Players: Oh no... well guess we have to move forward- Me: Then as you turn, 1... you notice that the door before is closer now. Player 1: What? Me: In fact the door is getting closer to you as if picking up speed. Player 2: A mimic? Me: You hear distinct heavy footsteps of something big and heavy. Player 3: I roll nature to figure out what it is!?! Me: You think there is something strong enough to hold the door and it is charging at you. Players: What?!?!?! (players got impacted and smashed back as the door hits them) Me: It stands with notable horns on its bull like head, towering over 1 despite him being a barbarian. Wearing scarps of armor that is poorly mismatch but mostly due to its sheer bulk and size. In one hand... the door it greeted you with. On the other hand. A fearsome looking mace with spikes. Players: A Minotaur? Me: A Minotaur with a Door.

[@jaytomioka3137]

The best weapon for any race is a tactical mind! In a fantasy tactical rpg context with a race of Minotaurs could have an equivalent human intellect or if not; they could be domesticated as soldiers in a human army. One weapon system no one has mentioned is that of siege engines! Even with minimal intelligence a group of Minotaurs can be directed by a human officer to operate simple siege engines like ballista or catapults or just to push siege towers or battering rams. On a basic level Minotaur can combine the role of beast of burden and a laborer! Think of the field fortifications the romans made use of at the battles of Masada or Alesia! Human ingenuity + Minotaur strength = OMG!!! If given appropriately sized slings and heavy shot, Minotaurs could rain down a hail of devastation equivalent of small catapults with very little technical resources. Of course Minotaurs would make excellent shock troops combining the mobility and momentum of cavalry with the defensive and cooperative potential of a phalanx. Since bovines are herd animals a phalanx would be a natural extension of their instincts. Even without weapons they would be formidable in a stampede. Given The sarissa (long spear) and xiphos combined with a roman scutum (tower shield) a Minotaur phalanx would dominate most other foot and give heavy cavalry a run for their money. One thing I know is I wouldn't want to be down wind of the Minotaur latrines.

[@alvinsanchez967]

In AD&D campaign setting Dragonlance, on another continent has a minotaur empire similar to the Roman Empire.

[@dragonheart1236]

Something similar happens in Wrath of the Righteous, a Pathfinder game. During one of the sieges, a defense you come across is a set of heavy duty catapults being operated by lesser giants.

[@gareththompson2708]

I submit that their apparent inability to produce their own weapons and armor might not necessarily indicate a lack of intelligence. In order to be able to produce your own weapons and armor you need to have a complex civilization that is able to produce enough abundance to allow its members to specialize their skills (and that some of them then specialize in metal working). Intelligence is certainly a prerequisite to that, but is not the only thing you need. You also need for your species to be socially inclined enough to form large groups and work together. Minotaurs are typically depicted as loner creatures. We rarely hear about tribes of minotaurs. Even if they are highly intelligent a minotaur without a tribe must learn all of the skills they need to survive on their own, and will not have time to become a specialist in one specific skill (such as making weapons or armor).

[@PlayerSkillFTW]

Minotaurs are also usually depicted as having superior memory to humans, which is why they can traverse their maze-like Labyrinths so easily without getting lost. Which indicates that they might not be stupid. Elephants in RL also have an incredible memory which surpasses that of humans.

[@bobthetop3242]

some might, I think.

[@couchpotatoe91]

Well, Minotaus could be employed by some kings which could provide them with weapons. It would make sense wanting to employ such ferocious beasts after all! Who says that they would have to provide for their own armor if they're fighting in a mixed force after all. I know I would employ Minotaur mercenaries or claim levy tax from conquered minotaur tribes and make them as effective as possible if I was king...

