List of Dynasty Warriors characters

There have been 48 playable characters in the Dynasty Warriors series as of the release of Dynasty Warriors 5; however, Dynasty Warriors 7 is has over 60 playable characters. Most of the characters were real figures from the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, although some possibly fictional characters from the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms were also included in the roster, such as Diao Chan and Zuo Ci. Minor female characters from history have been placed on the battlefield by Koei, although aside from the possibly fictional Zhu Rong from the novel, they never fought in any of the battles. The list indicates Chinese names / Japanese (original version) names / Chinese or Japanese characters.

Playable character table

Name	Forces	DW	DW2	DW3	DW4	DW5	DW6	DW7	Debut
Bao Sanniang	Shu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Cai Wenji*	Wei	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW:SF2
Cao Cao	Wei	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Cao Pi	Wei	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	DW5
Cao Ren	Wei	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW4
Da Qiao	Wu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	DW3
Deng Ai	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Dian Wei	Wei	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Diao Chan	Others	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Ding Feng	Wu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Dong Zhuo	Others	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Fu Xi	Unrelated	N	N	Y	N	N	N	N	DW3
Gan Ning	Wu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Guan Ping	Shu	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	DW5
Guan Suo	Shu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Guan Yu	Shu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Guo Huai	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Guo Jia*	Wei	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7:XL
Huang Gai	Wu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Huang Zhong	Shu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Jia Xu	Wei	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Jiang Wei	Shu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	DW2
Lian Shi	Wu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Ling Tong	Wu	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	DW5
Liu Bei	Shu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Liu Shan	Shu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Lu Bu	Others	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Lu Meng	Wu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Lu Xun	Wu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Ma Chao	Shu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Ma Dai	Shu	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Meng Huo*	Others	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Nobunaga	Unrelated	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	DW
Nu Wa	Unrelated	N	N	Y	N	N	N	N	DW3
Pang De*	Wei	N	N	N	N	Y	N	Y	DW5
Pang Tong	Shu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Sima Shi	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Sima Yi	Wei (DW2-DW6), Jin (DW7)	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Sima Zhao	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Sun Ce	Wu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Sun Jian	Wu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Sun Quan	Wu	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Sun Shang Xiang	Wu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Taishi Ci	Wu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Toukichi	Unrelated	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	DW
Wang Yi*	Wei	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7:XL
Wang Yuanji	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Wei Yan	Shu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Xiahou Ba	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Xiahou Dun	Wei	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Xiahou Yuan	Wei	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Xiao Qiao	Wu	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Xing Cai	Shu	N	N	N	N	Y	N	Y	DW5
Xu Huang	Wei	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Xu Zhu	Wei	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Yuan Shao	Others	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Yue Ying	Shu	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW4
Zhang Fei	Shu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Zhang He	Wei	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Zhang Jiao	Others	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Zhang Liao	Wei	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW2
Zhao Yun	Shu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Zhen Ji	Wei	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW3
Zhong Hui	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Zhou Tai	Wu	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW4
Zhou Yu	Wu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Zhu Rong	Others	N	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	DW3
Zhuge Dan	Jin	N	N	N	N	N	N	Y	DW7
Zhuge Liang	Shu	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	DW
Zuo Ci	Others	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N	DW5

• Meng Huo does not appear in Dynasty Warriors 6, but was later added back in Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires.
• Pang De does not appear in Dynasty Warriors 7, but was later added back in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends.
• Guo Jia and Wang Yi are not playable in Dynasty Warriors 7, but were later added in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends.
• Though Cai Wenji's first playable appearance was in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2, her first playable appearance in a main-series game was Dynasty Warriors 7.

Jin / Shin / 晋

Further information: Jin Dynasty (265–420)

The Jin kingdom is a new faction first introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. All the characters in this faction, excluding Sima Yi, make their debut in Dynasty Warriors 7.

Deng Ai / Tou Gai / 鄧艾

Further information: Deng Ai

Deng Ai is a Wei general who spent most of his career defending his kingdom from Shu attacks led by Jiang Wei. He is best known for conquering Shu together with Zhong Hui.

Deng Ai wields a drill spear as his primary weapon.

Guo Huai / Kaku Wai / 郭淮

Further information: Guo Huai

Guo Huai is a Wei general who rose through the ranks during Cao Pi's reign. Together with Deng Ai and others, he has defended Wei's borders from numerous Shu attacks led by Jiang Wei. In his debut he is shown to be a sickly man due to his unwavering loyalty to Wei.

Guo Huai wields a hand cannon as his primary weapon.

Sima Shi / Shiba Shi / 司馬師

Further information: Sima Shi

Sima Shi is Sima Yi's oldest son and Sima Zhao's older brother. He has an eye disorder and is thus shown wearing an eye patch.

He uses a rapier in battle.

Sima Yi / Shiba I / 司馬懿

Further information: Sima Yi

Sima Yi makes his debut in Dynasty Warriors 2. He is portrayed as a cunning, ruthless and extremely arrogant strategist who boasts endlessly about victory and insults his enemies with derogatory words. He is also unable to accept defeat and likes to dismiss the failure of his plans with the excuse that it is merely another cog in the gears of an upcoming grand tactic that he has devised. He harbors both intense admiration and hatred for his arch-rival Zhuge Liang, whom he constantly seeks to outwit and both of them have their own fair share of successes and failures. His Musou Mode details his struggle with Zhuge Liang in the many battles between Wei and Shu. He rarely takes to the battlefield and dresses in lavish robes and gowns, although he wears some armored helms and shoulder guards in earlier installments. Dynasty Warriors 6 further emphasizes Sima Yi's cunning and ruthless nature; Sima Yi aids Cao Cao in conquering and uniting China, but betrays and murders him later to claim the throne for himself. He is officially moved to the newly introduced Jin Kingdom in Dynasty Warriors 7.

Sima Yi uses a large, black fan similar to Zhuge Liang's (smaller) white feather fan. He can use the fan as though it was a weapon suited for melee fighting just like Zhuge Liang, but his musou attack has a wider range, involving firing purple energy streams in different directions. He is also one of the four characters who can use magic in combat. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he uses a pair of flexi-claws with hidden wires that he can swing ruthlessly in combat. In Dynasty Warriors 7 his black fan is returned to him.

Sima Zhao / Shiba Shou / 司馬昭

Further information: Sima Zhao

Sima Zhao is Sima Yi's second son and Sima Shi's younger brother.

He uses a saber in combat.

Wang Yuanji / Ou Genki / 王元姫

Further information: Wang Yuanji

Wang Yuanji is Sima Zhao's wife.

She uses flying daggers as her weapon.

Xiahou Ba / Kakou Ha / 夏侯霸

Further information: Xiahou Ba

Xiahou Ba is Xiahou Yuan's son.

His primary weapon is a large great sword similar to Guan Ping's.

Zhong Hui / Shou Kai / 鍾會

Further information: Zhong Hui

Zhong Hui is a Wei general who conquers Shu together with Deng Ai.

Zhong Hui's primary weapon is a pair of flying swords.

