List of Dynasty Warriors characters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This video game-related article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards or the Video Games project's guidelines. Video game-related articles should adhere to the Manual of Style and should not contain unverifiable information nor should it have gameplay instructions. This article has been tagged since May 2008.

There are 52 playable characters in the Dynasty Warriors series as of the release of Dynasty Warriors 6, including seven characters (Pang De, Jiang Wei, Xing Cai, Zuo Ci, Meng Huo, Zhu Rong, Da Qiao) who may no longer be in the current games. Most of the characters were real figures from the Three Kingdoms period in China, although some half-fictional characters from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms were also included in the roster such as Diao Chan and Zhu Rong. Minor female characters from history have been placed on the battlefield by Koei, although aside from the fictional Zhu Rong from the novel, they never fought in any of the battles.

Contents 1 Shu (蜀) 1.1 Liu Bei (劉備) 1.2 Guan Yu (關羽) 1.3 Zhang Fei (張飛) 1.4 Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮) 1.5 Zhao Yun (趙雲) 1.6 Ma Chao (馬超) 1.7 Huang Zhong (黄忠) 1.8 Guan Ping (關平) 1.9 Wei Yan (魏延) 1.10 Jiang Wei (姜維) 1.11 Pang Tong (龐統) 1.12 Yue Ying (月英) 1.13 Xing Cai (星彩) 2 Wei (魏) 2.1 Cao Cao (曹操) 2.2 Xiahou Dun (夏侯惇) 2.3 Zhang Liao (張遼) 2.4 Xiahou Yuan (夏侯淵) 2.5 Dian Wei (典韋) 2.6 Cao Pi (曹丕) 2.7 Sima Yi (司馬懿) 2.8 Xu Huang (徐晃) 2.9 Xu Zhu (許褚) 2.10 Cao Ren (曹仁) 2.11 Zhang He (張郃) 2.12 Pang De (龐徳) 2.13 Zhen Ji (甄姫) 3 Wu (吳) 3.1 Sun Jian (孫堅) 3.2 Sun Ce (孫策) 3.3 Zhou Yu (周瑜) 3.4 Gan Ning (甘寧) 3.5 Huang Gai (黃蓋) 3.6 Sun Quan (孫權) 3.7 Sun Shang Xiang (孫尚香) 3.8 Zhou Tai (周泰) 3.9 Taishi Ci (太史慈) 3.10 Lü Meng (呂蒙) 3.11 Lu Xun (陸遜) 3.12 Ling Tong (凌統) 3.13 Da Qiao (大喬) 3.14 Xiao Qiao (小喬) 4 Others (他) 4.1 Lü Bu (呂布) 4.2 Yuan Shao (袁紹) 4.3 Dong Zhuo (董卓) 4.4 Diao Chan (貂蝉) 4.5 Zuo Ci (左慈) 4.6 Meng Huo (孟獲) 4.7 Zhang Jiao (張角) 4.8 Zhu Rong (祝融) 5 Removed characters 5.1 Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長) 5.2 Toukichi (とーきち) 5.3 Fu Xi (伏羲) 5.4 Nu Wa (女媧) 6 References 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Shu (蜀)

[edit] Liu Bei (劉備)

Liu Bei is the founder of Shu and oath brother of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. He originally appeared as a less expensively-dressed man than either Sun Jian or Cao Cao, but as the game series progressed he has been featured in more illustrious outfits. He, like Sun Jian and Cao Cao, participates in the battles against the Yellow Turbans and Dong Zhuo, and many of the games recreate with a cutscene the dramatic duel between he and his oath brothers(Guan Yu and Zhang Fei) against Lü Bu. In the games, Liu Bei fights mainly against Cao Cao, with the exception of his distant relative Liu Zhang, who he battles for control of the region of Shu. However, his final battle is against Wu, not Wei, at Yi Ling. After swearing vengeance for Guan Yu's death at Fan Castle, Liu Bei decides to destroy Wu, but fails and dies shortly afterwards. Liu Bei is also the only character in the game who can kill his own wife (Sun Shang Xiang) in Musou Mode; this is sometimes a requirement to obtain his final weapon.

Liu Bei fights with a fairly standard style of attacks. He uses his longsword called "Gold Moon Dragon" and he has slightly above average stats in basically all fields. However, Dynasty Warriors 6 for the first time gives him an additional sword as per the novel, basically swapping weapons with Lu Xun. He is also one of only three characters to have a special horse as an NPC, the Hex Mark (the other two are Lü Bu and Guan Yu, who ride Red Hare).

[edit] Guan Yu (關羽)

Guan Yu, the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu, is the oath brother of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and as such is one of the first two generals to serve Liu Bei, fighting with him against the Yellow Turbans and the Dong Zhuo rebels. In the novel, he kills the mighty Hua Xiong, and this is sometimes recreated in the games. Some games also recreate his and his brothers' duel with the great warrior Lü Bu. He is clearly emphasized in the game, being an especially large character who announces rather than speaks, and with a pompous but courageous tone.

Guan Yu continues to be important until his death, having several important roles in battles. He serves Cao Cao shortly, and as an NPC can kill Yan Liang and Wen Chou instantly at the battle of Guan Du. If he encounters Liu Bei on the opposite side, he can also cause Liu Bei to pull out of the battle. While under Cao Cao's service, he develops friendships with the Wei generals Zhang Liao and Xu Huang. There is another battle involving his service of Cao Cao in which he escapes to rejoin his oath brothers and is pursued by several generals, always including Xiahou Dun. He also leads the Shu attack on Fan Castle, joined by his adopted son Guan Ping, and their deaths are the basis for the Battle of Yi Ling.

Guan Yu has a very no-nonsense fighting style. He uses broad sweeps and stabs of his large weapon called "Blue Moon Dragon", and his charge attacks mostly consist of spinning attacks. His pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 musou is also simple; he simply moves forward while spinning around, swinging his weapon in a circle. His simple but effective style makes him a popular choice for beginners, and he is always selectable right at the beginning of the game.

[edit] Zhang Fei (張飛)

The impulsive, fearless and fiercely loyal Zhang Fei is the last of the three oath brothers consisting of himself, Guan Yu, and Liu Bei. He serves Liu Bei from the beginning of the games' events, fighting alongside him in the Yellow Turban battles and against Dong Zhuo, and his accomplishments earn him a place among the Five Tiger Generals of Shu. In the cutscenes that mimic the novel's duel between the three brothers and the seemingly unstoppable Lü Bu, he initiates the duel, despite being clearly no match for the terror-inspiring horseman. In the games, Zhang Fei is never given any significant strategic assignments like his oath brother Guan Yu, but he is always willing to face a much larger enemy force and not back down. He proves this at Chang Ban, where he single-handedly causes a large morale drop in the Wei forces by shouting a challenge on the Chang Ban bridge. This event is often required to get his final weapon. Throughout most of the other levels, however, Zhang Fei is simply a general who carries out orders, and does not have a large effect in the battle plans or events.

Zhang Fei's weapon is "Viper Blade", a coiled bladed spear. Although he uses the spear set of weapons, as opposed to the heavier halberds, Zhang Fei's approach to fighting is strong and straight-forward, and more similar to the halberd-wielders than the spearmen. He uses standard bashing and slashing strikes, relying on his brute strength to kill enemies. The long range of his weapon and his great power make him a formidable horseman, making up for his rather slow speed. Dynasty Warriors 6 upgrades his weapon by attaching a shorter coiled blade at the other end. He is also noticeably quicker.

[edit] Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮)

Zhuge Liang is also portrayed as a brilliant tactician, and is credited with conceiving and bringing about the birth of the Three Kingdoms. He is wise, calm and loyal to a fault, dedicating his life to Liu Bei's dream even after Liu's death.^[1] Throughout the game, many of the other strategists depicted, such as Sima Yi, Zhou Yu^[2] and Pang Tong,^[3][4] are portrayed as being jealous of, or having a strong rivalry with, Zhuge Liang. This is especially true of Sima Yi, who admires but also despises Zhuge Liang passionately.^[5] The two often come into conflict, attempting to outwit each other on many occasions, with both succeeding and failing as often as the other.

In battle, Zhuge Liang wields a large white fan called the "Peacock Feather",^[6] although he rarely takes to combat during gameplay, instead taking position at the rear and guiding the player's hand. In previous iterations, Zhuge Liang used his feather fan to literally strike his enemies but in Dynasty Warriors 6, he casts spherical wind projectiles at his enemies and makes frequent use of magic. Successfully accomplishing a task or plot that Zhuge Liang has set into motion will usually lead to a quick and effortless victory over the enemy,^[7] but failure will often result in the plan back-firing, followed by the retreat or death of many fellow officers, making battle that much more difficult.^[8]

Zhuge Liang eventually dies of illness at the "Battle of Wu Zhang Plains", much to Sima Yi's delight.^[9] Sima Yi's forces charge, and following Zhuge Liang's final tactical suggestions determine how difficult the battle will become.^[10]

[edit] Zhao Yun (趙雲)

Zhao Yun is a young, energetic Shu General, and one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu. He is also a sort of poster boy for the series; he is featured prominently on many of the games cover arts and instruction manuals, and has appeared in more opening videos than almost any other character. He is one character whose appearance has changed over the series somewhat; in Dynasty Warriors 4, he was given an older, gruffer, more muscular look complete with slightly shabbier clothing. In Dynasty Warriors 5, however, this change was reverted.

Zhao Yun originally served Gongsun Zan, but was drawn toward Liu Bei's ideals and personality. This is because Liu Bei had intervened in his battle with Lü Bu, saving him. He is a hero of the Battle of Chang Ban, where he saved Liu Bei's infant son from the clutches of Wei; this stage is usually where his ultimate weapon(s) can be found.

