In addition to these mundane abilities, gorse have limited magical attacks and defenses available to them. Once per day, each gorse can cast the cantrips exterminate (to defeat threats that, while minor to humans, are major to things the size of gorse), sprout (usable only on thorn bushes but useful in blocking a miniature path through a bush), and distract (see details on these cantrips in the AD&D 1st Edition volume, Unearthed Arcana, pages 46 and 48). The latter spell, along with the spell mirror image (which they can also each cast once daily) is used to confuse an enemy long enough to allow to escape. One gorse in 10 can also cast one spike growth and a goodberry spell daily to be used in defending the lair and bribing intelligent creatures not to attack them. All spell effects are at 10th level.
In addition to their weapons, gorse have limited magical abilities and defenses available. Each day, a gorse can cast one mirror image, as the 2nd-level wizard spell, and three minor magical effects. Each of minor effect occurs if performed with the 1st-level wizard spell cantrip, and each takes place in its entirety within the round it is cast. Typical uses include:
Distract: Causes anyone watching the gorse to look at an area of the caster’s choice within 10 feet, those of average intelligence or better receive a saving throw;
Exterminate: Kills a single creature no larger than a field mouse, or all insect-sized creatures in a 1/2 cubic foot area, magical or enchanted creatures receive a saving throw vs. death magic;
Sprout: Causes thornbushes in a 1 cubic yard area to add an inch of new growth (good for blocking a minature path).
One gorse in 10 can also cast one spike growth and one goodberry spell each day. These are used to defend the lair or to bribe intelligent creatures not to attack them.
In addition, 10% of all gorse arrows will be coated with a weak poison that causes confusion for 2d4 rounds if the victim fails a save vs. poison.
Gorse prefer to dwell in the green, thorny flower-bushes they're named after, making lairs forbidding to most predators too large to maneuver through the thorns as the gorse do. If creatures larger than twice their height attempt to enter their bushes, those creatures each take damage equal to 1 hp per round if of AC 6-10, or 1 hp every other round if of AC 4-5. Movement rates through gorse bushes for beings of size S to L are slowed to one-quarter normal; larger and smaller beings are unhampered. If threatened, gorse will retreat deeper into their bushes, luring attackers through the most thickly thorned regions and possibly over logs, pits, and other hard-to-see natural obstacles.