Zhuge Dan / Shokatsu Tan / 諸葛誕

Further information: Zhuge Dan

Zhuge Dan is Zhuge Liang's cousin. He serves Wei and tries to rebel against Sima Zhao once but fails.

He uses a large feather fan as his weapon.

Others

Diao Chan / Chousen / 貂蝉

Further information: Diaochan

Diao Chan is an intelligent and kind young beauty, and the lover of Lu Bu. She fights on Dong Zhuo's side in the battles of Si Shui Gate and Hu Lao Gate. In her Musou Mode in the mainstream games, she follows Lu Bu on his conquests after Dong Zhuo's defeat until they both meet their ends after the Battle of Xia Pi. In the Xtreme Legends versions of the game, she follows Lu Bu as he sets off to eliminate all the rival warlords for Dong Zhuo, before eventually turning against Dong Zhuo at the Battle of Chi Bi after Diao Chan successfully persuades him to do so. She convinces the "politically inept" Lu Bu to support the Han Dynasty after Dong Zhuo's downfall and attempts to leave after that. Lu Bu refuses to let her leave but obliges after he is defeated by her.

Diao Chan uses a pair of maces in the earlier installments, which are actually decorative globes attached to the ends of sticks (see Chúi for the weapon), and adds a few dainty kicks in her fighting style. She is a fast runner and quick attacker but she deals relatively low damage to enemies as compared to other characters. Her musou attack involves her performing a spinning kick followed by a great swing of her maces. In and after Dynasty Warriors 6 she uses a chain whip. Her Musou Mode is available in Dynasty Warriors 6 after completing a character musou from each of the Three Kingdoms.

Dong Zhuo / Tou Taku / 董卓

Further information: Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo is a warlord who takes advantage of the turmoil of the Yellow Turban Rebellion to seize power from the Han Dynasty government. He is portrayed as an obese, ill-tempered and arrogant man who is concerned about his own safety and reputation. He governs the land like a tyrant, until a coalition of warlords led by Yuan Shao decide to form an alliance against him to liberate those who suffered under his oppressive rule. He faces the coalition at the battles of Si Shui Gate and Hu Lao Gate. He is defeated and killed if he is a non-playable character but he emerges victorious and becomes the emperor if he defeats the coalition in his Musou Mode. In the Xtreme Legends versions of the game he continues to bring the rest of China under his control by sending Lu Bu to attack the other warlords. Lu Bu eventually betrays him and confronts him at the Battle of Chi Bi but Dong Zhuo emerges victorious and becomes the sovereign ruler of China.

Dong Zhuo uses a large broadsword, and he fights elegantly like a fencer, but also uses attacks that are more brash, such as headbutting the ground to make a shockwave or stomping on the ground to create a small tremor. For his musou attack, he takes advantage of his tremendous bulk by flipping sideways into the air and landing on the ground to cause a massive tremor. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he uses a club and his fighting style resembles Xu Zhu's and Huang Gai's.

Lu Bu / Ryo Fu / 呂布

Further information: Lü Bu

Lu Bu is an extremely aggressive and brutish warrior who fights for the sole purpose of finding an opponent worthy of challenge. Generally considered to be the most powerful fighter in the series, he is easily identified by the pheasant tail feather headdress he wears. He also has a special theme song dedicated to him. He rides the Red Hare, the fastest horse in the game. He serves Dong Zhuo and fights against the coalition forces led by Yuan Shao at the battles of Si Shui Gate and Hu Lao Gate. The three sworn brothers (Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei) and Cao Cao's bodyguards (Dian Wei and Xu Zhu) are the only ones who can hold him off for quite some time at Hu Lao Gate. The last stage of his Musou Mode is the Battle of Xia Pi, where he faces the allied forces of Liu Bei and Cao Cao alone, after his subordinates are either defeated by the enemy or betray him. If the player is not playing as him, he is captured and executed after his defeat. In the Xtreme Legends versions Lu Bu continues to help Dong Zhuo eliminate other warlords in China before eventually turning against Dong Zhuo at the Battle of Chi Bi. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he is the only character whose Musou Mode involves fighting against both sides in various battles, such as Guan Du. His last stage is set in Hu Lao Gate, where all the warlords he previously defeated will combine forces to fight him.

Lu Bu's fighting style is formidable and unmatched in the entire series. His halberd, called the Sky Piercer, gives him a long attack range, and when combined with his very high stats in almost all fields, presents him as a nightmare to players who play as his opponents, since it is hard to even get close to him and normal attacks deal negligible damage to him. He has the ability to regenerate once after sustaining a certain amount of damage at some point. In Dynasty Warriors 6 his weapon is significantly modified to resemble a giant shuriken, with a sharp blade on each end, like four halberds joined together. He can also detach them during certain attacks and wield them as double voulges. Moreover, his stats are also maximised to 1,000 at level 50, the highest attainable level in the game, effectively making him invincible. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is associated with the halberd and can execute an EX attack while wielding it.

Meng Huo / Mou Kaku / 孟獲

Further information: Meng Huo

Meng Huo is the king of the Nanman tribes and Zhu Rong's husband. He is highly protective of his wife and people, calling them his "family" in several dialogues. He seeks to defend his land from external threats and make his people live in harmony. In his Musou Mode he has to defeat all the other Nanman leaders first to become king of a united tribe, before facing foreign invaders such as the Yellow Turban rebels, Wu and Shu. In the Xtreme Legends versions he has to fight invaders from Wei in one stage. If the player is playing on Shu's side, Meng Huo will be defeated by Zhuge Liang seven times, each time in a different location on the battlefield, before Meng Huo eventually surrenders. Meng Huo has several advantages over Shu, with an armored unit, beasts of prey and elephant riders under his command, as well as secret passages on his terrain and a lake that emits poisonous vapor.

Meng Huo's moving and attack speeds are very slow but his strength is the highest of all characters in the game. He wears a pair of massive gauntlets that resemble iron wolf heads with sharp blades for fangs. His powerful attacks crush enemies easily and his charge attacks involve him charging at enemies on all fours like an animal. For his musou attack, he stomps the ground repeatedly, producing shockwaves that can destroy all enemies within range. However, his low defense and moving speed puts him in a disadvantageous position as faster opponents can overwhelm him before he can retaliate. He looks like an obese giant in the earlier installments. He is one of the seven characters removed from Dynasty Warriors 6 for unknown reasons, but is set to return in Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires. He wields a large pillar as his weapon and looks drastically different, as an inhumanely muscular giant with hands like an ape's.

Yuan Shao / En Shou / 袁紹

Further information: Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao is a noble and supporter of the Han Dynasty who rallied an army to crush the Yellow Turban Rebellion. He is portrayed as an arrogant, overconfident and nepotist aristocrat who is reluctant to fight on the frontline in battles. He is nominated to be the leader of the coalition of warlords in the campaign against Dong Zhuo. He clashes with Cao Cao at the Battle of Guan Du, attempting to overwhelm Cao Cao's smaller force with scores of his troops without any particular strategy. He is utterly defeated when his supply depot is destroyed and several of his generals, including Zhang He, defect to Cao Cao. He dies shortly after the battle if he is a non-playable character. In the Xtreme Legends versions he defeats Cao Cao at Guan Du and continues to conquer the other warlords in China before having another final showdown with Cao Cao. In his Musou Mode in the mainstream games, his last stage is Guan Du, where he unites all of China under his rule if he wins the battle.