[@ccvcharger]

But that brings up one very important question. Why are they always depicted as loners? I mean, aside from the original Greek myth where the minotaur was simply the isolated product of bestiality and divine involvement. Because if you look at real world bovines, they typically live in enormous herds, with a fairly crude hierarchy. And it is pretty safe to say that most depictions of minotaurs have a temperament that is almost an exact match for bulls, and I guess cows for the rarely observed female minotaurs. If that is the case, then minotaurs should live in tribes with similar societal structures to the bovine herds in real life. The only reasons I can think of for minotaurs always being encountered alone is that those loners are usually young adult males trying to prove themselves, and I doubt very many people would survive approaching a minotaur tribe uninvited, since one by itself is already a formidable opponent.

[@wizardtim8573]

@@ccvcharger I'm actually working on a world story that includes minotaurs as an intelligent species (there are humanoids like humans, elves, dwarves, and gnomes. Beastoids like minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, naga. And monstrous creatures like trolls, orcs, goblins, and ogres). Minotaurs would be the smarter ones among the beastoids, having cities that are basically labyrinths as a defensive feature. Winding streets, multiple levels, massive doorways leading into housing and shops. In times of war, invading forces trying to work their way through a city would inevitably be broken up and taken out.

[@Vpkoivisto]

Man, this got me thinking about a dungeon that has these big handles in the middle of the doors instead of regular ones. Why carry a tower shield with ya all the time when you can rip a door off and use that instead? Good stuff, good stuff!

[@justiciar1964]

when you said minotaur with a tower shield I immediately imagined one ripping a door off its hinges and using that XD awesome idea

[@agentspaniel4428]

Since the Minotuar originates from Greece I think Greek weapons would be a good fit The Hoplon shield with an over sized Kopis or Xiphos if the Minotuar is smart enough he would still go for a Greek Hoplite weapon set

[@groovecrusader7522]

Imagine at the end of a labrynth you see a door, you walk up to open it and suddenly you get rammed by it Minotaurs are becoming the new mimics

[@hasanmuttaqin464]

oh shit

[@link113gaming]

Im using this in my next dnd campaign

[@Lurker101Gaming]

Too soon to say "don't let the door hit your arse on the way out"?

[@osmium6832]

Still no mention of maces, clubs, or warhammers. If they weren't in a confined space, they could use their strength and bulk to wield blunt force weapons much more effectively than smaller creatures. A minotaur could be more effective against an armored human while using a hammer rather than a sword. They'd just crush the armor around the human inside.

[@shadiversity]

Very true!

[@ColtDouglasMusic]

In my response to Shad I said clubs would be great.

[@alt-bringer5198]

my thought is that for the most part, beast men are set up to be guardians or sentinels and left to thier own, meaning they will be fighting solo, with a good chance of facing groups meaning that while yes they could kill a few people with one sweep having to recover from a sweep or heavy attack, with a masive heavy bludgeon would leave them open also thier sheer mass makes any sturdy enough weapon, hit with great force youll only get so much benefit from a heavier weapon when a good hit breaks ribs and ruptures organs to begin with ie a kidney punch from a minotaur will leave you in agony, and kill you with sepsis hours later

[@davidhalabi664]

I'd be terrified if a horde of beastmen attacked!

[@osmium6832]

+Alt-Bringer Albus You raise a few good points, but I don't agree with everything. They don't necessarily need minotaur-sized warhammers, but they do need something durable enough not to shatter the first time it hits plate, like a sword would. Their extra strength and momentum is going to be especially hard on conventional weapons. Even against lightly armored opponents, I doubt any bladed weapon would hold an edge for long if every swing that connects is going to pass through several bones. Bare fists, rocks, or thick lumps of metal are more likely to still be usable after a fight. They could charge in with the hammer, swing it to take out a few guys, then let go of it and backhand the guy who tries to flank them. A two-handed human warhammer could be held in one hand with a tower shield in the other to shore up their defenses. Their fighting style would depend on how agile they are portrayed to be in whatever fantasy setting they're in. Some are slow brutes, but a mace in strong, dexterous hands is a fearsome thing, indeed.