Zhao Yun, like many Shu generals, wields a spear type weapon, namely, a light spear called "Fierce Dragon". Although he is not as strong as most of the other Tiger Generals, he has very quick attacks and runs fairly fast. His quick attacks can generate combos that are not easily interrupted, and he steps into his attacks, giving him considerable range. As is the case with most pole arm users, Zhao Yun is good on a horse as well. He is lacking in defense, however, being smaller and more frail than some of his comrades. He is arguably the most balanced character in the series. His musou attack involves him spinning around in circles making it impossible to block due to the ability of the spin.

[edit] Ma Chao (馬超)

The Dynasty Warriors games tend to portray Ma Chao as a warrior with a strong sense of justice and a willingness to fight for it, leading to many loud speeches and announcements of his intentions. He is more independent than most characters, serving Liu Bei only because he was already in the process of fighting Wei. Ma Chao begins his role in the games as the commander of the Guan Zhong alliance against Cao Cao, whom he fights for revenge for his father and brother and also to defend his homeland. At his side are his cousin Ma Dai, a strong ally Pang De, and a close friend Han Sui. Unfortunately, Han Sui has a friendly history with Cao Cao, and when Cao Cao attacks Tong Gate, where Ma Chao is camped, Han Sui defects, resulting in victory for Cao Cao and utter defeat for Pang De, who surrenders and joins the Wei forces. Ma Chao joins Shu for the remainder of the game, earning the status of one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.

Ma Chao is a powerful warrior, with attack power around that of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. He also has a rate of attack comparable to Zhao Yun, and has a higher ratio of mounted attack to total attack power than almost any other character. These characteristics give Ma Chao very high potential; however, his fighting style is somewhat hard to control without experience. It consists of arc swings and deep lunges with his spear called "Stallion Fury", making him look like a fencer at times, and he moves his feet a lot, making his stances look highly choreographed. When on horseback, Ma Chao has no equal as his normal attacks are wide swings on the right side and his charge attack in Dynasty Warriors 4 and 5 sends out a blue shockwave that can kill most units with one hit and does knockback damage on those who are not killed at first. In the 5th installment of the game, the shockwave move was toned down: instead of hitting all enemies around him, even those in the air, the shockwave becomes a ground flash, and causes guard break instead of knockdown for enemies in range. In Dynasty Warriors 6, however, his horse moveset is more basic, and the shockwave is gone. However, he is one of the few characters capable of increasing the abilities of any horse he mounts as long as he is riding it.

[edit] Huang Zhong (黄忠)

Huang Zhong is portrayed as the oldest playable officer in the Dynasty Warriors series. He is energetic and determined, despite his elderly age, although he mentions his aging often. His aging does not prevent him from becoming one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu, however. His most memorable battle is the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun, where he charges down the slopes and battles Xiahou Yuan. Although the outcome varies with what side the player is on, the game's canon has Xiahou Yuan slain at this battle, scoring a huge victory for Shu.

Huang Zhong is more often than not seen with his bow and arrows in cutscenes, since his archery proficiency was somewhat legendary. However, his main weapon when actually fighting in game is a sword called "Oracle Sword", nearly identical to that which Xiahou Yuan used in Dynasty Warriors 2 and 3. He has a fighting style very much like Xiahou Yuan's early style as well; it is simple and predictable, with a musou attack that involves just spinning around and slashing. His pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 musou attack hints at his age; he stumbles slightly on the last hit, whereas Xiahou Yuan recovers normally. Huang Zhong has a higher bow attack than any other character, but the rest of his stats are very average, despite his Tiger General status.

[edit] Guan Ping (關平)

The commonly seen generic officer that was Guan Ping was finally given a unique model in Dynasty Warriors 5, where he is seen wielding a backhand sword of large size. He is the oldest son of Guan Yu, although he was said to be adopted in the novel and the games. He fights alongside his father in numerous battles, and defends him from the Wei forces when Guan Yu escapes Cao Cao's service (he is seen only if the player is playing on Cao Cao's side). His most significant role is with his father at Fan Castle, where he assists in bringing about the flood attack. However, he is killed along with his father by the Wu forces led by Lü Meng. However if the player is playing his story mode, he survives the battle( Guan Yu is still killed) and fights the Wu army in Yi Ling.

Pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 Guan Ping fights with a very large sword called "Young Dragon" and is almost impossibly large. Due to his weapons size he is somewhat slow and has to rely on momentum to wield his sword rather than skill. This can also be attributed to his young age and eagerness to prove himself to his adoptive father Guan Yu. His attacks involve a combination of straight forward slashes, swinging and twirling and throwing of his actual sword. Guan Ping has a mixed level of effectiveness in combat. His slow attacks can leave him very vulnerable, but his potentially devastating charge attacks can be exactly what is needed. Typically his suitability in combat can fluctuate; leading to him being either extremely valuable or very undesirable to a player. Dynasty Warriors 6 replaces Guan Ping's weapon for a halberd, one that resembles Lu Bu's former weapon.

[edit] Wei Yan (魏延)

Wei Yan is a good example of the liberties Koei has taken in forming the characters' personalities. He is portrayed as a simple, tribal man, serving Shu in most of the later battles. He grunts single words, strung together with pauses in between to form sentences. His apparent inability to express his thoughts coherently, however, is made up for by his abilities in battle. He has virtually no significant roles in the games, however in Dynasty Warriors 4 he, in defense of Huang Zhong, slays his master Han Xuan in a battle, submitting to Liu Bei.

Wei Yan fights with a double voulge called "Comet Strike", consisting of a single edged blade attached to each end of a pole. His attacks are quick and powerful, to make up for his slow running speed and poor defense. Since his weapon is a voulge, his move set consists of many spins, and other acrobatic techniques to expliot the effective design of his double voulge in combat. This has the potential to create an almost constant attack radius, with little vulnerability in between. In Dynasty Warriors 6, the voulge is replaced with a gargantuan hammerlike club. He has a somewhat unorthodox fighting style, using spins and involving his whole body in attacks, this makes him a somewhat unpredictable character but quite effective nonetheless. Wei Yan is recommended to more experienced players of the game.

[edit] Jiang Wei (姜維)

Jiang Wei, formerly a vassal of Wei, joined Shu in order to learn from the great strategist Zhuge Liang. He learned quickly, soon becoming one of the most important Shu generals, and even succeeding Zhuge Liang after his death (which is only sometimes referred to, depending on the game). His role in the games is small but important; he fights at Jie Ting against Zhang He and the others, and is second in importance only to Zhuge Liang at Wu Zhang Plains.

Jiang Wei fights with a spear with a trident-like blade called "Blink". He fights much like Ma Chao, having quick strikes and good running speed. He also has a slightly higher defense than Ma Chao, but his move set is effective for crowd clearing. Despite his somewhat later introduction into the game, he can be played easily by most players.

For reasons unknown, Jiang Wei was one of the seven characters omitted from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Pang Tong (龐統)

Pang Tong is a hunched, obscure wise man who is a friend of Zhuge Liang. He appears very little in the game, with only one important battle. He wears a heavy cloak, full-circle brimmed hat, and a mask to cover his mouth, making him appear very mysterious. Like the two great strategists in the games, Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang, he wields the power of magic, especially in his musou attack. He is the leading strategist during Liu Bei's campaign against Liu Zhang, until he is ambushed and killed by the forces of Zhang Ren. Often this is preventable, but rather difficult.

Pang Tong, with staff in hand called "Tornado Staff" and low height, looks a little like an ape when he fights. He twists his body erratically and strikes enemies with his staff, while sometimes using magic in his charge attacks. In his pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 musou attack, Pang Tong creates a tornado and continues to spin it for as long as he can, catching all enemies in range in his wake. This results in massive combos, since Pang Tong does not move around, but can also result in missing the target with no chance of getting in range. Also, his pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 jump charge attack is unique in that it is more of a quick way to get around the battlefield rather than to attack the enemy directly.

[edit] Yue Ying (月英)

• Note: in Romance of the Three Kingdoms she is known as Huang Yueying.

Yue Ying, who originally debuted as a default Shu bodyguard in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends, is the wife of Shu Prime Minister Zhuge Liang. She fights for Shu, although her role in battle is completely fictional. She is portrayed as intelligent and an able strategist, and an inventor of the Juggernaut weapon which she uses to fight the Nanman. She wields a scythe type weapon called "Oblivion". Her attacks center on sweeping motions and her musou attack is much like Guan Yu's in that she spins in a circle slashing all enemies in range. In Dynasty Warriors 6 she is given a drastic makeover and weilds a bow as her weapon, she is now considered to be the best character in the game ( along with Sun Shang Xiang, who also has a bow and an identical moveset ) due to her long ranged bow attacks.

[edit] Xing Cai (星彩)

Xing Cai, daughter of Zhang Fei, is the second female character to enter Shu's selection. She wields a war fork and shield and fights in the stead of her father after he is killed. Outside of her own Musou mode (and Guan Ping's) she only participates in two late battles. Although more infatuated with Guan Ping than the second emperor of Shu-Han, Xing Cai is nevertheless a dutiful wife to her husband, Liu Shan, in the honor of their respective fathers, and fights to defend him from the forces of Wu. She wields a fork spear called "Ambition". Despite the size of the shield she carries, she apparently has little problem using it as a weapon or makeshift boomerang.