Like Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Jian, Yuan Shao wields a long sword with the end of its blade like a serpent's tongue. His fighting style and musou attack are more or less similar to them. His charge attack is unique to him, when he goes on all fours to knock down all in his path and finishing with a somersault.

Zhang Jiao / Chou Kaku / 張角

Further information: Zhang Jiao

Zhang Jiao is the leader of the Yellow Turban rebels. He is portrayed as a maniac-like zealot who behaves like a patriarch towards his followers. Originally, he wears simple garments and strings of beads but in the newer installments of the game, he dons fine robes and a gold mask. For his Musou Mode in the mainstream games, Zhang Jiao travels around the land and defeats various local warlords before engaging defendants of the Han Dynasty under He Jin's command in his last stage. In the Xtreme Legends versions Zhang Jiao leads his followers to the "Promised Land" while traveling across China and facing attacks from hostile warlords.

Zhang Jiao wields a magic staff and uses fire-based attacks. He fights in an erratic manner reminiscent of a non-human primate and gives off a sharp, high-pitched battle cry. He is one of the characters with the lowest stats in attack, defense and power. His move set involves him bashing opponents with his staff and his signature flame-spewing moves. If the player is playing as Zhang Jiao's opponent, Zhang's attack stats will be increased drastically until he becomes extremely hard to defeat. Most of the time Zhang Jiao's magic can be overcome if the player captures his altars and destroys his cauldrons, preventing him from conjuring dust storms and summoning phantom soldiers.

Zhu Rong / Shuku Yuu / 祝融

Further information: Lady Zhurong

Zhu Rong is the queen of the Nanman tribe and Meng Huo's wife. She has a small role in the mainstream games, as a general stationed in the Nanman camp. In the battle between Shu and Nanman she leads her troops to attack Zhuge Liang after Meng Huo is defeated five times. Her role becomes more prominent in the Xtreme Legends versions, in which she follows Meng Huo to conquer the other warlords in China before returning home for a peaceful life. She is one of the seven characters from the original series who do not appear in Dynasty Warriors 6 for unknown reasons.

Zhu Rong wields a three-pointed boomerang and her fighting style comprises slashing and throwing attacks with the weapon. She moves and attacks at a low speed, with average attack power and high defense. Her musou attack is very effective for taking out large groups of enemies, when she throws darts in around her, taking out all surrounding enemies and gaining high combos before finishing with a charge and the boomerang spinning around her. In Dynasty Warriors 7 her EX weapon is throwing daggers.

Zuo Ci / Sa Ji / 左慈

Further information: Zuo Ci

Zuo Ci is an old and wise sorcerer who does not have his allegiance to any warlord in the game. In his Musou Mode he participates in some the major battles and is commonly seen trying to test Cao Cao and see if the latter is worthy to inherit his powers. He also appears in Xu Zhu's Musou Mode, trying to persuade Xu Zhu to leave Cao Cao. Xu Zhu, however, ignores Zuo Ci and accuses him of causing Cao Cao's death in one stage, and attempts to kill Zuo Ci to avenge his lord. He is one of the seven characters from the original series who do not appear since Dynasty Warriors 6 for unknown reasons.

Zuo Ci uses a deck of cards as his weapon. He is the best character in the game in terms of his stats. He has an unorthodox fighting style, using magic of all the three elements (fire, ice and lightning) in his attacks. His musou attack involves him walking calmly towards enemies, chanting with his cards spinning around him and demolishing everything in his path. He can conjure fire and ice orbs at the same time before finishing with a jump into the air and creating a ring of lightning to destroy all around him.

Shu / Shoku / 蜀

Further information: Shu Han

Bao Sanniang / Hou Sanjou / 鮑三娘

Further information: Bao Sanniang

Bao Sanniang is a new character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. She is the wife of Guan Yu's third son, Guan Suo. She uses a bladed yo-yo as her weapon.

Guan Ping / Kan Pei / 關平

Further information: Guan Ping

Guan Ping is Guan Yu's adopted son. He fights alongside his foster father in various battles and defends him from pursuing Wei forces when the latter is escaping from Cao Cao (appears only if the player is playing on Wei's side). His most significant role is during the Battle of Fan Castle, where he assists in initiating the flood attack on Cao Ren. Guan Ping survives the battle (but Guan Yu dies) and continues to participate in the Battle of Yi Ling. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he survives the Battle of Fan Castle and does not appear until the Battle of Wu Zhang Plains, in which he is partnered with Yue Ying. In Dynasty Warriors 7 Guan Ping falls in battle at Fan Castle in an attempt to stall the enemy long enough for Guan Yu and Guan Suo to escape. Guan Yu is still captured and killed, but Guan Suo is knocked into the river and survives.

Guan Ping is commonly seen as a generic officer until Dynasty Warriors 5, where he wields a giant back-hand sword. The weapon's size slows him down and he has to rely on momentum to wield his sword rather than skill. His attacks involve a combination of straight forward slashes, swinging and twirling and throwing of the sword. Guan Ping has a mixed level of effectiveness in combat. His slow attacks leave him vulnerable yet his potentially devastating charge attacks can be exactly as expected. Typically, his suitability in combat can fluctuate, leading him to being either extremely valuable or very undesirable to a player. His musou attack is a few simple spins with his sword to slash those around him and very much similar to his father's except for the final move. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he uses a halberd that resembles Lu Bu's Sky Piercer. In Dynasty Warriors 7 Guan Ping is associated with his giant sword and can perform a unique EX attack when using it.

Guan Suo / Kan Saku / 關索

Further information: Guan Suo

Guan Suo is a new character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. He is Guan Yu's son and Guan Ping's brother.

Guan Yu / Kan U / 關羽

Further information: Guan Yu

Guan Yu is the sworn brother of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. He and Zhang Fei are the first two generals to serve under Liu Bei and fight alongside him against the Yellow Turban rebels and Dong Zhuo's forces. Guan Yu's character is clearly emphasized in the game, with a large stature, and him announcing rather than speaking, in a pompous but courageous tone. He plays an important role in Shu until his death, having participated in most of the major battles. He serves Cao Cao briefly and helps him slay Yuan Shao's generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou during the Battle of Guan Du. He leaves Cao Cao later and escapes to reunite with his sworn brothers. He also leads Shu in the Battle of Fan Castle against the Wei general Cao Ren. Starting from the Battle of Guan Du, he rides Lu Bu's horse, the Red Hare, after he receives it as a gift from Cao Cao.

Guan Yu's fighting style is very straightforward, encompassing broad sweeps and stabs of his guan dao, called Blue Moon Dragon, and his charge attacks are mostly spinning attacks. His musou attack is rather simple and similar to Guan Ping's, except for the final move. He moves forward in a spinning manner to cut through enemies and finally conjure a whirlwind to throw his enemies up into the air. His simple yet effective fighting style makes him a popular choice for beginners and he is almost always a playable character at the start of the game.