[@AlarmingVirus]

Im starting to question how humans could even survive in a fantasy setting.

[@Ecanze]

Only reason I can think of would be that humans could/can populate at a very fast paste by them often enough being more fertile than most other fantasy beings. Since most mythos/lore either have dwarf being underground loners not wanting anything to do with the rest of the world, elves being near immortal with a very small chance of producing an offspring and being mostly stuck up philosophers and artist. While minotaurs, giants and dragons often being legends in their respective fantasy setting or few and far between. Only fantasy/mythological being I could think about that would be able to out do humans in the reproduction race would be goblins, that most of the time are depicted as small, weak and not very bright most often used as simple cannon fodder by other races.

[@GnarledStaff]

coleman bundy They make great slaves though. So someones probably keeping some around. The breeding argument might work for giants, elves and dragons but if you have things like anthropomorphic wolves then humans are outbred. Though humans are usually considered adaptable so perhaps humans survive the wastes and leas desirable areas...

[@domehammer]

Humans are a perfect balanced race. They don't fail hard in any category which most fantasy races have a huge fault.

[@thefirstprimariscatosicari6870]

coleman bundy Jack of all trades and reproducing like rabbits while being almost as intelligent as the Elfs.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

AND . . . We steal everything and improve upon it and make it our own, from animal furs and and weapons designed like teeth or claws, to alien tech. "wolfman's got nards" ~kick~ "look i'm a furry, yiff yiff"

[@sakurap95]

I feel like Shad should be a talent agent for fantasy creatures. 😆

[@HoundofOdin]

Thank you so much for this video! I actually used the minotaur with a tower shield idea in my Pathfinder campaign yesterday and it was a ton of fun for me and the players. The party just couldn't fight their way past him thanks to the huge shield, so to get by they ended up having to bribe the minotaur with with booze.

[@jojooffaraway2675]

Now I have the image of a minotaur smashing humans just with a door stuck in my head XD

[@vanzer1987]

Minotower shield!

[@yaacovbloch7276]

minadoor....

[@benthomason3307]

mini minataurs!

[@thehackingburger3002]

Ben Thomason Tar tar sauce!!

[@flippingchips7343]

Maxitower /w shield!

[@Slayerlord0]

Truly, the door is the greatest of weapons.

[@philiphockenbury6563]

The door knoks on you.

[@RealityRogue]

I see you’re a man of dark souls

[@SlayerHewkii123]

Oh my GOD, you got me really hyped up when you were describing the minotaur's fighting style, I'm definitely saving that image in my head. Just found your series, and I am in LOVE, this whole series is amazing for me as a DM.

[@bryanjacobs1423]

Especially if the door has an eye-hole to look through while charging

[@jonathanmathai9269]

Do we finally have justification for DUEL SHEILDS!!?!?!?

[@benthomason3307]

I've imagined a loadout that was basically two shields with the following characteristics: *Viking or teardrop-shaped shields *they're the kind of shield with the strap that attaches to your forearm *their metal edge is razor sharp.

[@inferndragon]

they could crush people with two shields so yeah. It does make sense.

[@cloudvii166]

considering the fact that they can just charge with two shields can mean a party wipe

[@cloudvii166]

considering the fact that they can just charge with two shields can mean a party wipe

[@Rakaziel]

And they would make a great plow for charging through bigger formations - an entire phalanx of them would have a similar effect to a corn harvester

[@M3RS.]

OK. But I am gonna watch the previous video anyway :D

[@leranthalas]

A large shield is good, however... as pointed out the Minotaur is way more massive than a human. More mass in motion equals more inertia, which makes it harder to stop. The simple solution is to just run around the corner and wait for the Minotaur to slam into the wall. Furthermore, if the floor is made of stone, or even slightly hard wood, the Minotaur would probably have less grip due to the hard hooves. That would make it even harder to stop. Taking this into consideration, it is my opinion that a full-on shield charge would be a very unwise move. Still, the other advantages such a huge shield has, both in defensive and offensive capabilities, makes it a most excellent choice. I particularly like the note about edge-slamming downed opponents made earlier in the comments. Thank you for being awesome in so many ways Shad!