Xing Cai was among the seven removed from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Wei (魏)

[edit] Cao Cao (曹操)

Cao Cao is the first ruler of Wei. Although he commands the majority of Wei's battles, Sima Yi or Cao Pi will assume control of Wei's battles after his death. Alluding to his portrayal in Luo Guanzhong's Three Kingdoms-based novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao is the series' most prominent villain, with in-game cutscenes and dialogue describing him as an extremely ambitious man who thrives in chaos.^[11][12][13] He perceives others, even his friends and allies, to be potentially dangerous threats to his goal: the complete conquest of China.^[14][15][16] Strong emphasis is placed upon Cao Cao's intelligent and cunning nature, with these factors being attributed to his success against Yuan Shao,^[17] Lu Bu^[18] and Ma Chao.^[19] Cao Cao fights with a broad sword and dresses in elaborate silk gowns. Dynasty Warriors 5 attempts to portray Cao Cao in a more human light by initially painting him as a charismatic and stalwart swordsman of the ruling Han Dynasty, attempting to prolong its survival alongside his friend and rival, Yuan Shao. Over time, he continually receives warnings from the sorcerer Zuo Ci that he must be careful to avoid becoming the same as those he fights.^[20] Despite this, Cao Cao is eventually corrupted by his ambitions and dreams of grandeur, seeking to take China for himself.^[21]

The English voice over dubs from the second game until the fifth, incorrectly pronounce Cao Cao's name as "cow-cow" (and subsequently the surnames of Cao Cao's relatives as well). The correct pronunciation, according to pinyin, is phonetically similar to "tsao-tsao", which is used in Warriors Orochi. The correct pronunciation was also featured in Dynasty Warriors 6. He wields a broad sword called "Wrath of Heaven".

[edit] Xiahou Dun (夏侯惇)

Xiahou Dun appears as a bearded, ferocious and charismatic officer. He is portrayed in a similar fashion to his novel counterpart, in that he is a just and honourable man, although hot-headed and ruthless in his attempts to achieve the ultimate ambitions of his cousin, Cao Cao.^[22][23] He loses his left eye in battle early in the game, and remarks at how this event has actually helped him to "see" how arrogant he had become.^[24]

In the majority of the series' releases, Dun wields a scimitar called the "Kirin Fang" and in Dynasty Warriors 6, a spiked club called the "Wolf Teeth's Club". In Dynasty Warriors 5, the central focus of Xiahou Dun's story involves his hatred of Guan Yu. Due to Xiahou's desire to become Cao Cao's most trusted, respected and accomplished general, he develops a strong and bitter rivalry with Guan after Cao Cao begins to show him favour^[25][26][27] who, under the service of Cao Cao, gains tremendous respect as an officer and bodyguard.^[28] When Guan attempts to abandon Cao Cao and return to his oath brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, Xiahou is finally given a reason to kill his hated rival, citing Guan Yu's prowess in battle as his excuse for doing so.^[29] He fails, however, setting in stone Xiahou's desire to hunt down and execute Guan for the remainder of his missions. In Xiahou Dun's "Musou Mode" (story mode), he receives the opportunity, moving to eliminate Guan Yu at the Battle of Fan Castle.^[30] Xiahou defeats Guan Yu, who commends his skill before death. The ending cinematic depicts Xiahou Dun standing opposite Guan Yu's "Blue Moon Dragon" pole blade. Xiahou praises Guan Yu's skill, remarking that, with Guan Yu's death, he is finally at ease.^[31]

[edit] Zhang Liao (張遼)

Zhang Liao is a friend of Guan Yu, and uses the same type of weapon as him before Dynasty Warriors 6. Zhang Liao originally served as an officer of Lü Bu, and continues to do so during the Xtreme Legends musou modes. He is quick to take his service to Cao Cao, appearing in the games on his side as early as the battle of Guan Du. Zhang Liao is somewhat of an important strategist; when not at the front lines as a commander or a special mission executor, he fights very close to the battle commander.

Zhang Liao's fighting style, unlike his weapon, is actually more similar to Lü Meng's than Guan Yu's. His pole arm weapon called "Gold Wyvern" gives him high range and good power, both on foot and on horseback, however in Dynasty Warriors 6 he now wields two pole axes, similar to Pang De from Dynasty Warriors 5. Zhang Liao is an all-around character, without significant strengths or weaknesses.

[edit] Xiahou Yuan (夏侯淵)

Xiahou Yuan is portrayed as a stocky, bearded man who is fiercely loyal to his lord and cousin, Cao Cao, and has a strong friendship with his brother, Xiahou Dun. Initially, Xiahou Yuan had used a sword called the "Mystic Fang" in battle, although this became a large battle pole called the "Enforcer Rod" by the series' fourth release. Whilst depicted as a good man who believes in justice and strives for peace, he is hot-headed and proud, lacking respect for his opponents and their prowess in battle. This ultimately leads to his death at the hands of the Shu Han general Huang Zhong, who refuses to spare his life due to the disrespect Xiahou displays during combat.

Xiahou is almost always clad in heavy armour, although the drastic change in character appearance by Dynasty Warriors 6 now sees Xiahou Yuan wearing little more than shoulder guards. In Dynasty Warriors 5, Xiahou's "Musou Attack" was altered to include a finishing shockwave attack that will heavily damage a number of opponent, giving him a greater advantage in battle.

If the player selects Xiahou Yuan as his/her character, he will survive the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun, defeating Huang Zhong and offering insight into a possible alternative Cao Wei had Xiahou lived to witness the end of the Three Kingdoms era.

With a number of alterations to the types of weapon wielded by Xiahou Yuan over the years, by the most recent release, Dynasty Warriors 6, he now wields a Gui Tou Dao or "Ghost Head Broadsword".

[edit] Dian Wei (典韋)

Dian Wei serves as Cao Cao's bodyguard, along with Xu Zhu, with whom he develops a friendship in the games. He appears in the Battle of Wan Castle, and in some games in the battle against Dong Zhuo. At Wan Castle, he holds off the enemies led by Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu while Cao Cao escapes. Unless the player is controlling him or controlling another Wei character and chooses to save him, he dies at Wan Castle. In Dynasty Warriors 3, some characters replace others of the same kingdom in later battles once their musou mode is cleared, presumably to give the player more chances to encounter characters who die early on. Dian Wei is one such character, replacing Xu Huang at Chang Ban, Xiahou Dun at Chi Bi and He Fei, Zhen Ji at the Wu Zhang Plains, and Zhang He at He Fei Castle. Once his musou mode is cleared, this cannot be undone (although the original NPCs will still be in their spots on free mode).

Dian Wei's fighting style is slow, but powerful. He wields a hand axe called "Mad Bull". He also has limited range and slow speed, making him a poor choice for beginners. However, with his highest level weapon and the right items he is a force to be dealt with. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he trades in his "Mad Bull" axe for an Iron Ball and chain, which he wields with great attack and range.

[edit] Cao Pi (曹丕)

Cao Pi debuted as a playable character in the fifth installment of the series, two games after he was stuck as a generic NPC while his first wife Zhen Luo (known as Zhen Ji in the game) became playable at the third installment. He's portrayed as an ambitious, ruthless prince of Wei, striving to surpass Cao Cao. Although he claims that he's not continuing his father's conquest, but starting one on his own, he greatly respects him. He wields dual edged swords and he can detach them any time he wants.

Cao Pi fights with twin swords called "Chaos", which he can attach the ends to form a longer weapon. Cao Pi fights with an aggressive, advancing style, using mainly precise vertical slashes that for the most part provide full coverage around himself. However he swings with a below average attack speed which can allow quick officers a chance to interrupt his combos. During his musou attack he detaches his blades and swings wildly while swathing through enemies in front of him. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he wields a royal sword.

Unlike history or the novel, Cao Pi loved Zhen Ji genuinely until his death. He states that during her ending.

[edit] Sima Yi (司馬懿)

Sima Yi appears in the Dynasty Warriors video game series by Koei, with his first appearance being Dynasty Warriors 2. Sima Yi is portrayed as cunning, ruthless and extremely arrogant, boasting endlessly of victory, in some cases even before battle.^[32] He is also unable to accept defeat,^[33] and will even decree that the failure of his ploys or a full-scale retreat are merely another cog in the gears of an upcoming grand tactic that he has devised. He has both a strong admiration and a deep-seated hatred of his arch-rival, Zhuge Liang, whom he constantly attempts to outwit, with some success.^[34] As Sima Yi is a strategist who rarely takes to the battlefield, his clothing consists primarily of lavish robes and gowns, although he has also been depicted wearing armoured helms and shoulder guards in previous releases.^[35] His weapon is a large, black fan known as the "Dark Feather",^[36] however in Dynasty Warriors 6, he is given a pair of flexi-claws with hidden wires which he can swing ruthlessly in battle. In Dynasty Warriors 5 Sima Yi's "Musou Mode" (story mode) details his rivalry with Zhuge Liang, and many battles fought between the kingdoms of Wei and Shu involve the pair dueling it out with various tactics and strategies designed to outwit the other.^[37][38]

Dynasty Warriors 6 further emphasises Sima Yi's cunning and ruthless nature. Sima initially aids Cao Cao in conquering and uniting China, only to betray and murder him, claiming the throne for himself and establishing the Jin Dynasty.

[edit] Xu Huang (徐晃)

Xu Huang is portrayed as a powerful warrior who is completely loyal to Cao Cao,^[39] although at times questions his methods, finding them dishonourable and unjust.^[40] He believes firmly in the strength of the warrior and facing one's enemy respectfully and on equal grounds.^[41] Xu dislikes tacticians and strategists, finding their methods deceitful and cowardly, and generally abhors strategies or ploys involving elusive and underhanded tactics.^[42] He is portrayed as having a firm friendship with Guan Yu, and has a strong respect for him, even after his return to the opposing Kingdom of Shu.^[43][44] In battle, Xu Huang and Guan Yu will often comment on the other's skill, and will face each other in battle, with Xu Huang in one instance remarking to Guan that "Your emotions dull your blade" and that the pair should instead show their respect for one another by fighting honourably and to the best of their abilities for their lords.^[45]

Xu Huang wields a large battle axe known as the "Marauder",^[46] and is easily identifiable by the white turban he wears in each release in the Dynasty Warriors series.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, Xu instead wields a dagger-axe and, for the first time in the series' history, does not wear a white turban.