Huang Zhong / Kou Chuu / 黄忠

Further information: Huang Zhong

Huang Zhong is the oldest playable character in the Dynasty Warriors series. He appears as an energetic and determined elderly warrior with a white beard and he mentions his old age often in dialogues. His most memorable role in the game is at the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun, in which he charges down a slope and battles the Wei general Xiahou Yuan. Although the outcome of the duel depends on whether the player is playing as Huang Zhong or Xiahou Yuan, in all other instances Huang will defeat and kill Xiahou.

Huang Zhong is seen in every cutscene wielding his bow and arrows as his proficiency in archery is legendary. However his primary weapon is still a broadsword. His fighting style is simple and yet predictable, with a musou attack that involves spinning and slashing around. His charge attack involves firing several arrows repeatedly but the number of arrows for bow attack does not decrease. Before Dynasty Warriors 6 his Musou attack seems to provide a hint towards his age, as he stumbles slightly on the last move. Huang Zhong also has a higher bow attack than any other character but his stats are very average in general. In Dynasty Warriors 7 his primary weapon becomes a bow.

Jiang Wei / Kyou I / 姜維

Further information: Jiang Wei

Jiang Wei is a former Wei general who joined Shu after his defeat at the hands of his future mentor, Zhuge Liang. He becomes one of the important generals of Shu despite having a small role in the game, having participated in the Battle of Jie Ting against Wei general Zhang He and others. Most notably, he becomes the Shu commander in the Battle of Wu Zhang Plains after Zhuge Liang dies in the middle of the battle. He is one of the seven characters from the original series who are omitted from Dynasty Warriors 6 for unknown reasons but returns in Dynasty Warriors: Multi Raid 2. He returns in Dynasty Warriors 7 his Multi Raid 2 outfit and a new trident-like spear. In this installment, when playing under the Jin faction in story mode, Jiang Wei leads several invasions on Wei.

Jiang Wei fights with a spear that has a trident-like blade. His fighting style and Musou attack encompasses quick strikes and pierces and a good running speed. He has a slightly higher defense than Ma Chao, but his move set is effective for clearing crowds of enemies. Although he is introduced later in the game, he can be played easily by most players. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he wields a spear as his primary weapon.

Liu Bei / Ryuu Bi / 劉備

Further information: Liu Bei

Liu Bei is the founder of Shu and sworn brother of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. He participates in battles against the Yellow Turban rebels and Dong Zhuo's forces. At the Battle of Hu Lao Gate he and his two sworn brothers duel with Lu Bu. Most of the battles he is involved in are against Cao Cao, with the exception of the Battle of Cheng Du against his distant relative, Liu Zhang. His last level is the Battle of Yi Ling against Sun Quan, to avenge the death of Guan Yu. If the player is not playing as him, he dies after the battle and his son Liu Shan succeeds him in the Battle of Bai Di Castle.

Liu Bei fights with a fairly standard style, with a musou attack comprising simple forward slashes. He wields a long sword and has slightly above average stats in all fields. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he uses a pair of swords. As a non playable character, he is only one of three to ride a special horse in battle. His horse is called Hex Mark.

When Liu Bei died 223, his son Liu Shan the next emperor of Shu. Jin destoryed Shu at the battle of Cheng Du but Sima Zhao,Zhong Hui and Deng Ai did a surprised attack on them and in that Jiang Wei died with Zhong Hui. After Shu lost the battle Sima Zhao gave Liu Shan the capital Luoyang. Sima zhao Died, his son Sima Yan took over Jin also destroyed Wei emperor Cao Wei and fifteen years later wu surrender to Jin. The Sima clan took over the three kingdoms= SHU, WEI and WU.

Liu Shan / Ryuu Zen / 劉禪

Further information: Liu Shan

Liu Shan is a new playable character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. He is Liu Bei's son and successor as ruler of Shu.

Ma Chao / Ba Chou / 馬超

Further information: Ma Chao

In Dynasty Warriors Ma Chao tends to be portrayed as a mighty warrior who fights for justice. He is more independent than other characters as he only serves Shu because both Liu Bei and he have a shared foe in Cao Cao. His first stage is the Battle of Tong Gate, where he leads his men to attack Cao Cao to avenge his family. He loses the battle when his ally Han Sui betrays him to Cao Cao. He escapes after his defeat and serves Zhang Lu before eventually defecting over to join Shu at the Battle of Jia Meng Gate.

Ma Chao is formidable in battle as a hybrid character with both attack and speed power. His attacks are very strong while his attack speed is fast and his ratio of mounted strength to total attack power is higher than any other character. His attacks are composed of arc swings and deep lunges with his spear. He looks like a fencer and his stances appear to be choreographed. His charge attack in Dynasty Warriors 4 and Dynasty Warriors 5 sends out a blue shockwave that kills most units with a single hit and does knockback damage on the survivors. In Dynasty Warriors 5 the shockwave becomes a ground flash and breaks the guards of enemies within range. In Dynasty Warriors 6 his horse move set is more basic and the shockwave is removed. However, he still remains one of the few characters capable of increasing the abilities of any horse he/she rides. In Dynasty Warriors 6 Special he uses a large sword but in Dynasty Warriors 7 he is once again associated with a spear, and he can perform a unique EX attack while equipped with it.

Ma Dai / Ba Tai / 馬岱

Further information: Ma Dai

Ma Dai is a new character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. He is Ma Chao's cousin. He is credited for halting Wei Yan's revolt after the Battle of Wu Zhang Plains. Ma Dai's primary weapon is an oversized ink brush, but it is called "Magic Brush" on the Koei Warriors website.

Pang Tong / Hou Tou / 龐統

Further information: Pang Tong

Pang Tong is a hunched, obscure wise man, and a friend of Zhuge Liang. He appears as a non-playable character only in the Battle of Cheng Du against Liu Bei's distant relative Liu Zhang. He dies in an ambush laid by Zhang Ren's archers, but his death can be prevented, if the player (using another character) can defeat Zhang Ren before the cutscene of Pang Tong's death is triggered. He appears in one cutscene in the Battle of Chi Bi, where he presents his chain-links strategy. He wears a heavy cloak, round brimmed hat and a mask covering his mouth, making him resemble an eccentric wizard.

Pang Tong is short in stature and fights like an ape, wielding a staff in hand. He twists his body erratically and strikes enemies with the staff, sometimes conjuring a green halo in his charge attacks. Before Dynasty Warriors 6 his musou attack involves creating a tornado and spinning it for as long as his musou bar lasts, catching all enemies within range. He can create massive combos with this attack because he remains stationary, but he may also waste the attack if no enemy enters the tornado range.