[@alvinsanchez967]

In Dexter's Laboratory Dexter was GMing a game. The party was running from a minotaur in a dungeon and the mage cast an illusion over a pit trap they found and the minotaur charged right into the pit.

[@Procrastian]

That just makes it a cool boss. Gives it a big exploitable weakness but it's still cool

[@1256813790]

The fact that this expands our imagination and teaches us something makes this an amazing channel.

[@level98bearhuntingarmor]

ngl i would love to see a creature like a Minotaur, a troll, or an Ork utilizing a door as a shield

[@rpcdude]

You’re level of dork is breath taking and admirable.

[@golgarisoul]

I love it when you revisit videos you do. It allows for more analysis on the subject.

[@sertaki]

yeah. Now I'm scared of meeting a shield-wielding cow in a labyrinth X)

[@Vaasref]

It could even be explosive !

[@isaacgraff8288]

Two thoughts, first if they charge and knock someone down why not just trample? Tap dance on someone's chest with that much weight? Two: variation of the Targe shield. They realize they can stylize shields to being battering rams, utilizing their natural strength, what kind of shields would they make?

[@araghothetheprimordialdrag4898]

I love that you came to a conclusion that I used years ago! I made a D&D character that was half minotaur half giant who used a tower shield and an elven curved blade made for his size! He was easily my most op character ever due to his sheer size and when in a hall he was unstoppable due to the shield!😆

[@petitlouis5010]

I never thought I would ever watch videos about minotaurs....... very good job, thank you.

[@ervvmuller6020]

Shields and a really big warhammer. And then work lots of mean spikes in to the shield. And then have him scree while charging MACHICOLATION!!!!

[@TheShadowWolfie]

Why would a Minotaur even know what machicolations are?

[@ervvmuller6020]

not need to know what it is he just has to screem it :-)

[@Noone-rc9wf]

ervv müller Uhmm don't you know Minotaurs speak Minotaurian that's doesn't have any words about medieval warfare/fortifications?? You should learn more before you make assumptions.

[@bizarreworld2510]

lol... if I ever write my fantasy novel and use minotaur that will be my first choice

[@Sawtooth44]

i now need a sound clip of it

[@fortinjack77]

Wow, absolutely and brilliantly amazing work, I am truly in awe by the research as well as the artistry you show.:) I, too believe that, a mace, a club or a really big morning star could be up the Minotaur's speed. Thank you so very much, for your awesome channel.:D

[@superraegun2649]

A really big morning star (generally called a flail by the way) would not work in a labyrinth (nor would a bow for that matter), but would definitely work in open ground.

[@lorenzogiani7190]

Flail+big horns=bad idea

[@a.morphous66]

I’d think that a big mace that a human would have to use two hands for would be a great one-handed weapon to a Minotaur. In conjunction with a huge shield, that would be absolutely terrifying to face.

[@Novice9241]

I made a minotaur character that wields 2 large maces, because he likes to smash his enemies to paste. But he also wears a magical armor that makes him nearly invincible. Because of this, he likes to charge into the fray and smash any and all who dare to oppose him.

[@Br1330]

I have 2 small points on the Minotaur's hide. For the overall durability of there head, in a rush, I usually think of a Cape Buffalo, who's skull is hard enough to stop bullets. Some interactions for the power of the Minotaur and other powerful bulls might have come from tails or imports of these beast. Also, when it comes to the original story, the version I always heard was Thesious killed the Minotaur, by using the power of his own charge to get a sword, or broken part of horn, threw the beast thick hide. To me this has always sujested there skin it too thick to be cut or easily pieced. I don't think a Minotaur in a closer area, or in close range has much need from armor. But the piecing power of a long bow or a belista, would require them to use it in an open long range area like a battle field.