[edit] Xu Zhu (許褚)

• Note: While Koei uses the spelling 'Xu Zhu', he is referred to as 'Xu Chu' in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel and historical sources.

In Dynasty Warriors, Xu Zhu is depicted as an enormous, obese man whose mind and actions are like a child's. In battle, however, he is a fierce warrior capable of inflicting heavy losses. He wields a huge mace called "Stone Crusher". He also develops a great friendship bond with Dian Wei and is deeply saddened with his death in the Battle of Wan Castle. Xu Zhu has a significant role at Tong Gate, where he is a very tough officer who follows Cao Cao, making it difficult to attack him without first defeating Xu Zhu.

Xu Zhu is the slowest character in the games, but quite strong. His weapons also have good range and unique effects, allowing and even forcing the player to take on new strategies in defeating enemies. Some of his attacks knock down the enemy without sending them flying, leaving them right in front of Xu Zhu. Others knock enemies back much further than average, leaving Xu Zhu alone, which is a defensive asset but an offensive hindrance. His pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 musou attack inflicts great damage per hit; but instead of hitting enemies multiple times, it sends them flying far away, and in some games ends with Xu Zhu falling on the ground. In Dynasty Warriors 5, the musou attack was changed slightly so that it now hits multiple times, but damage output was sacrificed.

[edit] Cao Ren (曹仁)

Cao Ren is Cao Cao's younger cousin, he is unique in the Wei Kingdom for being the only officer concerned with 'peace' not conquest. His voice in cut scenes and interstitials is often calm. From Dynasty Warriors 4 onwards, he commands the defense of Fan Castle, refusing to remove from the castle walls. In recent games, he typically fights in the later battles, such as Wu Zhang Plains, however when he was an NPC in earlier games he fought in battles such as Hu Lao Gate as well.

Cao Ren typically dressed in heavy armor and is short in stature. Cao Ren's weapon called "Roc" is unique; it consists of a shield or Buckler with a double blade implement similar to Cao Pi's but much shorter and with a different blade shape. His fighting style is fairly direct, and is best suited for multiple opponents. His attacks tend to use blunt force in weakening or breaking his enemies defense, then unleashing his actual blade from the buckler to cut down his opponents. His draw backs are a frustrating weakness without higher level weapons and power ups and the inclination of his fighting style towards multiple foes. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Cao Ren's buckler blade is replaced with a large trident. His fighting style however still remains highly defensive.

[edit] Zhang He (張郃)

Zhang He is often cited by fans of the series to be one of its most unusual and memorable characters, although this opinion is strongly split between positive and negative feedback.^[47] Zhang He is portrayed as a beautiful, graceful and effeminate warrior. Due to his obsession with beauty, grace and elegance,^[48][49] and his disdain for vulgarity and crudeness,^[50][51] Zhang He's sexuality has always been questionable,^[52] although this has never been confirmed by Zhang He or any other character in the series during cinematic sequences or in-game dialogue. He uses exaggerated clawed gloves or tiger claws called the "Phoenix Talons"^[53] during combat.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, Zhang's claws are replaced with a rather more traditional halberd. His effeminate appearance is further emphasised with the addition of pink, silk clothing and high-heeled boots.

[edit] Pang De (龐徳)

Pang De was originally an officer under Ma Teng and Ma Chao before submitting to Cao Cao. He is a particularly difficult officer of Ma Chao's at the Battle of Tong Gate, along with Ma Dai before he joins Wei. He serves them dutifully, most notably at Fan Castle.

Pang De was designed wearing an armor similar to a European Knight. His weapon of choice is the weapon that belonged to Dian Wei in history and novel, dual halberds called "Heavenly Halberds". He's a slow character, but packs serious damage, defense and crowd control. Since he was part of the Xi Liang cavalries alongside Ma Chao, he's also excellent in cavalry fighting.

Pang De was one of the characters that were cut from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Zhen Ji (甄姫)

• Note: Koei calls her "Zhen Ji", which is the transliteration of her Chinese title, "Lady Zhen". Her name in historical records is "Zhen Luo".

Zhen Ji fights for the Wei forces, wielding a golden flute called "Dark Moon Flute", which she uses to strike her enemies with. However, in Dynasty Warriors 6, her flute is replaced with a chain whip, similar to Diao Chan's. She shares a moveset with Diao Chan in Dynasty Warriors 6. Zhen Ji is described in the game as a "serene woman with a noble heart." She originally was a wife of one of Yuan Shao's sons, but this is not always mentioned in the game (although in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends, she makes a cameo appearance on Yuan Shao's side at Jie Ting, the only battle in which she does so). In the games, she has a calm, even-tempered demeanor, but is unwavering and merciless. In Dynasty Warriors 5, she has a little more ruthless personality, perhaps to answer the ruthless personality of Cao Pi, who debuted in the said game. In the main sequence of games, she has no really significant roles, except that she is the default character who mentions suspicion of Zhou Fang's defection at You Ting (this position in the cutscene is variable, and can be filled by all characters except Sima Yi or Cao Cao, who ride alongside her).

Her storyline follows the actual history fairly close with some notable exceptions -- she actually participates in battles and campaigns, and willingly abandons Yuan Shao's forces to join Wei; the games also offer a happier end to Lady Zhen's life with Cao Pi, suggesting he genuinely loves her and they live out their lives in happiness together. However, in fact, according to history Cao Pi sentenced her to death

[edit] Wu (吳)

[edit] Sun Jian (孫堅)

Sun Jian, both in the games and in real history, was the first of the three "original" leaders of what would become the Three Kingdoms to die. He dies during a battle with Liu Biao, crushed to death by stones. However, his army is large enough and his sons well known and well taught enough that they would go on to form the kingdom of Wu under Sun Ce's and Sun Quan's leadership. Sun Jian is portrayed as a charismatic, good-humored man and a loving father with a courage that is not as outspoken as the egos of other characters. He fights alongside Liu Bei, Cao Cao, He Jin and the other Han forces against the Yellow Turbans, and then joins them all again against Dong Zhuo. In the battles against Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian takes the forefront, most often against Hua Xiong. His forces usually fall under danger, however, since Yuan Shu refuses to give him supplies. After Dong Zhuo is destroyed, the story in the game says that Yuan Shao's ally Liu Biao attacks Sun Jian because of his possession of the Imperial Seal. Sun Jian, vowing revenge, launches a surprise attack on Liu Biao, but is crushed in a rock slide attack by the combined efforts of Kuai Liang and Lü Gong. His son Sun Ce takes over the troops on the spot, defeating Liu Biao. Sun's death differs in each release featuring him. In Dynasty Warriors 3, he is killed when a wall of rocks is dropped onto his army by Lü Gong's men. In Dynasty Warriors 4, he is isolated within a castle after over pursuing his opponents and is killed by Liu Biao's men who are waiting inside. In Dynasty Warriors 5 he is critically injured in a hail of arrows and dies of his wounds after retreating from the battlefield and charging his children with continuing the Sun Family legacy. These various deaths are likely a homage to the fact that sources claim inconsistencies in Sun's true cause of death.

Sun Jian's fighting style is much like his son Sun Quan's style. He wields a longsword called "Savage Tiger", like Cao Cao and Liu Bei, and is an all-around warrior with above-average stats. This makes him, like Cao Cao and Liu Bei, both a good choice for beginners and a solid, reliable character for those with more experience. However' in Dynasty Warriors 6, he is given a large Dao which he swings with little effort.

[edit] Sun Ce (孫策)

Sun Ce is the light-hearted, good-humored son of Sun Jian who briefly is the leader of the Wu nation. He begins fighting for his father at the battles against Liu Biao. If his father is killed, which is the case unless the player deliberately takes steps to prevent it, Sun Ce takes command of the Wu forces mid-battle and finishes Liu Biao. He then fends off attacks on the Wu territory from Yan Bai Hu, Wang Lang, and Liu Yong, who employed the mercenary Taishi Ci. Sun Ce defeats them, along with the help of his close friend Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci, who defects to Sun Ce after his own or Liu Yong's defeat. Sun Ce dies shortly afterwards, although this is rarely shown in the games. In Dynasty Warriors 5, he fights Yu Ji (in Trials of Sun Ce) a mystic who; fictitiously, cursed Sun Ce. Later, as a result of fighting Yu Ji, Sun Ce dies; yet, in the game he sometimes lives. In his own musou modes, he continues to live, taking the place of Sun Quan as head of the Wu army. Sun Ce has personal relationships with several Wu characters; he is the son of Sun Jian, the brother of Sun Quan and Sun Shang Xiang, the sworn brother of Zhou Yu, the husband of Da Qiao, father-in-law of Lu Xun (though he did not live to see it), and a close friend of Taishi Ci.

Sun Ce wields a pair of tonfa called "Overlord", one of the most exotic weapons of the game. As a martial artist, he fights with the tonfa, supplemented by kicks and bodycheck-like rushing attacks. Sun Ce has a relatively unorthodox combat style, involving a lot of movement, but his musou attack is generally considered much less stylish.

In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a halberd with a straight-edged blade with a curved-blade extending underneath.

[edit] Zhou Yu (周瑜)

Zhou Yu is the first and most important Wu strategist. A close friend of Sun Ce, he helps him rid his land of attackers under the command of Yan BaiHu, Wang Lang and Liu Yong, who fight along with Taishi Ci. They are soundly defeated, and Taishi Ci joins Wu. Zhou Yu's greatest accomplishment in the games and original is the victory at Chi Bi, which he planned with a fire attack on Wei's ships. Although in the novel defeat seemed unavoidable due to the direction of the wind, causing Zhou Yu to become very sick, Zhuge Liang arrived and offered to reverse the direction of the wind. Zhou Yu sends Huang Gai to launch fire boats at Cao Cao's navy, which set it ablaze. Zhou Yu then orders a counterattack, forcing Cao Cao to flee.