Wei Yan / Gi En / 魏延

Further information: Wei Yan

Wei Yan appears as a tribal warrior who serves Shu in the most of the later battles. He grunts single words, strung together by pauses in between to form (incomplete) sentences, in par with caveman speech. An example would be "Me...enemy...defeat!", which he says after slaying an enemy officer. His apparent inability to express his thoughts coherently, however, is substituted by his fighting abilities. He has no significant roles in the game except in Dynasty Warriors 4, where he slays his lord Han Xuan to defend Huang Zhong and submit to Liu Bei subsequently.

Wei Yan uses a double voulge, comprising a single-edged blade attached to each end of a pole. His attacks are swift and powerful, to make up for his slow moving speed and poor defense. His move set consists of many spins and other acrobatic techniques to exploit the effective design of his weapon in combat. This has the potential to create an almost constant attack radius with little vulnerability in between. Wei Yan's fighting style is somewhat unorthodox, encompassing spins and bodily contact, making him an unpredictable yet effective character. In Dynasty Warriors 6 the voulge is replaced with a gargantuan hammer-like club. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he returns to having his double voulge as his primary weapon.

Xing Cai / Sei Sai / 星彩

Xing Cai is Zhang Fei's daughter. Her name is inspired by the idea of her being "the star that lights the path for Shu"; xing (star), cai (glory).^{[citation needed]} She takes her father's place after his death and appears as a non-playable character only in the last two battles involving Shu (Battle of Bai Di Castle and Battle of Wu Zhang Plains). She has an ambiguous/platonic relationship with Guan Ping. She makes a last stand for Shu in the final battles together with Jiang Wei after Zhuge Liang's death. Xing Cai has a calm and reserved personality and often described to be dutiful and strong willed. She displays little emotion, even more so in the original Japanese version of the games in which she appears.

Xing Cai wields a two-pronged battle fork and a shield. Her fighting style consists mainly of duel-orientated pierces rather than crowd-clearing slashes. Her musou attack renders her immobile as she remains stationary while swinging her fork left and right repeatedly in front of her. Despite the size of her shield, she can still use it as a bashing weapon or makeshift boomerang. She is one of the seven characters removed in Dynasty Warriors 6, but was briefly mentioned in Lu Bu's Musou Mode. She was removed for unknown reasons but returns in Dynasty Warriors 7, where she plays an important role in the Jin storyline, participating in several invasions on Jin. In this installment she is associated with sword and shield and can perform a unique EX attack when wielding them.

Yue Ying / Getsu Ei / 月英

Further information: Huang Yueying

Yue Ying debuted as a default Shu bodyguard in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends before becoming a playable character. She is Zhuge Liang's wife and fights for Shu. She is portrayed as an intelligent and able strategist but she cannot use magic. She is credited for the invention of the Juggernaut (a mounted fire-breathing device) and the Wooden Ox (an ox-like wooden machine that moves by itself, used in place of real oxen in transporting supplies). She meets Zhuge Liang at the Battle of Chang Ban and marries him prior to the Battle of Chi Bi.

Yue Ying's default weapon is a dagger axe. Her attacks comprise of large sweeps while her musou attack involves her spinning in circles to slash all enemies in range. In Dynasty Warriors 6 her appearance is altered and she wields a bow called "Emerald Dew". She is only playable in free mode in the PS3 and Xbox versions while in the PS2 version she has a unique move set and wields a weapon called "Jade Crescent".

Zhang Fei / Chou Hi / 張飛

Further information: Zhang Fei

The impulsive, fearless and fiercely loyal Zhang Fei is the sworn brother of Liu Bei and Guan Yu. He is one of the first two generals to serve Liu Bei, fighting alongside him against the Yellow Turban rebels and Dong Zhuo's forces. He issues a challenge to Lu Bu during the Battle of Hu Lao Gate, which leads to the duel between Lu Bu and the three sworn brothers. His most memorable scene is at the Battle of Chang Ban, in which he prevents Wei forces from crossing a bridge with a single bellow that also causes a fall in the enemy's morale.

Zhang Fei wields a coil-bladed spear. Although he uses a spear, his fighting style is strong and straightforward, resembling more of a halberdier rather than a spearman. He uses standard bashing and slashing strikes, relying on brute strength to kill enemies. The long range of his weapon and great power makes him a formidable opponent on horseback, which makes up for his slow speed. In Dynasty Warriors 6 his weapon is upgraded by having another blade on the other end of his spear. His speed increases significantly as well. In Dynasty Warriors 7 his primary weapon becomes a double voulge, and he can perform a unique EX attack when using this weapon.

Zhao Yun / Chou Un / 趙雲

Further information: Zhao Yun

Zhao Yun is a young and energetic warrior fighting for Shu. He is a "poster boy" for the game as he is featured prominently on posters and instruction manuals, and appears in the opening videos more than any other character. His appearance changes over the series; in Dynasty Warriors 4, he was given an older, gruffer and more muscular look set in slightly shabbier garments. The change was reverted in Dynasty Warriors 5. His most heroic moment in the game is at the Battle of Chang Ban, in which he successfully saves the infant Liu Shan despite being helplessly outnumbered by enemy forces.

Throughout the series, Zhao Yun wields a light spear. Although he has relatively low strength, his attacks are swift and he runs fairly fast. His quick attacks can generate uninterrupted combos and he steps forward as well, giving him considerable range. His musou attack involves spinning forward with his spear held in a diagonal manner that is hard for opponents to block. He fights well on horseback too. However he lacks in defense due to his relatively smaller stature as compared to his comrades.

Zhuge Liang / Shokatsu Ryou / 諸葛亮

Further information: Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang is a brilliant strategist who conceives and realizes a vision of China under the Three Kingdoms. He is portrayed as a wise and calm man, who is loyal and dedicated to his cause of continuing his lord Liu Bei's legacy after the latter's death. In the game, other strategists such as Sima Yi, Zhou Yu and Pang Tong have been shown to be jealous of Zhuge Liang and even seen him as a rival. Sima Yi, in particular, admires and despises Zhuge Liang passionately. The two of them attempt to outwit each other in the later battles between Shu and Wei, each with his fair share of successes and failures.

Zhuge Liang wields a large white fan in battle. As a non playable character, he rarely fights and issues orders most of the time. In the earlier installments he can use his fan to strike enemies as in melee attacks but in Dynasty Warriors 6, he casts spherical wind projectiles at enemies and uses magic frequently. His musou attack involves him firing streams of light green energy in a straight line while hovering slightly in the air. In battles involving Zhuge Liang as a NPC, if the player successfully completes an instruction from him, the Shu side will secure a swift and effortless victory over the enemy. Conversely, failure to comply with the instruction often leads to backfiring of the plan and a higher chance of losing.

Unrelated characters

Fu Xi / Fuku Gi / 伏羲

Further information: Fu Xi

Fu Xi is an ancient ruler in Chinese mythology. He is not from the Three Kingdoms period and appears as a secret character in Dynasty Warriors 3, who can be unlocked after the player clears the Musou Modes of Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Jian, and unlocks Lu Bu.

Fu Xi fights with a greatsword, with slow but strong attacks. He does not appear in the later installments of the game but returns in Warriors Orochi 2 in a redesigned costume. However, his sword can be equipped as a weapon to custom characters in later versions of Dynasty Warriors.

