A shuriken is a type of dagger that means “a dagger hidden in a palm”, hence all daggers that are able to hide in a palm. Some were star-like and thrown with a spin to gain momentum before striking. Some were needle shaped that were thrown straight. Due to the reason shurikens were one time used they almost never penetrated armor. For this reason, they were thrown at unarmed targets and dipped in venom to ensure death. Ninjas and assassins used knives or shurikens as stealth like weapons. Assassins were thought to be the most dangerous war fighters alive. They could hide in the dark very well and kill soundlessly with all types of weapons. They were hired to eliminate enemy clan kings who fought over land. Shurikens were shaped in stars with spikes at the end. Knives were metal and sometimes double sided for more accuracy.