Zhou Yu dies before the later battles, although this is generally not mentioned directly in the games. He is succeeded in the games by Lu Meng and Lu Xun (although in the novel and real history, he is first succeeded by Lu Su).

In early installments, Zhou Yu fights with a long, slightly-curved sword called "Ancients Sword". He is quick and defensively tough, but has below-average attack strength. His moves are simple, but somewhat unique among the games' swordsmen; his strikes are more wispy and swashbuckling than others. Starting from Dynasty Warriors 6, he uses a Bo Staff called "Red Dusk" in combat.

[edit] Gan Ning (甘寧)

Gan Ning is a gruff and experienced young general of Wu. He is portrayed as a cocky general who does not take battle lightly, but still manages to enjoy it thoroughly. Although it is only mentioned in the later games, he once fought for Liu Biao before favoring the odds of the Wu forces and joining them. Gan Ning was a former pirate and bandit who, along with his cohorts, attached bells to his clothing when he performed raids. He joined Wu after being passed over for promotion, and fought with them until late into the storyline. Despite his youth, he was a significant general in the Battle of Chi Bi because of his experience in ship to ship fighting. At the Battle of He Fei, if Zhang Liao is defeated by the Wu forces, Gan Ning appears near the Wei camp with a large ambush party and attacks. After this battle, he fights mainly alongside other young Wu generals such as Lu Meng, Lu Xun and Zhou Tai. Gan Ning becomes steadily more important as the more experienced Wu generals fall to the enemies and the younger ones gain more prominence. In earlier games, he continues to fight for Wu until their final battle at He Fei Castle, though historically, he dies around 219 and in the novel, he dies at Yiling.

Gan Ning fights with a broad Kilij resembling a scimitar called "Sea Master". He employs swift strikes with his sword, and his charge attacks mostly involve him whirling around and slashing at enemies that have surrounded him. The most memorable part of his moveset is undeniably his musou attack, which is one of a kind; he crouches slightly, holding his blade in a backhand position, and rushes forward, plowing through any enemies who get in his way. As the fastest moving musou attack, it is perfect for "hit-and-run" fighting, or even for traveling if the player has low enough life that the musou gauge fills automatically, since the run is even faster than riding Red Hare. His musou attack is by far the strongest move in the game, yet it is very difficult to control. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he now wields two daggers and loses his powerful, yet unstable, running musou attack.

[edit] Huang Gai (黃蓋)

Huang Gai is a strong, loyal Wu general who serves Sun Jian from the beginning of the game, against the Yellow Turbans. He is not much more than an order executor, and fights in the earlier Wu battles before mostly disappearing from the game after the Battle of Chi Bi. He does get the spotlight at Chi Bi, however, when he is one of three men (the others being Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu) who together trigger a massive fire attack against the Wei forces, destroying their navy and reducing their army greatly. If Huang Gai is defeated at Chi Bi before this event, it can be prevented.

Pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 Huang Gai fights with a large rod called "Dark Shadow". His later weapons are wider than his original rod, giving them an appearance more similar to a club than a rod. He fights simply and predictably, swinging his club around to beat his enemies to death. He has high defense and above average attack power, but very low speed. This, combined with his relatively dull fighting style, gives him the appearance of a simple, plodding fighter, and makes him an unpopular choice despite his average statistics. Huang Gai is the only "Bombardier"-type playable, who has the ability to set and throw explosives around the battlefield. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he now fights like Xu Zhu to the exclusion of his bombardier-style tactics.

[edit] Sun Quan (孫權)

Sun Quan is the main leader of the Wu kingdom. He personally commands nearly all of their battles starting with Xiakou, including the final battles against Shu and Wu. Sun Quan takes over the leadership of the country after the death of his older brother, Sun Ce. He is much more serious and business-like than his father and brother, though he does show a tendency to drink and celebrate. He relies on Zhou Yu and Lu Xun as strategists, resulting in canonical victories over Cao Cao at Chi Bi and Liu Bei at Yi Ling (although the outcome of these battles can vary). The games say that Sun Quan was hesitant to fight at Chi Bi, and considered surrender due to Zhou Yu's "fire attack" plan not showing signs of possible success because of the direction of the wind. When Zhuge Liang arrives to help, promising to reverse the direction of the winds, Sun Quan decides to resist Cao Cao. After Cao Cao is defeated, Sun Quan later attacks Wei at He Fei. There he is halted by Zhang Liao, who leads a team to assassinate Taishi Ci, resulting in his death (although the player can prevent this). Sun Quan then retreats and is pursued by Zhang Liao. Sun Quan goes on to lead other important battles at Yi Ling, You Ting and He Fei Castle, but his personal involvement is usually not extraordinary.

Pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 Sun Quan fights with a longsword called "Master Wolf", like his father. His fighting style is that of a basic swordsman. He is very similar to his father, but has slightly lower stats. Unlocking Sun Quan is sometimes difficult, involving triggering many events at He Fei. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he fights with the same style of combat as Cao Pi and Yuan Shao.

[edit] Sun Shang Xiang (孫尚香)

Sun Shang Xiang is the daughter of Sun Jian and sister of Sun Quan and Sun Ce. Her role in the Dynasty Warriors games is small; she fights for Wu in the later battles, but rarely has any significant involvement. The one battle that she has even a semi-important role, You Ting, is sometimes not even included in her musou stages, the supposed reason for her rare significant involvement in battle is likely because historically Shang Xiang did not fight in any battles. Although it is rarely mentioned, she is the wife of Liu Bei, and is the only character who has to kill her own husband in musou mode. This is more prominently featured in Dynasty Warriors 5, and she ends up fighting him at Yi Ling. Her ending shows her mourning over his death as he dies in her arms, after which she promises 'to live a life worthy of Liu Bei's memory'. However, in the novel she is loyal to Liu Bei and was prevented by Sun Quan from returning to her husband's side. She committed suicide by jumping into a river and drowning herself upon receiving news of her love's demise. In the Xtreme Legends games, she is portrayed, more so even than the other female characters, as a rival of Zhu Rong.

Sun Shang Xiang debuted in the first Dynasty Warrior game with a bob cut hairstyle and a simple pink martial arts dress. She was a graceful sword-wielder, not unlike Zhou Yu, on whom her moveset is based. From the second to the fifth entry, she wields two fire & wind wheels (inappropriately translated as "chakrams" in the English versions) called "Sol Chakram" in battle. She uses striking and spinning attacks along with kicks, and can throw her weapons a short distance in her musou attack and several charge attacks. She is an extremely fast and agile runner, as well as a quick fighter, but lacks attack power and defense. The need to rely on quickness and technique makes her a slow killer. Starting from Dynasty Warriors 6, she uses a bow in battle and is considered to be the best character in the game (along with Yue Ying, who also uses a bow) because of her long range bow attacks.

[edit] Zhou Tai (周泰)

Zhou Tai, whose in-game design shows Japanese influence, is a towering figure on the battlefield. Zhou Tai fights with a tachi (or a katana, in Dynasty Warriors 5) called "Dusk", which between attacks is kept sheathed (suggesting that he practices a form of battōjutsu or iaijutsu), is one of the few characters to have a cape, and is skilled on horseback. He often protects Sun Quan in battle, as shown in He Fei when he defends him from Zhang Liao. He also serves in later battles, following the advice of Lu Xun.

Because of his somewhat unique weapon in the series, his fighting style, too, is very different than most of the playable characters. His moves are graceful and swift, resembling a samurai. He is suited for fighting single persons at a time, or when fighting small groups of soldiers (his swings are broad, which combined with the length of his sword gives him a large attack range). His regular attacks deliver swings with air cutting sounds. He swings swiftly, but has to sheath his sword when a combo is finished, leaving him open for a brief time. His musou involves swinging his tachi from left to right and vice versa repeatedly, standing in one position. If hit correctly, this in turn will give Zhou Tai a massive combo count. However, like Pang Tong and Da Qiao's musou move, if the opposing enemy general has his guard up or if there are little or no enemy soldiers within range of the weapon, the musou will be useless. Also, he "poses" after his musou attack but before he sheaths his weapon. When posing, he is still invulnerable, but after, he can be easy prey. His charge attacks are extremely useful when fighting individuals or groups of soldiers. When mounted, he attacks only on one side of the horse; just like Ma Chao (the right side). This is effective and easily controllable. If used properly, Zhou Tai can be a very daunting character to face. In Dynasty Warriors 6, his weapon was changed to a larger sword and he now fights like Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan.

[edit] Taishi Ci (太史慈)

Taishi Ci is a hulking man who is made out to be the greatest fighter in the Wu kingdom. He originally serves Liu Yong and aids him, along with Yan Bai Hu and Wang Lang in attacking the Wu territory controlled by the young Sun Ce. The events in the battle vary according to the player's actions, but Taishi Ci often duels Sun Ce, leading to a draw. When Liu Yong is killed by Sun Ce's men, Taishi Ci surrenders, expecting to be executed. Instead, Sun Ce asks him to join him. Impressed by his mercy and kindness, Taishi Ci puts his life in Sun Ce's command and helps him to destroy Yan Bai Hu and Wang Lang.