[@marinothird]

Thanks shad now i gonna have nightmares of minotaurs with 6 foot tall spiked shields dashing against me...

[@fifthofascalante7311]

You may not believe this, but right at the start of the video, I wanted to scream “a big shield! A big shield!” :)

[@thewerdna]

I actually think this fighting style would be thematically appropriate too. If the minotaur is using a short sword or even a short spear in addition to the shield, they would be using a fighting style very similar to the greek soldiers, fitting of their mythological origins.

[@carbon1255]

I think a staff and shield would work well. It does not have to be sharp with that muscle behind it anyway.

[@boomster2232]

Metatron and shadivercity collab. ALSO if there is no doors in the labrith he could just use a corpse since they are strange enough to lift it and the bodies would be heavily armoured

[@mwplaylist2890]

I just want to give a shoutout to the person that captioned this video. You did a great job on it and your hard work is appreciated. It was nice to turn the captions on and for once not open with "I'm Chad." You did a great job and you should be proud of yourself.

[@SunogWunk]

So you're saying... A big, beefy Minotaur could use some thick Minodoors?

[@TheCandidPygmy]

That idea for a minotaur with a shield in the labyrinth is a great idea. I want it in a game now. You just turn a corner in the maze to see a iron-banded wall in the narrow corridor. Then the wall comes rushing at you to the sound of furious, stomping hooves. "OH SHI-" I like the idea of them having short stabbing sword better. So that when they smash you into a wall -and somehow don't kill you outright- they can stab you to end you rightly, no unscrewed pommels required.

[@SitInTheShayd]

On the subject of a Minotaur using a shield could you imagine a Minotaur charging you if he had torge/spiked shield? OMG that would be hell!! That would be nearly impossible to fight in a labyrinth!!! Theseus would DEAD

[@ryueldragonborn4145]

I love taurs im glad you took time on this

[@bigguy7353]

I know this video is old, and I've made comments on other videos, but I've just started watching this channel, and one thing kept me coming back initially. You simply made logical, rational arguments based on your personal knowledge and research, but also completely open to correction, new information, and logical arguments to the contrary. Cheers Shad!

[@TheBigBadBeowulf]

But Shad, if an interesting female Minotaur used a bag of pommels to knock down the matriculations on a castle while a dragon flew over breathing fire on dwarves shooting arrows...Could we still weaponize the udder milk?

[@shadiversity]

These are dangerous questions. . .

[@albertschoise8091]

Shadiversity maybe when inside the castle she could let it go on the floor to let the humans slip

[@foolslayer9416]

But more interesting, do female minotaurs have 1 or 2 pairs of breasts? I always pictured them with 1 pair.

[@peeblekitty5780]

@@foolslayer9416 They'd probably have udders, if not for their human designers

[@Mysteri0usChannel]

You are a bard, aren't you?

[@alastairbond7104]

Like literally just finished watching the last episode and now this appears, must be providence

[@awelshperson306]

300: why do we want to be a good person? 1100: why do we desire the truth? 1700: why do objects fall to earth? 2017: would female Minotaurs be able to weaponize breast milk?

[@GnarledStaff]

A Welshman They knew the answer back in the old days because they had to fight milk wielding minotauresses.

[@joshuayow4653]

ha evolution. isn't it grate?

[@matteussilvestre8583]

Geordin Soucie Sounds like a cheesy fight.

[@gekolvr0734]

A Welshman I'm surprised that this thread hasn't been milked more

[@gekolvr0734]

ᕦ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ᕤ Ultimate #POWA that was grating to read and rather soured the intent.

[@isfet5730]

10:25 Well this explains why the shopkeeper in Barony seems to have the minotaur exempt from his otherwise strict "No monster" policy. I did find this out the hard way as the minotaur trampled *all* of my automaton's traps as good 'ol shopkeeper does nothing.

