Throwing knife

A set of Renaissance-era throwing knives

Throwing knives are small blades that can kill enemies without armor and rooftop sentries. Assassins used them to either injure enemies or take them out from a distance.

History

Islamic Golden Age

Basim holding a throwing knife while eavesdropping on Jasoor ibn Basil

In the 9th century, members of the Hidden Ones of Alamut were granted throwing knives immediately after their initiation into the Brotherhood, allowing them to silently assassinate targets from afar. For most guards, a single knife to the head was enough to end their life, but in the case of armored enemies, throwing knives were far less efficient, as most times they would fail to penetrate the guards' armor.

Basim Ibn Ishaq could increase the knives' efficiency through crafting, as well as apply different effects to them, such as poison, turning them into an even deadlier tool. Initially, Basim could only carry four knives on his person, but as his skills as a Hidden One increased, he gained the ability to carry up to six knives at once, as well as recover used knives from defeated enemies.

Third Crusade

Altaïr throwing a knife at an archer

During the time of the Third Crusade, Assassins of the Levantine Brotherhood were permitted to use throwing knives upon reaching the fourth rank. The knives were one of the most powerful weapons in an Assassin's arsenal, as a single, accurate hit was enough to kill any target except major Templars. If an Assassin ran out of knives, he could get more by either pickpocketing thugs or defeating them in a fistfight, or by returning to either an Assassin bureau or Masyaf.

The amount of knives Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad could hold increased at certain ranks, wherein he obtained a knife belt. Each knife belt could hold up to five knives, and were kept at his waist, left boot, and right shoulder. These belts were obtained at the fourth, seventh, and tenth ranks, respectively.

Renaissance

Ezio throwing a knife at Savonarola

Throwing knives were also used by Assassins of the Renaissance era, though they were not quite as effective and could not normally kill a target in a single hit, particularly with the improved armor worn by high-ranked guards. To compensate, Ezio Auditore da Firenze could hold up to twenty-five knives at a time, all of which he sheathed at his waist. Throwing knives could be bought from any of the city blacksmiths for 50 florins each. Extra sheaths for knives could be purchased at tailor shops.

Ming dynasty

The Chinese Assassin Shao Jun carried a number of throwing knives during the Ming dynasty, using them for assassinations, distractions, cutting ropes, and removing obstructions.

Sengoku period

Naoe aiming a kunai

In Japan, shinobi, such as those of the Iga ikki, carried kunai, sharpened tools which could be utilized in a manner similar to throwing knives, despite that not being their original purpose. During the late Sengoku period, the Japanese Assassin and shinobi Fujibayashi Naoe carried several kunai, using them to assassinate targets from a distance or to remove obstructions, such as lanterns, whose destruction allowed Naoe to better conceal her presence in the dark.

Golden Age of Piracy

During the 18th century, Edward Kenway occasionally used daggers obtained from enemies as improvised throwing knives. However, because he usually only carried one, he typically reserved it for situations where he was out of ammunition for other weapons or wished to conserve it, as the knife could be picked up multiple times after use. Given its single use, he tended to favor firearms, darts fired by blowpipe, and rope darts over the throwing knives.

Colonial America

In the northern American colonies, the Colonial Assassins utilized a single throwing knife as a silent ranged weapon. However, such usage was typically limited to stalkers, whose practice of blending with civilian population prevented them from openly carrying weapons on their person. Shay Cormac could also take these knives and use them with deadly precision, although like Edward, he only ever carried one at a time.

Following the purge of the Colonial Assassins and the subsequent recruitment of Ratonhnhaké:ton into their ranks during the branch's restoration, throwing knives once again became a part of the Assassins' arsenal. Ratonhnhaké:ton himself typically carried several knives coated with poison, allowing him to silently incapacitate enemies while remaining inconspicuous.

Indian Chakram

During the final years of the Sikh Empire, the Indian Assassin Arbaaz Mir was a known user of chakram, a throwing weapon from India. A circular piece of steel with a sharpened outer edge which came in various sizes, a chakram, while primarily a throwing weapon, could also be used in hand-to-hand combat.