Taishi Ci continues to serve the Sun family and Wu, fighting in many battles, including Chi Bi. When Sun Quan is ambushed by Zhang Liao at He Fei, Taishi Ci takes the lead in repelling the Wei attackers. His valiant efforts allow Wu to hold the central square at He Fei, despite being ambushed and surrounded, but unfortunately, this does not last. Zhang Liao leads a team of archers to ambush and assassinate Taishi Ci, who dies after being shot many times. His death forces Sun Quan to retreat from the square, allowing Wei to gain the upper hand.

Taishi Ci fights with two thick, club-like rods called "Tiger Slayer" and wears full body armor.In Dynasty Warriors 6 he still wears full body armor but he wields a large trident called "Rage Trident". He is remarkably strong, but also a quick striker. His role in the mainstream games is actually quite small compared to his role in real history and the novel, but he is present at both of his most important battles. In the battle against Liu Yong and his cohorts, Taishi Ci can be an enemy to either side, depending on whether or not he switches sides, and the difficulty in fighting him here is comparable (though not as extreme) as the difficulty of fighting Lü Bu. In the Xtreme Legends games, Taishi Ci is one of the most commonly encountered enemy Wu generals, perhaps to make up for his lack of roles in the mainstream games.

[edit] Lü Meng (呂蒙)

• Note: His name in-game appears as "Lu Meng" instead of "Lü Meng."

Lü Meng is one of the "younger generation" Wu generals, although he is older than most of them. He is portrayed as a loyal warrior with extraordinary determination who fights with an impersonal mindset, without developing any dangerous anger or pride. The origins of his service of Wu are not usually detailed in the games, but he comes into prominence at the Battle of Fan Castle. He serves as a transitional Wu strategist after Zhou Yu's death, quietly expecting to be succeeded by someone else eventually. When Sima Yi (or Cao Ren, depending on the game) is besieged at Fan Castle, Lu Meng and his close friend Lu Xun, himself a promising strategist, improvise a temporary alliance with the Wei forces there to destroy Guan Yu, who controls the Jing Province. Lu Meng, assisted by Lu Xun and another young Wu general Gan Ning, arrive to reinforce the desperate Wei forces. Although the outcome depends on the player's side, the canonical outcome is the defeat and death of Guan Yu and his adopted son Guan Ping. Historically, Lü Meng dies shortly after.

Lü Meng is successful in taking back the Jing Province, but the Wu army's actions incite the wrath of Liu Bei and other Shu generals, leading to a battle between Shu and Wu at Yi Ling. In the Wu storyline, Wu destroys the larger Shu army and is able to then move against Wei. Lu Xun is made the head strategist of the entire Wu army for his victory. Lü Meng, still alive in the game, is replaced rather than succeeded; however, he strongly supports Lu Xun's new position and fights alongside him until the end of Wu's final battle at He Fei Castle.

Lü Meng fights with a long pike, but in later games he uses a ji (a Chinese halberd) called "White Tiger". He has a fierce, forceful fighting style, relying on the strength and technique of his attacks rather than the motion and speed of his weapon as others do. His fighting style is much like Zhang Liao's, and has a simple but very effective musou, consisting of swipes and stabs with his pike. Lü Meng has high attack and defense and decent running speed, as well as a good moveset. His only weakness is his very low health and musou ratings, ranking among the lowest in the game.

[edit] Lu Xun (陸遜)

The young, boyish Lu Xun, is the latest accomplished Wu strategist. He is portrayed as competitive with, but slightly inferior to, Zhuge Liang of Shu and Sima Yi of Wei as far as abilities of a strategist are concerned. He serves Wu from a very young age, frequently fighting alongside other young Wu generals as Gan Ning, Lu Meng, and Sun Shang Xiang. After the death of Zhou Yu, Lu Meng becomes the main Wu strategist. Lu Xun is wed to Sun Ce's daughter, though this is mentioned only in passing, and his wife does not appear in the game. Lu Xun and Lu Meng has a good friendship, and often cooperate to devise battle tactics. Lu Xun begins his significant part in Wu history at the battle of Fan Castle, where he and Lu Meng devise a way to defeat Guan Yu and retake the Jing Province from Liu Bei of Shu. They ally with the commander at Fan Castle (Sima Yi or Cao Ren) and destroy Guan Yu, retaking the province, but also inciting the wrath of Shu. Lu Xun comes up with a plan to surprise the Shu forces and burn their camp, and is made the head strategist at the Battle of Yi Ling. Although the in-game battle results vary with the player's choice of character, the canonical outcome is a complete defeat for the larger Shu forces.

After Yi Ling, Lu Xun is made permanently Wu's head strategist. Lu Xun first moves against Wei-controlled Shi Ting, telling Zhou Fang to fake defection to the Wei forces. The Wei army, suspicious of his motives, position him close to headquarters to keep an eye on him. The Wu forces surround Wei general Cao Xiu, telling Zhou Fang to switch back to Wu. His placement near the base camp of Wei cuts Cao Xiu off from the rest of Wei, resulting in an easy Wu victory. Lu Xun and Sun Quan then invade He Fei Castle, controlled by a smaller but determined Wei force. Whether or not Lu Xun's strategy and the size of the Wu army can overcome Sima Yi's brilliance and the more experienced Wei army depends on the player.

Lu Xun is also the main strategist of the fictional Wu battle against the Nanman (the real battle was with Shu against the Nanman). This battle occurs in various points on the time line in various games.

Lu Xun fights with twin swords called "Falcon", using quick, short slashes. His attack speed is very high, and he performs many acrobatic feats in his charge attacks, such as flips, spins, and somersaults. He also has an affinity for fire, using it in several of his charge attacks, most likely a reference to his Yi Ling fire strategy. His pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 musou consists of him rapidly swinging his twin blades, and his true musou ends with him leaping into the air and delivering a giant fireball in front of him. Statwise, he excels in musou and attack, while he falls behind in life and defense.

However, in Dynasty Warriors 6, Lu Xun wields a single sword.

[edit] Ling Tong (凌統)

The young Ling Tong, originally devastated when the Wu officer Gan Ning kills his father Ling Cao, eventually becomes an esteemed officer of Wu alongside Gan Ning, and the two eventually form a friendship after Gan Ning saves his life from an attack by the Wei general Yue Jin at the battle of He Fei. He serves as a junior strategist with few prominent roles, being overshadowed by Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Lu Meng, and Lu Xun.

Pre-Dynasty Warriors 6, he fights with nunchaku called "Dragon Fury", and his attacks are extremely fast, which compensates for their short range. He has an unimpressive but effective Musou attack, spinning his weapon around him, and finishing with a weak shock wave. Possibly because he was making his debut, Ling Tong has one extremely abusable move, single handedly making him one of the most effective, characters to play. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he now fights like Lu Meng, with a similar weapon.

[edit] Da Qiao (大喬)

Da Qiao is the sister of Xiao Qiao and the wife of Sun Ce. She has few appearances in the game, and is a very minor character. She and her sister help Zhou Yu and Sun Ce rid Wu of Liu Yong and his allies, and she sometimes appears at Sun Ce's side in some battles. The latest appearance she has is at You Ting, where she and her sister spearhead the attack on the forts to surround Cao Xiu. In Dynasty Warriors 4, she and her sister are kidnapped by Dong Zhuo and must be rescued by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. In Xtreme Legends, she is one of the female rivals of Zhu Rong, helping Sun Ce to lead Wu against the Nanman. Compared to her sister, Da Qiao is generally portrayed in the games as more reserved and mature.

Da Qiao fights with two traditional Chinese fans called "Qiao Beauty", which have blades attached to the edges, as opposed to the feather fans used by Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang. She slices at enemies with them, but also flings them at her enemies and then makes them fly back to her. She is light and speedy, but has weaker attack and defense than most other characters. Da Qiao's charge attacks are ideal for one-on-one duels, with the exception of her fifth charge attack and musou. When she uses her musou attack, she spins her fans in front of her, finishing by spinning them several times around her body. In the fifth version, she also would have her fans spin around and she would finish off by hurling a large ball of fire at her enemies.

In the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms, she is referred to most commonly as the "elder Qiao". This is because her first name, like her sisters, was not documented. she is referred to has Da Qiao because in Chinese "da" means big, making her the "bigger" or elder sister of the two.

Da Qiao was one of the seven characters removed from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Xiao Qiao (小喬)

Xiao Qiao, one of the "Two Qiaos" famous for their beauty, is the wife of Zhou Yu. Her fighting style is much like her sister's, however, she is much more reckless and childish than Da Qiao (for example, yelling out "Yay, I won!" after defeating an officer in Dynasty Warriors 4). She accompanies Zhou Yu on most of her scarce battles. She helps her sister and their husbands defeat Liu Yong and his allies, and captures the two forts at You Ting. In Dynasty Warriors 4, she and her sister are kidnapped by Dong Zhuo and must be rescued by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.

Xiao Qiao's fighting style is very similar to her sister's, but not identical. She uses similar weapons (i.e. dual fans called "Qiao Grace") and some of the same attacks, but the difference is enough to make most players prefer one or the other. Her charge attacks have a wider range than Da Qiao's, therefore, it is good for crowd control. However, her fifth charge attack and musou are ideal for one-on-one duels.

Unlike her sister's fighting style, however, in most of Xiao Qiao's charge attacks, she psychically controls her fans, but in her musou she holds her fans and spins through the air with them.

In the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms she is usually referred to as the "younger Qiao", this is because like her sister, her first name was not documented. Xiao is given as her name because in Chinese "xiao" means small, making her the "smaller" or younger sister of the two.

She appears as a playable character in Dynasty Warriors 6 with a drastically altered appearance. She has the same weapons and a similar moveset to what she had in Dynasty Warriors 5, but her moveset was modified to suit the new fighting system, her new moveset features many spinning attacks and acrobatic dance-like moves.

