The shuriken pistol is a one-handed Aeldari sidearm that fires razor-thin discs of plasti-crystal at lethal speed. It’s the smaller, handier cousin of the shuriken catapult, and it shows up on everyone from Guardian defenders to Howling Banshees.
What it is
It’s a shuriken weapon scaled down to pistol size. The ammunition is identical to what a catapult spits out, but the barrel is shorter and the energy capacity is smaller, so you get less range, a lower rate of fire, and less punch per shot.
Humans sometimes call it a slinger or sling pistol. The Aeldari name is murehk. It’s a common backup sidearm across the craftworlds, and it’s one of the primary weapons for Howling Banshees and Striking Scorpions.
How it works
Like all shuriken weapons, it’s built around a gravitic accelerator and a solid core of plasti-crystal ammo in the magazine. High-energy impulses shave off monomolecular-thin slices and fling them down the barrel at tremendous speed. A magnetic repulsor keeps the core aligned with the firing impulse.
A single core can feed ten or more bursts, and a burst can put a hundred rounds downrange in a second or two. The trade-off is no rifling, which hurts accuracy and range compared to conventional projectile weapons of similar size.
The discs themselves come in different shapes, most commonly a star, with triangular and circular patterns also around. They’ll slice through flesh and bone, and they can punch through a fair thickness of metal and even plasteel.
Construction and psychic link
Shuriken weapons are grown from wraithbone, the psychoactive material the Eldar use for most of their tech. Bonesingers who’ve walked the Path of the Warrior are the ones tasked with making them.
Personal weapons are psychically activated. The link usually runs through the grip and ties into systems in the wielder’s armour, so the weapon responds to the Eldar’s mind.
Variants and notable pistols
There’s a long list of named and specialised versions. Some are relics, some are wargear options, and some only turn up in specific games or codexes.
- Crescendo: a Harlequin relic.
- Twin shuriken pistol: a paired setup.
- Pistol of the Doomseer, Skyseer, and Warseer: seer-themed variants.
- Patterns seen in games include aspect, wraithbone, mind-linked, soul-linked, and prophesied shuriken pistols.
Key facts
- The shuriken pistol is a one-handed Aeldari shuriken weapon, the smaller cousin of the shuriken catapult.
- It fires monomolecular-thin plasti-crystal discs via a gravitic accelerator.
- Its Aeldari name is murehk; humans call it a slinger or sling pistol.
- It’s a common sidearm, and a primary weapon for Howling Banshees and Striking Scorpions.
- Shuriken weapons are grown from wraithbone and psychically activated through the grip.
- Named variants include Crescendo, the Pistol of the Doomseer, Skyseer, and Warseer.
FAQ
What’s the difference between a shuriken pistol and a shuriken catapult?
The pistol is the smaller, one-handed version. Same ammo, but a shorter barrel and smaller energy capacity mean less range, a lower rate of fire, and less power.
Who uses the shuriken pistol?
It’s a common sidearm for many Eldar warriors. Howling Banshees and Striking Scorpions use it as one of their primary weapons.
Why does it lack rifling?
The gravitic accelerator and peristaltic shift that launch the discs don’t need it. The downside is reduced accuracy and range compared to conventional projectile weapons.