A Grabber-Slasher is a medium-sized Tyranid assassin bio-construct whose main distinguishing feature is a single extremely large hand placed above its head. It serves a similar role to a Lictor as a warrior assassin, but is no taller than a human. It is possesed of a somewhat unique ability among Tyranids, being able to adapt to its mission by consuming new organisms and using them to alter its biomass in novel ways.[1]
Overview
The head of the Grabber-Slasher is nearly indistinguishable from the creature's shoulders and its mouth is full of razor-sharp teeth to tear at prey. They are known for leaping large distances to attack a target with their powerful legs and tail, and use their large head hand to grab at a target's head, incapacitating them. They also have two smaller arms on their upper torso and a protrusion with a hardened, extremely sharp spike jutting forward between its legs.[1] This spike is used then to eviscerate grappled targets.[2b]
These creatures bear similarities to the Orkoid form, similarly to the Biovore and Squig Swarm. Like the Squigs it is probable that its base form was derived from Orks captured by the Tyranids, making it one of the first bioforms based on DNA taken from the Milky Way Galaxy.[2b]
Its ability to shift forms after consuming prey is derived from the symbiotic algae in its blood, a trait derived from the Ork genome which breaks down the genetic information of victims devoured by the Grabber-Slasher and disperses it into the creature's body, allowing it to slowly change its shape to a more advantageous one. This can be reverted though, as over a day or so the Grabber-Slasher can choose to return to its natural form.[2b]
The Grabber-Slasher seems to be dispatched by the Hive Mind to target specific creatures deemed threats to the Tyranids.[1] It is said to stop at nothing until its assigned target has been eliminated, ignoring everything else not relevanincluding other creatures attacking it.[2b] It has also been seen to be used as a self-defense mechanism in a Hive Ship, deployed against members of invading threats.[2a]
There is evidence to support that the Grabber-Slasher has an abnormal amount of self-awareness for a Tyranid as it appears to have an independent internal monologue while carrying out its missions.[1]
History
In one instance, a Grabber-Slasher was sent after Imperial Inquisitor Kryptman after he initiated contact with the hive mind through an empath and a tyranid artifact.[3] The creature landing on Kendrick's World as a formless blob held within a meteorite on the surface of planet before being released from the shell and killing and causing mayhem along its single-minded path to its pre-programmed target.[1]
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Trivia
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The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.
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On the metal tab of the model produced for the Grabber-Slasher, its name is erroneously written as Slasher-Grabber.
Sources
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