[edit] Others (他)

[edit] Lü Bu (呂布)

Lü Bu is generally considered to be the most powerful character in the Dynasty Warriors games with the exception of Zuo Ci, both as an AI and playable character. He is also the only character to have his own theme song when encountered by the player. His high statistics make him dangerous for new players who play the early stages he appears in. He is depicted as an extremely aggressive and brutish warrior who fights for the sole purpose of finding an opponent worthy of challenge. He is eventually persuaded by Diao Chan to kill his lord and adoptive father, Dong Zhuo, which did happen in the novel. He later fights Cao Cao, and is shown to have a strong bond with his subordinate, Zhang Liao, who looks up to him. Lü Bu is eventually defeated and slain at Xia Pi by the allied forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, after many of Lü Bu's disillusioned officers defect to the enemy.

Lu Bu fights with a halberd called "Sky Scorcher". His halberd is significantly modified in Dynasty Warriors 6 and is called "Sky Piercer". The halberd now resembles a giant shuriken, with a sharp blade on each end, like four halberds joined together. Lu Bu can pull them apart during certain attacks, wielding them as double voulges.

[edit] Yuan Shao (袁紹)

Yuan Shao is a nobleman and supporter of the Han Dynasty who raised a large, powerful army in response to the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Like Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Jian, he wields a long sword, though with a snake's tongue appearance called "Sword of Kings". He is portrayed as an arrogant, overconfident aristocrat who is hesitant to fight in the front lines of battle. When Cao Cao's call to dispose of the tyrant Dong Zhuo is answered by various warlords in China (namely Sun Jian, Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei, Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao himself), Yuan Shao is given command of the army with Cao Cao's strong recommendation; though Sun Jian and Liu Bei are reluctant to rely on Yuan Shao for command, they do not voice their concerns. Yuan Shao sends the other warlords to the front line, while making a strong defense for himself and putting his brother Yuan Shu in charge of the supply lines. Dong Zhuo is defeated, but the coalition leaders lose faith in the Han Dynasty and disband. Yuan Shao ends up in control of the largest army in China and stations himself in the north, preparing to clash with Cao Cao, the other major northern warlord. At the Battle of Guan Du, Yuan Shao, with aid from Liu Bei's small force, attacks Cao Cao's small castle, relying on his brilliant generals Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and Zhang He. During the battle, Yuan Shao attempts to overwhelm Cao Cao's army with sheer numbers and takes no particular strategy. Because of Yuan Shao's lack of adaptability, Cao Cao is easily able to outmaneuver him on several occasions. Guan Yu, serving temporarily under Cao Cao, slays Yan Liang and Wen Chou himself, and Zhang He, who would later become one of the most prominent Wei generals under Sima Yi, defected to Cao Cao's side. With no competent generals left, the nepotist Yuan Shao is defeated by an army a third the size of his own and is killed in battle.

In the Xtreme Legends games, Yuan Shao, instead of dying at Guan Du, defeats Cao Cao, who fades temporarily into obscurity. He then moves to wipe out Liu Bei, who leaves his service after encountering Guan Yu at Guan Du. After destroying Liu Bei at Chang Ban, Yuan Shao heads to Fan Castle, defended by his general Zhang He, to reinforce him against the allied armies of Guan Yu, who escapes Chang Ban alive, and Sun Quan, who rules in the Wu kingdom. After he defeats them and takes over much of Wu, Sun Quan marches against him at He Fei, but Yuan Shao defeats him again, destroying the Wu kingdom. Yuan Shao's final enemy is Cao Cao in Wei, who manages to raise a large army to confront Yuan Shao. Though the efforts of Cao Cao and his strategist Sima Yi are fierce and determined, Yuan Shao is victorious and unites China under the Yuan family rule.

[edit] Dong Zhuo (董卓)

Dong Zhuo is an imperial general who took advantage of the turmoil of the Yellow Turban Rebellion by deposing the Emperor and supporting a young heir. He is portrayed as obese and bad-tempered, and very concerned with his own safety. He becomes Prime Minister and a tyrant, and a coalition is called by Cao Cao to depose him. Dong Zhuo, along with his adopted son, the mighty Lü Bu, and the beautiful but formidable Diao Chan, faces the coalition at the Hu Lao and Si Shui Gates. Although his demise in the novel is more prolonged, in most of the games he is defeated in battle there and killed. The long term effects of his brief period of power, however, echoed for decades, as most the private army warlords that had gathered to fight him and the Yellow Turbans lost faith in the Han Dynasty. His death began the competition among them for power over China.

In the Xtreme Legends games, Dong Zhuo defeats the alliance at Hu Lao Gate, scattering their leaders and killing Yuan Shao. He quickly sets out to bring the rest of China under his control, defeating Cao Cao at Guan Du and Sun Ce at He Fei. After putting the lands of Wu under Lü Bu's direct control, Dong Zhuo deposes the Emperor and confronts Liu Bei's large army, intent on restoring the Han Dynasty. He destroys the kingdom of Shu, only to find that his greatest warrior, Lü Bu, and the lovely Diao Chan have revolted against him. His fleet engages Lü Bu's army at Chi Bi, and despite the aid to Lü Bu from the remnants of Wu and Shu, Dong Zhuo is victorious over the seemingly indomitable Lü Bu, uniting China under his rule.

Pre-Dynasty Warriors 6 Dong Zhuo fights with a longsword, which is serrated in the later games called "Horror". He fights elegantly, much like a fencer, but takes advantage of his tremendous bulk in his musou attack, during which he flips sideways into the air and lands on the ground, causing a massive tremor. His character is portrayed as somewhat pampered and helpless, and unwilling to fight for himself. He often dies calling out for the aid of his soldiers or of Lü Bu, as he died in the novel. In Dynasty Warriors 6, his new weapon is a club, and he fights like Xu Zhu and Huang Gai.

[edit] Diao Chan (貂蝉)

Diao Chan is a cunning, beautiful woman who fights on the side of Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo at Hu Lao Gate. Although she fights against the coalition in the mainstream games, her real intention is to drive Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo apart by appealing to their jealousy over her. Her true motives are only revealed when the player plays a battle on Dong Zhuo's side and fights against the coalition; Diao Chan may betray Dong Zhuo as things start to go badly. Her death in some of the games also causes Lü Bu to fly into a rage and betray Dong Zhuo to avenge her death. Although she succeeds in the novel, in the games her plot fails because the coalition is able to destroy Dong Zhuo on their own; she is killed during the ordeal. In later games, however, she survives and fights alongside Lu Bu throughout his career, until they both are killed by Cao Cao at Xia Pi.

During the Xtreme Legends games, Diao Chan fights in Dong Zhuo's army with Lü Bu as he sets out to eliminate the other warlords in China, constantly flattering Lü Bu during the battles. Her performance in the battles against Cao Cao and Sun Ce earns the trust of Dong Zhuo, and he allows her to accompany Lü Bu as he sets out to conquer the lands of Shu on Dong Zhuo's behalf. After he succeeds, Diao Chan convinces him to betray Dong Zhuo, and their armies clash at Chi Bi. Lü Bu and Diao Chan are victorious and Dong Zhuo is slain. Afterwards, Diao Chan convinces the "politically inept" Lü Bu to support the Han Dynasty, and the Han are restored. Diao Chan then attempts to leave Lü Bu and live by herself peacefully, but her way is blocked by Lü Bu's officers and raiders from the remnants of the Three Kingdoms. She defeats them all, but is caught by Lü Bu, who refuses to let her leave. She defeats him in battle and he surrenders, allowing her to leave the political arena for good.

In earlier installments, Diao Chan fights with dual maces called "Diva", consisting of decorative globes on the ends of sticks, as well as with dainty kicks. She is a fast runner and a quick attacker, but deals very little damage compared to other characters. Her musou attack consists of a spinning kick followed by a great swing of her maces. Beginning from Dynasty Warriors 6, she uses a golden metal chainwhip as her weapon.

[edit] Zuo Ci (左慈)

Zuo Ci did not directly support any forces or have a force in the three kingdoms but was a taoist in the novel who annoyed Cao Cao, tried to persuade him to become a Taoist, frequently causing illusions until he was forced to escape upon a crane upon Cao Cao's revenge. He does not appear again in the novel. Apparently, he did reside in the areas of Shu. He is a sorcerer of Taoism and took no part in any battles. This results in him having no significant importance in any battle. But in his Musou mode, he is seen primarily trying to test Cao Cao to see if he is worthy of his secret style of taoism. He is depicted as on old, wise sorcerer with a magic, spiritual deck of cards called "Trump Deck" as his weapon. He is statistically the best character in the game with a highly unorthodox fighting style, using magic consisting of all three elements, fire, ice and lightning. His musou is the most impressive. He walks towards his enemies with his magic cards spinning around him demolishing everyone in his path. On normal musou attacks his cards spins, then he jumps up and a ring of lightning appears around him, smashing most enemies. With true musou attacks (i.e. when connected to his bodyguard, musou rage, or when his health is in the red zone) he spins the cards, fires fire particles and ice particles that first burn and then freeze some opponents and then jumps up and a ring of lightning appears. Mostly he does not integrate fire into his attacks, but on rare occasion he does. (Such as his normal charge attack, where he shoots an ice orb, but can also shoot a fire orb on command).

Zuo Ci was among the seven removed from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Meng Huo (孟獲)

Meng Huo is the king of the Nanman tribe and husband of Zhu Rong, and is highly protective of both his people and his wife. He seeks to defend them from threats and live in harmony. He fights against Zhuge Liang, but is defeated seven times and eventually submits. He uses specialized troops such as elephants and armored soldiers, and the terrain to his advantage, but cannot overcome Zhuge Liang's strategy. His own Musou Mode sometimes involves him fighting the other kingdoms (occasionally by accident), before eventually crushing Shu and living in peace.