[@juppschmitz1974]

Great to know you actually read the comments. Some people said you've accepted, you were WRONG, but this was more a further explanation with reconsidering and extra information/thougts, than a total correction. Keep it up!

[@tr3dawggg]

dang, a super humble man, thats really great to see. Shields on a bulky beast is a pretty terrifying concept. Hard enough to kill as is lol

[@orsettomorbido]

I like the minotaur at 10:12.

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

7:05 for me.

[@bretonic1812]

Good god I love the idea of a charging roman style Minotaur!!

[@pighunter247]

One thing i was told by an old historean i know is that the romans also used their shields as weapons if they had to. And his evidence for this is that some of the skeletons found near battles that included romans was that some skeletons have broken legs/arms/ribs from large heavy objects smashing into them. edit: also a lot of soldiers on the other side also had broken feet.

[@isfet5730]

As a mythology nerd who also likes to swing weapons at NPCs in VR and occasionally foam weapons at my siblings, I am very much enjoying this channel. Also helps with character and weapon creation. Overall, S tier channel. Consider that bell *rung*.

[@archive4058]

Yes, you thought about the tower shields! There is also the double tower shield combo which would be especially devious if it can blend with the walls like a hidden false wall and the minotaur pops up behind you. The door idea may not work so well because how do they hold it? By the doorknob? Another idea is the size of their hand? How would that affect their grip on the much thinner handles, the depictions give them really thick fingers so that is also an issue if they can't grip things well enough. Love your videos shad.

[@Eon2641]

You might have missed it in the video but Shad suggested bending the planks to make a grip. Also worth mentioning, while they're probably too dumb to make swords most minotaurs are depicted wearing some clothing, meaning they can work fabric, meaning creating a makeshift strap wouldn't be _too_ hard for them. Even if they can't work fabric I imagine finding a length of rope and working it out through trial and error wouldn't be too terribly hard. Also also, and this might just be me, but aren't minotaurs normally put places by big-bads as guards? They don't have to be able to make stuff if some mysterious benefactor just gives it to them >.>

[@deathpick2]

wow, you love ALOT of comments. good on you for reading your comments.

[@LordKallig]

I'm now imagining a shield wall of Minotaurs and then in unison they charge at the enemy and decimate a foe, while their beastial roars echo across the field and the foe breaks and scramblers to flee Oooo, now I'm thinking of a fantasy beast army Minotaurs forming the main block with Centaur cavalry filling ranged and melee roles as dragons fly above sowing terror in the ranks

[@riverthunder2616]

I imagined a minotaur charging at me with a shield and then smashing me against a labyrinth wall. That would crush a human, armour or not.

[@AdlerMow]

Put a small spike in the shield boss for the charge, will kill or main more easily, but will not get stuck in the body of the enemy. With that mass and speed, it will stab like a lance or a pike.

[@calxer]

BEEN WAITING ALL DAY FOR THIS!

[@bretonic1812]

Constant refreshing was definitely worth it (=

[@DarthBiomech]

Also, did you considered making a video on what weapons would serpentine fantasy critters use - nagas and such? They often displayed with eastern-style weapons like scimitars, wonder how good is that choice...

[@kevinnorwood8782]

Darth Biomech I haven’t seen any like that. The one example I’ve seen (on-screen. I haven’t looked too much in books and other source materials for them) is Medusa from Clash Of The Titans. And in both versions (the original AND the remake) she’s using a bow. Although, I think she’s actually more dangerous in the remake, because she appears to be much faster and more agile in that version.

[@AntonDeMorgan]

Pretty much like the mer people

[@ShidenByakko]

Darth Biomech Methinks the use of Eastern-Style swords like Shamshirs or Kilijs are due to the actual source material: The Naga comes from Indo-Persian, Indian or Indian-inspired mythos & religious art/legends, like Buddhism & Hinduism...