- / Nobunaga / 信長

Further information: Oda Nobunaga

Nobunaga is the first character to appear in the game series who is not related to China and the Three Kingdoms era. He appears only in the first Dynasty Warriors game. The character of Nobunaga is based a 16th century daimyo and he appears in other Koei games such as Samurai Warriors as well.

Nü Wa / Jo Ka / 女媧

Further information: Nüwa

Nü Wa is a goddess who created mankind in Chinese mythology. She is a secret character in Dynasty Warriors 3 who can be unlocked after the player clears the Musou Modes of the female characters from the Three Kingdoms.

She uses a rapier that can be equipped as a weapon to custom characters in later installments. Her attacks are fast but weak. In Dynasty Warriors 5 her move set is upgraded and her musou attack changes from simple forward stabs to swinging the rapier from side to side.

- / Toukichi / とーきち

Toukichi is a character unrelated to the Three Kingdoms who appears in the first Dynasty Warriors game. He appears as a cartoon character with an extremely large head and no real information about him is disclosed. Fans speculate that he might be based on Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Also known as Kinoshita Toukichirou), a daimyo from the same period as Nobunaga. Besides, he is also the final opponent if the player is playing as Nobunaga.

Wei / Gi / 魏

Further information: Cao Wei

Cai Wenji / Sai Bunki / 蔡文姫

Further information: Cai Wenji

Cai Wenji is a new character who appears in Dynasty Warriors 7. She previously appeared in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 wielding an erhu as a weapon. In Dynasty Warriors 7 she appears with a konghou as her weapon and is seen as a kind woman who is willing to fight to the death to stop the chaos tainting the lands of China.

Cao Cao / Sou Sou / 曹操

Further information: Cao Cao

Cao Cao is the founder of Wei. He commands most of the earlier battles involving Wei but Cao Pi or Sima Yi will replace him in the later battles if the player is not playing as him. Cao Cao is portrayed as a prominent "Hero of Chaos", with cutscenes and dialogues describing him as an extremely ambitious man who thrives in chaos. He perceives others, including his friends and allies, as potential threats to his ultimate goal of conquering China. Strong emphasis is placed on Cao Cao's intelligence and cunning, with these factors attributing to his victory over his rivals Yuan Shao, Lu Bu and Ma Chao.

Cao Cao fights with a sword. His fighting style is almost similar to Liu Bei and Sun Jian, except that his musou attack involves more complex twirls and spins instead of forward slashes. He is also dressed in elaborate silk gowns. Dynasty Warriors 5 attempts to portray him in a more human light by painting him as a charismatic and stalwart subject of the Han Dynasty, who attempts to prolong the dynasty's survival together with Yuan Shao. He receives several warnings continuously from the sorcerer Zuo Ci not to become like those he fights. However, Cao Cao becomes gradually corrupted by his ambitions and dreams of grandeur, seeking to rule China himself.

The dubbed English voice from Dynasty Warriors 2 until Dynasty Warriors 5 incorrectly pronounces Cao Cao's name as "Cow Cow". The correct pronunciation, according to Wades-Giles romanization, is phonetically similar to "T'sao T'sao", as used in the Warriors Orochi series. The correct pronunciation is used in Dynasty Warriors 6.

Cao Pi / Sou Hi / 曹丕

Further information: Cao Pi

Cao Pi appears as a generic non-playable character in the earlier installments and debuted as a playable character in Dynasty Warriors 5. He is Cao Cao's son and successor as ruler of Wei. He marries Zhen Ji after meeting her for the first time in the Battle of Guan Du. He is portrayed as an ambitious and ruthless young prince who strives to surpass his father.

Cao Pi fights with a pair of swords and can attach their handles together to form a longer weapon. He fights with an aggressive and advancing style, using mainly precise vertical slashes that provide full coverage around himself for the most part. However, he swings with a below average attack speed that allows faster opponents an opportunity to break his combos. For his musou attack, he detaches his blades and swings wildly while swathing through enemies in front of him. He also has the ability to conjure a magical ball for his charge attack that explodes after a while, freezing enemies around it. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he wields a single royal sword and is only available in Free Mode. In the PS2 version his weapon is replaced by a longsword and he has his own Musou Mode. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is associated with twin swords and can perform a unique EX attack when using them.

Cao Ren / Sou Jin / 曹仁

Further information: Cao Ren

Cao Ren is Cao Cao's cousin. He speaks in a calm and composed tone in cutscenes and dialogues and mentions about "entering a world of peace" when he is defeated. From Dynasty Warriors 4 onwards, he is the Wei commander at the Battle of Fan Castle and refuses to leave the castle. In the later installments, he fights in the later battles, such as Battle of Wu Zhang Plains. While he was a non-playable character in earlier versions, he fought in the early battles such as Battle of Hu Lao Gate as well.

Cao Ren appears as a short man dressed in heavy armour. His weapon is unique; it comprises a shield with a short double-blade implement attached to it. His fighting style is fairly direct and best suited for taking on multiple opponents and he has the highest defense stats of all characters. His attacks tend to rely on blunt force in weakening or breaking enemies' defenses and then unleashing the blade from his shield to cut down the opponent. His weaknesses are evident when he is without higher level weapons and power-ups. In Dynasty Warriors 6 Cao Ren's shield-blade is replaced with a large trident. His fighting style still remains highly defensive and it may take a few blows to cause him to flinch (if the player is playing as Cao Ren's opponent). In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is associated with a ball and chain.

Dian Wei / Ten I / 典韋

Further information: Dian Wei

Dian Wei is Cao Cao's devoted bodyguard and a close friend of Xu Zhu. He appears in the Battle of Wan Castle and in the battles against Dong Zhuo in some installments. He follows Cao Cao to Wan Castle where they fall into a trap set by Zhang Xiu. Dian Wei's most memorable moment is when he protects Cao Cao from Zhang Xiu's men and holds them off alone while buying time for his lord to escape. He dies in Wan Castle if the player is not playing as him and chooses not to save him. In Dynasty Warriors 3 some characters replace others from the same kingdom in later battles after clearing their Musou modes, presumably to allow the player to continue playing as the character for some more levels. Dian Wei is one of these characters, replacing Xu Huang, Xiahou Dun, Zhen Ji and Zhang He in various battles. Once he clears his Musou Mode, the replacement cannot be undone, although the original replaced characters still appear as non-playable characters in Free Mode.

Dian Wei's attacks are slow but powerful. He wields a short battle axe. He has limited range and slow speed. However when he attains his highest level weapon and equips himself with the correct items, he will become quite formidable. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he uses an iron chain with an iron ball attached to one end, but his attack range is still quite short.

Guo Jia / Kaku Ka / 郭嘉

Further information: Guo Jia

Guo Jia is a new character who appears in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends. He is a strategist of Wei.

Jia Xu / Ka Ku / 賈詡

Further information: Jia Xu

Jia Xu is one of Cao Cao's strategists. Initially serving under Zhang Xiu, he was involved in planning the attack on Cao Cao during the Battle of Wan Castle that ultimately led to Dian Wei's death. He is first introduced as a playable character in Dynasty Warriors 7 where he wields a chain & sickle as his EX weapon.