He is a very slow attacker and runner, but is, in game terms, the strongest character, with a higher strength than even Lü Bu. His weapon of choice is a pair of gauntlets called "King of Beasts," which resemble large wolf heads with sharp blades for fangs. His powerful attacks can often crush enemies, and many of his attacks involving stomping the ground. A downside to this is his low defense and speed, as faster characters can often overwhelm and heavily damage him before he can successfully retaliate.

He and Zhu Rong were among those who got removed from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Zhang Jiao (張角)

Zhang Jiao is the leader of the Yellow Turbans, the army fighting for a religious sect known as the Way of Peace. Zhang Jiao, accompanied by his brothers Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, began a rebellion against what they perceived as a corrupt and indifferent Han Dynasty, the results of which formed the basis for the events in the Three Kingdoms era. He attacks the Han forces under the command of the Imperial Army commander He Jin at Ru Nan. The Han forces are initially overwhelmed, but after being reinforced by several private armies, most memorably those of Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Jian, the Han protectors are able to repel the rebels and kill Zhang Jiao and his brothers. Zhang Jiao is portrayed as a manic zealot who takes a paternal attitude toward his followers. He was originally designed wearing common, simple clothing along with strings of beads, but in more recent games is seen wearing a gold mask and fine robes. In later games in the series, he is seen as a powerful sorcerer who often grants his followers the use of magic to use against the Han armies. However, the player can find ways to defeat his magic, which sometimes involve taking control of altars or destroying cauldrons. In Dynasty Warriors 5, his Musou Mode involves him fighting against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao and even Meng Huo before eventually destroying the Han army.

Zhang Jiao's role in the Xtreme Legends games is based on his attempts to rekindle his own faith in himself, as well as his follower's faith in him, while avoiding religious persecution by the Han Empire. He journeys with his "children", as he calls them, throughout China, but is constantly pursued by Han sympathizers, forcing him to defend his civilian followers in each battle. He is initially attacked at Ru Nan by He Jin, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei, but manages to scatter the enemy leaders and escape. Disillusioned and confused, he wanders from village to village, determined to quell the bandit uprisings started by men claiming to be Yellow Turbans themselves. After regaining some faith in himself, he and his followers set off for the "Promised Land", but are once again attacked by Han supporters, this time consisting of Yuan Shao's and Liu Bei's armies. The Yellow Turbans defeat their pursuers and escape by sea to Jiang Dong, where they are offered shelter by Liu Biao. Unfortunately, Liu Biao's hospitality is only a guise; under the direction of Sun Jian, Liu Biao ambushes the Yellow Turban army at night, and Zhang Jiao is forced to flee once again on sea after defeating Sun Jian and killing Liu Biao. Cao Cao organizes a cooperative effort by himself, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei and Sun Jian to defeat the Yellow Turbans at sea, but the Han forces are defeated and scattered again by the Yellow Turbans, this time resulting in the deaths of Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Yuan Shao. Undiverted in his effort to restore the Han to their former glory, Liu Bei, aided by his strategist, the powerful wizard Zhuge Liang, attacks Zhang Jiao at Yi Ling, but Zhang Jiao once again prevails, killing Liu Bei and his generals and clearing the way to the Promised Land. When the Yellow Turbans arrive at the Promised Land, however, they find their way obstructed by the Nanman people, who refuse to let them pass. The Nanman attack, aided by Zhuge Liang, who escaped from Yi Ling, but Zhang Jiao's army prevails for the final time, killing Zhuge Liang and forcing the Nanman King Meng Huo to surrender; this allows the Yellow Turban to at last reach the Promised Land and live in peace.

Zhang Jiao fights using a staff called "Volcano Staff" and firetype magic. He fights erratically, reminiscent of a non-human primate, and gives off a sharp, high-pitched battle cry. He can be considered one of the worst characters in DW5, in terms of defense, attack, and power. His move set incorporates bashing apponents with his staff as well as his signiture flame spewing moves. He is almost too weak, his move set being the biggest drawback in addition to below average stats. However, when facing him in battle via the enemy AI, he is usually quite strong, this is soley because his attack strength is multiplied to a ridiculous level. All this compiles to him being an infuriating character to fight with or against. He was, however, famous in Dynasty Warriors 3 for being the only character in that game to initially have an elemental attack (fire) available without the advent of his fourth weapon.

[edit] Zhu Rong (祝融)

Zhu Rong is the wife of the Nanman King Meng Huo, and said to be the daughter of the God of Fire. She is the only female character who actually fought in the novel, defeating several Shu generals in the battle against them. She has only a small role in the mainstream games, being simply another officer who guards Meng Huo's main camp. Once Meng Huo is defeated five times without being defeated for the final time, she flies into a rage, becoming eager to avenge the insult to her husband. She has a unique troop of guards as well; her guards are female, scantily-clad Nanman women who are given the title of "Amazoness". Zhu Rong fights with a three-pointed boomerang called "Inferno", using a combination of slashing and throwing attacks. She is a slow mover and slow attacker, with average attack power and high defense.

During the Xtreme Legends games, she has a deeper role and the spotlight during her own musou mode is on her. When the Shu Emperor Liu Bei invades Nan Zhong, he brings his wife Sun Shang Xiang; Zhu Rong asks Meng Huo to bring her to the battle, and the two of them lead their army to an easy defeat over the Shu army, wiping them out. Sun Shang Xiang escapes to her native Wu, and Zhu Rong, having never seen the world outside of Nan Zhong, decides to travel the country with her army. Along their journey, the Nanman couple meets other couples in battle; while at sea, they defeat Xiao Qiao and her husband Zhou Yu, and later Zhen Ji and her husband Cao Pi when they meet the Wei fleet heading toward Jiang Dong. Once the Nanman army returns to land, they discover Luo Yang. Determined to explore it, they engage Dong Zhuo and his concubine Diao Chan, who control the stronghold at Luo Yang. Dong Zhuo is killed, and Diao Chan and the great warrior Lü Bu are forced to flee.

Having demolished Cao Cao's and Dong Zhuo's armies, the Nanman unwittingly become the undisputed rulers of Northern China. They decide to head home, purposely heading through the Wu territory at Zhu Rong's request in order to provoke an attack. Wu, ruled by another rival couple Sun Ce and his wife Da Qiao, attack the Nanman at You Ting, but they are defeated, and Zhu Rong once again outfights Sun Shang Xiang. Wu comes back for a rematch at He Fei, ambushing Meng Huo and surrounding him. The ambush fails however, and Sun Ce, Da Qiao, and Zhu Rong's longtime rival Sun Shang Xiang are killed. The Nanman army, seeking a rest, occupies He Fei Castle, but the rest is short lived; the three surviving female warriors who have been defeated by Zhu Rong (Zhen Ji, Diao Chan, and Xiao Qiao) surround He Fei Castle. They and their husbands unite under the command of Lü Bu. Unafraid, Zhu Rong defeats her female rivals and Cao Pi and Zhou Yu while Meng Huo holds a defense in the central square of the castle. Declaring themselves to be the strongest couple in the land, Meng Huo and Zhu Rong then engage and defeat Lü Bu, ending the last resistance to the Nanman and allowing them to return home at last.

Zhu Rong is one of the seven characters who were cut from Dynasty Warriors 6.

[edit] Removed characters

[edit] Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長)

Nobunaga was the first character in the series to not be based on someone from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Appearing only in the original Dynasty Warriors game, Nobunaga is a cameo from Japanese history, rather than Chinese like the rest of the characters. He represents a sixteenth century daimyo (samurai warlord) who is a part of several other KOEI games. Nobunaga is also unique among characters in not having his family name (Oda) given. He has a partner named Sho. Both of them are bodyguards in later games. He can now be seen in the Samurai Warriors series.

[edit] Toukichi (とーきち)

Another character in the series that is not based on someone from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Appearing only in the original Dynasty Warriors game, Toukichi is a cartoon character who has an extremely big head, with no real information about him, but many things points that he might a reference to Kinoshita Tōkichirō, better known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His name, and the fact that he's Oda Nobunaga's final fight and vice versa are the best examples.

[edit] Fu Xi (伏羲)

Fu Xi is not based on a Three Kingdoms person, but on a Chinese mythological being. He is a secret character in Dynasty Warriors 3, who can be unlocked by clearing Musou Mode with the three original kingdom leaders - Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei - and unlocking Lü Bu (achieved by defeating 1000 enemies at Hu Lao Gate). His attacks are strong but slow. Fu Xi has been removed since Dynasty Warriors 4. However, his sword can be equipped to custom characters in later games. He returns in Warriors Orochi 2, with a redesigned costume.

[edit] Nu Wa (女媧)

Nu Wa, like Fu Xi, is based not on a character from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but on a Chinese mythical being. She is also a secret character on Dynasty Warriors 3, and can be unlocked by clearing Musou Mode with each female characters loyal to one of the Three Kingdoms (Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, Sun Shang Xiang and Zhen Ji). Her attacks are fast but weak. Nu Wa has been removed since Dynasty Warriors 4. However, her rapier can be equipped to custom characters in later games. In Dynasty Warriors 5, the rapier moveset was upgraded and her Musou was changed from single forward stabs to swinging her sword from side to side in front of her, making it easier to use given that before it was hard to balance an enemy officer on her sword. Nu Wa returns in Warriors Orochi: Rebirth of the Demon Lord, with a redesigned costume.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Romance of the Three Kingdoms
• Orochi Warriors
• Luo Guanzhong
• Koei

v • d • e Koei's Dynasty Warriors video games Main series Dynasty Warriors · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 Spin-offs Dynasty Warriors (PSP) · Advance · DS: Fighter's Battle · Mahjong · Vol. 2 · BB Related articles Characters

[edit] External links

• Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires on Koei.com