[@RokuroCarisu]

I would also suggest a bow or crossbow, probably with poisoned projectiles. A creature with such a long, thin body would be quite vulnerable in close combat, unless it managed to get the drop on the enemy.

[@kevinnorwood8782]

RokuroCarisu Valid point, but with Medusa and her Gorgon sisters (they've lately constantly been portrayed as Lamias/serpent people) close combat may not be an issue for them because of their Stone Gaze ability.

[@Ch4oTiK]

I posted this very thing in your last video, considering tower shields (dual, center spiked/studded tower shields, specifically). I think it went unseen though but still it was awesome to see my exact thoughts posted on an update. Great minds think alike =)

[@D.Trinchuk]

You don't need to outrun the Minotaur. You just need to outrun the bloke that came with you. Yes-yes.

[@christopherfleetwood5252]

Actually considering however fast the Minotaur is going, the longer they’ll take to stop; you’re going to need some corners.

[@dranoel555us]

I had a character in a dnd campaign that was a minotaur monk. Thats right all that raw power and speed but a full blown martial artist. A minotaur Bruce Lee. Such a fun character.

[@Otek_Nr.3]

Just a quick sidenote, but ur pronunciation of "messer" was really spot on! oh and great video as always =P

[@heronpereira5754]

Shad, if the minotaur is not so intelligent wouldn't a club or a mace be more suitable for it? It would make an even biggger strike with the minotaur strength and it would not need to care about edge alignment and proper technique as it is needed with a sword. Also would be really usefull in confined space, and it could use pretty much a piece of anything of that shade, no craft skills needed. I really like this discussions and your videos as well.

[@carbon1255]

I agree on edge alignment and technique. I would think a thick staff or something would work great, and pulp anyone through any defence. Or two sticks in more confined space. Or use the staff as a spear down a corridor anyway. keep your unarmoured body away from them.

[@MikefromTexas1]

*I sanction this video.* (i was hoping for hammers though)

[@afz902k]

*I sanction this video.* (i was hoping for spears though)

[@Kirost-V]

I sanction this video. (i was hoping for pommels though)

[@abzhz101handle9]

What's really the major difference between a hammer and an axe when talking about range or attack vectors? They're both weapons that have a point of balance away from the handle meaning they hit hard, but are slower to recover. They both have a somewhat similar target range of where it can deal damage... The main difference is one's built for Bash'n, the other's made for Chopp'n. So a minotaur with a tower shield and axe combo probably keeps a hammer nearby for the plated idiots who stand in front of the squishies.

[@skycastrum5803]

I dunno. Tower shield probably gives plenty of bash'n by itself. I prefer the sword/axe things the Chronicles of Narnia minotaurs got, hack'n, stabb'n, and looks great.

[@theclaymaskmakerjackr.hamp9471]

i was hoping... god what are they called, i want to say morning stars. the mace heads on a chain with a stick. fuck i cant think of the bloody name now...

[@MLPAshkore]

Just found your channel, and I love it! I love how much passion and enthusiasm you put out when you deliver some of your lines. Frikken Contagious!

[@2010AZ]

Well now my players are going to get gorrila tactic'd by a minotaur hiding behind a door, charging then throwing the door and retreating to the next door. When the PCs figure out countermeasures, I'll just make him hide under a large table and do the same thing.

[@BigOugh]

Maybe monitors use two handed axes all the time because the adventurer died due to their poor weapon choice ?

[@benthomason3307]

that's it! minotaurs weild computer monitors!

[@geraldgrenier8132]

Well one Way to look at Minotaur is he's the Labyrinths Hall Monitor! ;)

[@BigOugh]

Gerald Grenier as yes, they are here to harass me when I try to take a piss.

[@matteussilvestre8583]

Humanoid monitor lizards. Monitaurs.

[@YGK-tu8cy]

Those are some fierce monitors.