Pang De / Hou Toku / 龐徳

Further information: Pang De

Pang De resembles a Medieval European knight for the armour he wears. He serves Ma Teng and Ma Chao in the earlier stages before eventually submitting to Cao Cao. He participates in the Battle of Tong Gate on Ma Chao's side against Cao Cao and some of the earlier battles against the enemies of his homeland, Western Liang. In Dynasty Warriors 5: Special and Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends he leaves Ma Chao after the Battle of Ji to seek a greater purpose in life. He also appears at the Battle of Yang Ping Gate on Zhang Lu's side before surrendering to Cao Cao after Zhang Lu's defeat. He is fiercely loyal to his new lord and serves Wei dutifully at the Battle of Fan Castle, where he defends the castle from Guan Yu. Due to his lack of significance in the story, Pang De is one of the seven characters from the original series who are removed in Dynasty Warriors 6, but is set to return in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends.

Pang De wields a pair of halberds. He has a slow moving speed, but that is substituted by his high attack power and strong defense. His musou attack is effective for crowd control as he slashes his halberds repeatedly in front of him while remaining stationary. He also quite good on horseback and slashes only on his right but his attack range is relatively short.

Wang Yi / Ou I / 王異

Wang Yi is a new female character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends. She is the wife of Zhao Ang.

Xiahou Dun / Kakou Ton / 夏侯惇

Further information: Xiahou Dun

Xiahou Dun is Cao Cao's cousin. He appears as a bearded, fearsome and charismatic general. He is a just and honorable man, but hot-headed and ruthless in his attempts to help Cao Cao achieve the ultimate goal of conquering China. He loses his left eye at the Battle of Xia Pi and remarks at how the event helped him to "see" how arrogant he had become. In Dynasty Warriors 5 Xiahou Dun's Musou Mode focuses on his hatred of Guan Yu. Due to his desire to become Cao Cao's most trusted general, he develops a strong and bitter rivalry with Guan Yu, who earns Cao Cao's favour as a respected warrior during his brief service under Cao Cao. When Guan Yu leaves Cao Cao and attempts to rejoin Liu Bei, Xiahou Dun finally has a reason to kill his hated rival, citing Guan Yu's formidable skills as justification to eliminate him and therefore prevent him from becoming a threat to Cao Cao's ambition. Xiahou Dun defeats him at the Battle of Fan Castle as the last stage of his Musou Mode and remarks that he is finally at peace after Guan Yu's death.

Xiahou Dun wields a scimitar in most of the installments, but in Dynasty Warriors 6 he uses a mace called "Wolf's Teeth Club". His attacks are relatively simple, being mostly forward-facing slashes, yet they remain highly effective nonetheless. He is associated with the scimitar in Dynasty Warriors 7 and he can perform a unique EX attack when wielding it.

Xiahou Yuan / Kakou En / 夏侯淵

Further information: Xiahou Yuan

Xiahou Yuan is the brother (cousin in Dynasty Warriors 7) of Xiahou Dun and a cousin of Cao Cao. He is portrayed as a stocky, bearded warrior clad in heavy armor, who is fiercely loyal to Cao Cao. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he is shown wearing little more than shoulder guards. Although he believes in justice and strives for peace, he is hot-headed and arrogant, often showing little regard for his opponents. This ultimately leads to his death during the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun at the hands of Shu general Huang Zhong, who refuses to spare his life due to the disrespect he had shown earlier. If the player is playing as Xiahou Yuan, he will survive the battle, defeat Huang Zhong instead, and continue to fight for Wei in the later battles.

Xiahou Yuan uses a sword before Dynasty Warriors 4, in which his weapon becomes a large club. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a Ghost Head Broadsword. His attacks are similar to Huang Zhong's, including his charge attack, when he fires several arrows in different directions. His musou attack is the same as Huang Zhong's as well, except that he does not stumble after the last move, and uses a finishing shockwave attack to cause heavy damage to enemies around instead. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is associated with the bow and is able to execute an EX attack with it.

Xu Huang / Jo Kou / 徐晃

Further information: Xu Huang

Xu Huang is a powerful warrior whose allegiance to Cao Cao is solid, although he may question his lord's methods of achieving his goals, denouncing them as dishonorable and unjust. He believes strongly in the strength of the warrior and facing an opponent respectfully and fairly. He dislikes strategists, calling their methods deceitful and cowardly, and generally abhors strategies or ploys involving elusive and immoral tactics. He maintains a close friendship with Guan Yu and often spoke with admiration and respect about the latter.

Xu Huang wields a large battle axe but in Dynasty Warriors 6 he changes his weapon to a dagger-axe. He resembles a Middle Eastern warrior, especially for the white turban he wears, that is absent for the first time in Dynasty Warriors 6. His fighting style is simple and direct, comprising forward hacks and slashes with the axe. His jump attack is unique, as he leaps into the air and descends while spinning with his axe like the rotor blades of a helicopter.

Xu Zhu / Kyo Cho / 許褚

Further information: Xu Chu

Xu Zhu is an enormous, obese man whose thoughts and actions are like those of a child. In combat however, he transforms into a fierce warrior capable of inflicting heavy damage. He develops a close friendship with Dian Wei, whom he serves together with as Cao Cao's bodyguards. He is deeply saddened by Dian Wei's death at the Battle of Wan Castle. He has a significant role in the Battle of Tong Gate, where he fights with Ma Chao to defend Cao Cao.

Xu Zhu is the slowest character in the game but his strength is remarkable. He wields a giant hammer-like mace that has a good attack range. His attacks have varying effects on enemies, either sending them flying after knocking them down or simply leaving them in front of him. This makes Xu Zhu more suitable as a defender rather than an offensive attacker. His musou attack causes great damage per hit but sends enemies flying instead of hitting them multiple times and may even cause him to fall down on the last move. In Dynasty Warriors 5 the attack was changed slightly such that it hits enemies multiple times but causes less damage.

Zhang He / Chou Kou / 張郃

Further information: Zhang He

Zhang He is portrayed as a beautiful, graceful and effeminate warrior who used to serve Yuan Shao before defecting to Cao Cao at the Battle of Guan Du. Due to his obsession with beauty, grace and elegance and his disdain for vulgarity and crudeness, Zhang He's sexuality has been a questionable topic among fans^[1] although this has never been confirmed in the game. His effeminate appearance is further emphasized with the addition of pink silk garments, high-heeled boots and even a pair of wings in some installments. He is depicted with butterflies surrounding him in some of his posters.

Zhang He uses a pair of clawed gloves. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a more traditional-looking halberd, but his claws are returned to him in Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires. Zhang He's fighting style is very complex and graceful due to the nature of his claws and his musou attack involves him gliding across the battlefield in a zig-zag manner and knocking down enemies in his trajectory. His EX weapon in Dynasty Warriors 7 is his claws.

