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Humans in WH40k have a multitude of artificial organs and limbs. From the Rogue Trader Core Rulebook, page 148:

  1. Bionic Arm
  2. Bionic Locomotion (Legs, Hips, Pelvis, etc.)
  3. Bionic Respiratory System

There are also several Space Marines and Imperial Guard figures with artificial limbs.

These Iron Hands with an astartes with artificial legs, bottom centre. Right of it is a Space Marine with an artificial hand:

Space Marine Squad with replaced limbs

Skitarii Squad with many replaced limbs (as an example that it is also possible for humans):

Skitarii Squad

It is also known that Orks replace limbs:

Ork Squad

However, I can't remember ever having seen an Eldar with artificial limbs, neither Dark Eldar nor Craftworld Eldar. This would indicate for me that they have a way to regrow cut off or otherwise destroyed limbs. I don't see any problems with the Dark Eldar, given they have Haemonculi that can basically twist flesh at their free will.

Same with the T'au. Can't remember having seen a T'au with any artificial limbs. While researching this, some reddit / quora users described that T'au can clone limbs:

Several of the Tau books mention them cloning limbs it's stated they are given a prosthetic, but the prosthetic is usually mentioned as being just at as strong as the base limb, a couple mentioned they viewed the prosthetic as a vile necessity.

From this Reddit Answer

But with no direct quote from a book. Also, Lexicanum has an article on Imperial bionics and Ork Bioniks but nothing similar about Eldar or T'au.

So, has it ever been described how Eldar (specially Craftworld Eldar) and T'au replace destroyed limbs?

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  • I wonder if their bonesingers can only work on buildings or if they can also work on fleshes and bones.
    – Clockwork
    Apr 18, 2022 at 20:55
  • 3
    @Clockwork From Lexicanum: "Wraithbone is essentially solidified warp energy that is manipulated by a Bonesinger into any shape that is required." So, there is IMO a difference between Eldar bones and Wraithbone.
    – Shade
    Apr 18, 2022 at 21:03
  • For all we know, eldar might be too enlightened to send maimed people back to battlefields, so we just don’t see those who lost limbs. Tau might kill off amputees “for the greater good”. Apr 19, 2022 at 1:01
  • @ToddWilcox Maybe. But Eldar would probably also not let them be without the missing limb, i.e. limp around on one leg. And T'au killing their soldiers somehow doesn't sound right to me.
    – Shade
    Apr 19, 2022 at 7:36
  • @SHADE they might if "ordered" to. I.E ethereal influencing. And of course the wounded Tau would go along with it since it's for the "Greater Good"
    – JMERICKS
    Apr 19, 2022 at 18:44

2 Answers 2

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As per the Reddit topic posted by MattixA1, there are figurines showing Elder and Tau bionics.

Fiere Direstorm (Eldar) has a bionic leg:
Fiere Direstorm with his bionic left leg

And this Reddit post noted a bionic arm option on an official Tau Pathfinder sprue and mentions that another figure had a bionic leg.

Pathfinder sprue Click to enlarge

Really liking the subtle increase in models with prosthetics, they did a guard model few months ago with a leg. It's cool representation to see and honestly something I'd expect the setting to have more of, that most of the heros have all their limbs is almost surprising.

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Good question and I looked into that myself now and was able to find a good comment on a similar question on Reddit ( https://www.reddit.com/r/40kLore/comments/amp1xc/do_the_eldar_and_the_tau_have_bionics/ )

"T'au get bionics, yeah. They value their population too much to let them go just like that. Especially when the person in question is just missing an arm or leg. In some rare cases, they even get full-on dreadnought-like internment into a battlesuit (though iirc there is only one recorded instance of that happening)."

I myself have not read anything about it in the books, but the description above sounds very believable to me.

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  • Hi, welcome to SF&F. Instead of quoting some some random person on Reddit, it would be better to find a quote in official works.
    – DavidW
    Oct 19, 2022 at 10:43
  • Although it is worth noting that some of the comments do point out obvious bionics on T'au figurines.
    – FuzzyBoots
    Oct 19, 2022 at 12:04
  • @FuzzyBoots Obviously figs with artificial limbs would count as a primary source if it were directly shown in this answer.
    – DavidW
    Oct 19, 2022 at 13:15

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