Victorian London

The Frye twins' throwing knives

During the Victorian era where weaponry was restricted, British Assassins such as the twins Jacob and Evie Frye employed throwing knives for discreet kills and as a distraction tool. As a master of stealth, Evie could carry significantly more throwing knives than her brother.

Modern times

Within Abstergo Industries' Animi Training Program, throwing knives served as an ability tha recruits could use while training in their respective Animi. However, the knives used were always non-lethal, and could only temporarily slow down or unbalance an opponent.

By 2015, modern Assassins carried kunai-like knives, with the only difference being that they were shaped like the ones Altaïr had used, as seen during a mission to recover a Shroud of Eden, where Galina Voronina threw a knife into the Master Templar Juhani Otso Berg's hand.

Advanced use

Though initially only throwing one knife at a time, Ezio learned to throw several at once from the combat instructor at Monteriggioni. This special attack allowed Ezio to throw three knives mid-combat, effectively dispatching up to three enemies. Despite taking a longer time to aim and use, the ability allowed an instant kill on any targeted enemy.

Later, upon traveling to Rome and becoming a Master Assassin, Ezio was able to throw multiple knives at enemies, even when not engaged in battle. He was able to adjust the number of knives thrown at a time, one for each enemy in range.

Furthermore, Ezio was also able to dual-wield throwing knives alongside his short blade, much as Altaïr did. This allowed him to more quickly switch between long and short-ranged attacks.

Behind the scenes

Assassin's Creed

• During the Animus loading sequence in Assassin's Creed, the player could select the throwing knives and throw an infinite number of them.
• On the Xbox 360 version of Assassin's Creed, the achievement "Eagle's Eye" could be unlocked by killing 75 guards with throwing knives.
• There was a glitch after unlocking the short blade for the first time. In the Animus loading sequence, the player could use throwing knives even if they had not yet been unlocked.

Assassin's Creed II

• When not locked onto a target, Ezio would throw a knife in the last direction he walked toward. Certain targets would not run unless Ezio entered a particular zone around them. If Ezio remained out of this zone and threw knives using the described method, he could easily kill the target.
• Even after using all throwing knives, they were still visible on Ezio's knife belt.
• An additional five throwing knives could be purchased through Uplay for 20 Units.
• It took two throwing knives to kill a guard who was alert, but only one to kill a guard to whom Ezio was invisible.
  • Venice and Forlì were exceptions, where it took two knives regardless.

Other

• In Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, the design for throwing knives was altered. In the first game, it was simply a flat knife, whereas in Bloodlines, it possessed a cylindrical hilt and a four-sided blade.
• In Assassin's Creed: Lineage, a throwing knife from Rodrigo Borgia nearly killed Giovanni Auditore in Rome.
• Giovanni Auditore only carried two throwing knives on his chest, and it is unexplained if this was due to his preference, or his skill or lack thereof with the weapon.
• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, regardless of the throwing knife capacity of the knife belt, there was no visible knife belt present.
  • Oddly, the knife belt only appeared when the character was in a state of loading, such as when Ezio glowed white during an armor switch or clothes dyeing, or within the Animus Virtual Training Program.
• Shao Jun's outfit in Assassin's Creed: Syndicate grants a 20% damage increase to Evie's throwing knife skill, while Lady Melyne's gown allows her to carry an additional 5.
• In Assassin's Creed: Identity, if Lo Sparviero tries to escape the Crows from the battle by climbing the wall, they'll use throwing knives to intercept him.

Gallery

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  A 9th-century throwing knife
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  A singular 15th-century throwing knife
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  Shao Jun's array of throwing weapons
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  Galina Voronina using a throwing knife

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
• Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
• Assassin's Creed: Lineage
• Assassin's Creed II
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations
• Assassin's Creed III
• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
• Assassin's Creed: Rogue
• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
• Assassin's Creed comic
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
• Assassin's Creed: Identity
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
• Assassin's Creed: Mirage
• Assassin's Creed: Mirage – A Soar of Eagles
• Assassin's Creed: Shadows