The Grave Tuskens were a group of Tusken Raiders operating as a mercenary swoop gang. The Dark Jedi known as Maw utilized the Grave Tuskens as his own dedicated assault unit.
Originating as a band of Tusken Raiders from the planet of Tatooine, the Grave Tuskens were initially led by KkH'Oar'Rrhr, a Force-sensitive Tusken also called Hoar. They departed their home planet in search of Hoar's mentor, A'Sharad Hett, the former Jedi Master who had become a Tusken Raider, after his exile from Tatooine following his fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi. On the ancient Sith world of Dromund Kaas, the Dark Jedi named Maw discovered them. Maw brought them to Tython and trained them into his personal strike force. Numbering only a few hundred, they received specialized training in using modified Wookiee bowcasters, altered for easier use by less powerful beings. Maw employed them to loot artifacts from the tombs of both light and Dark Jedi, an activity that gave them their macabre designation.
When Maw allied with Jerec in the quest for the Valley of the Jedi, the Grave Tuskens were stationed on Sulon due to Boc's insistence, who sensed that "something wasn't right." They patrolled the wastelands surrounding Barons Hed. Boc's intuition was correct, but he only realized it later when 8t88 and Yun reported that Morgan Katarn's son had arrived, cutting a destructive path through their ranks.
The survivors from Sulon managed to escape the agricultural moon. Upon learning of their master's death, they dispersed and became rare and highly sought-after bounty hunters and bodyguards for various crime lords throughout the galaxy.
In 2 ABY, Rogg assumed leadership of the Grave Tuskens, with Bordo as his second-in-command. Both met their end in an incident in 5 ABY involving Kyle Katarn and WeeGee, along with their employers, leaving the Grave Tusken leadership uncertain.
Their attire differed significantly from the traditional Sand People's cloth wrappings, consisting of either bluish-gray uniforms or sandy brown armor. Their masks only covered half of their faces, a direct violation of the Tusken Raider code that forbids exposing skin, punishable by banishment or death. This departure from their cultural norms was a tribute to A'Sharad Hett, their revered former leader who was disgraced when Obi-Wan removed his mask after defeating him in combat.
Tusken warriors make an appearance in Mysteries of the Sith in the vicinity of Ka'Pa's palace. They appear identical to the Grave Tuskens from Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (seemingly based on the same CGI model) and are also armed with bowcasters. However, it remains unclear whether these are actual Grave Tuskens or simply ordinary Tusken Raiders, as the location of Ka'Pa's operations is never explicitly stated.
In Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, the Weequay mercenaries employ the same fighting style as these warriors and even wear similar armor.