Zhang Liao / Chou Ryou / 張遼

Further information: Zhang Liao

Zhang Liao is a general who used to serve under Lu Bu before joining Cao Cao after his defeat at the Battle of Xia Pi. His most notable role in the game is at the Battle of He Fei, where he traps Sun Quan and charges towards him. Sun Quan manages to escape narrowly from death after leaping across the broken bridge but his army suffers a crushing defeat at the hands of Zhang Liao.

Zhang Liao's wields a guan dao, which gives him high attack range and good power, both on foot and on horseback. His musou attack involves forward slashing and slicing with the blade. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a pair of pole axes. In general, Zhang Liao is an all-rounded character without any significant strengths or weaknesses, and he relies on good range and powerful combinations to maximize his potential.

Zhen Ji / Shin Ki / 甄姫

Further information: Lady Zhen

Zhen Ji is Cao Pi's wife. She appears for the first time in the game at the Battle of Guan Du on Yuan Shao's side. She is described in the game as a "serene woman with a noble heart", with a calm and even tempered demeanor, but nonetheless unwavering and merciless to some extent. In Dynasty Warriors 5 she is slightly more ruthless, probably to compliment Cao Pi, who makes his debut in that installment. She does not have any significant roles in the game, except in one battle, in which she is the default character who raises suspicions about Zhou Fang's possible defection to Wu, but this role in the cutscene is variable and can be replaced by any other Wei character except Cao Cao and Sima Yi.

Zhen Ji wields a golden flute. Her attacks are average and deal only a moderate amount of damage to enemies. Her musou attack involves her playing tunes on her flute while enemies around her are struck by the sound waves. In Dynasty Warriors 6 she uses a chain whip similar to Diao Chan's and they share a similar move-set. In Dynasty Warriors 7 her flute was returned to her as her EX weapon.

Wu / Go / 呉

Further information: Eastern Wu

Da Qiao / Dai Kyou / 大喬

Further information: Two Qiaos

Da Qiao is Xiao Qiao's older sister and Sun Ce's wife. She makes a few appearances in the game as a minor character. The sisters help their husbands defeat the warlords of Jiang Dong led by Liu Yao and build the kingdom of Wu. The latest appearance she makes is at the last battle, in which she spearheads the attacks on the forts to surround Cao Xiu together with her sister. In Dynasty Warriors 4 the sisters are kidnapped by Dong Zhuo in one level and their husbands rescue them. In Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends she is one of the rivals of Zhu Rong and fights alongside with her husband against Meng Huo's forces. She is portrayed as more reserved and matured as compared to her sister in the game. Da Qiao is one of the seven characters from the original series who do not appear in Dynasty Warriors 6 for unknown reasons. She is set to return in Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce 2 for the PSP, in which she wields a pair of batons labelled as clubs. She looks significantly different from her sister as well, wearing a formal dress while her sister wears a short skirt.

Da Qiao fights with a pair of fans with blades attached to the edges. She slices at enemies with the fans and uses them as boomerangs in some instances. She is light and speedy, but has weaker attack power and defense than most of the other characters. Her charge attacks are ideal for one-on-one duels, with the exception of her fifth charge attack. Her musou attack involves her spinning the fans in front of her and finishing by spinning them several times around her. In Dynasty Warriors 5 she can make her fans spin around and complete the attack by hurling a fireball at enemies. In Dynasty Warriors 7 she is associated with a single fan and can perform an EX attack with it.

Ding Feng / Tei Hou / 丁奉

Further information: Ding Feng (Chengyuan)

Ding Feng is a new character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. He is a general of Wu and fights in most of the later battles.

Ding Feng uses a pair of clawed gauntlets as his primary weapon.

Gan Ning / Kan Nei / 甘寧

Further information: Gan Ning

Gan Ning is a gruff and experienced young general of Wu, who is often portrayed as a cocky warrior who does not take fights seriously but still manages to enjoy them thoroughly. He used to be a pirate before serving under Huang Zu. He defects to Wu at the Battle of Xia Kou and participates in the Battle of Chi Bi. He appears near the Wei camp with a large ambush party at the Battle of He Fei if the player (playing on Wu's side) defeats Zhang Liao for the first time. He continues to fight for Wu in the later battles until the Battle of Bai Di Castle.

Gan Ning wields a broad kilij that resembles a scimitar. He employs swift strikes with the saber and his charge attack involves him whirling around and slashing at surrounding opponents. His musou attack is unique and very unusual, in which he crouches slightly with his blade facing outward and charges forward at superhuman speed, plowing through any enemies in his path. As the fastest moving musou attack, it is perfect for "hit and run" fighting or even for moving around the battlefield, but the main disadvantage of the attack is the difficulty in controlling it. In Dynasty Warriors 6 Gan Ning wields a pair of daggers making his attacks much quicker and full renbu causes him to use the element of wind. In Dynasty Warriors 7 he is associated with a sickle and chain, and he can execute an EX attack while using it.

Huang Gai / Kou Gai / 黃蓋

Further information: Huang Gai

Huang Gai is an old veteran warrior of strong build who serves Wu. In Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends he joins Sun Jian after they defeat the rebel leader Ou Xing and follows Sun Jian in suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion. He participates in most of the battles involving Wu during Sun Ce's time and contributes to the founding of Wu, but most of the time he only follows orders. He gets the spotlight at the Battle of Chi Bi when he serves as the primary trigger for the fire attack on Cao Cao's navy. He also participates in the Battle of Bai Di Castle.

Before Dynasty Warriors 6, Huang Gai fights with a large rod that evolves to become more like a club in later installments of the game. He fights simply and predictably, swinging his club around to whack enemies. He has high defense and above average attack power. He is an unpopular choice for players despite his average statistics due to his image as a simple plodding fighter, his relatively dull fighting style, and low speed. However, he is the only "bombardier" character who has the ability to set and hurl explosives around the battlefield. This specialty is absent in Dynasty Warriors 6 and Dynasty Warriors 7.

Lian Shi / Ren Shi / 練師

Further information: Bu Lianshi

Lian Shi is a new character introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7. She is Sun Quan's wife.

Ling Tong / Ryou Tou / 凌統

Further information: Ling Tong

Ling Tong is a young and energetic general of Wu. His father Ling Cao was killed by Gan Ning at the Battle of Xia Kou and he bears a strong grudge against Gan for that, even after Gan defects to serve Wu. He serves as a junior strategist with a few prominent roles but is overshadowed by Zhou Yu, Lu Meng and Lu Xun.

Ling Tong uses a nunchaku and his attacks are extremely fast but with limited range. He has an unimpressive but effective musou attack, where he strikes enemies around him with the nunchaku and finishes with a relatively weak shockwave. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a halberd. In Dynasty Warriors 6: Special, he uses a three-section staff and moves in a unique manner. This change is removed in Dynasty Warriors 7, in which is EX weapon is made back into a set of nunchaku.

Lu Meng / Ryo Mou / 呂蒙

Further information: Lü Meng

Lu Meng is the oldest of the younger generation Wu generals. He is a loyal warrior with extraordinary determination, who fights with an impersonal mindset, without developing any dangerous anger of pride. He serves as a transitional Wu strategist after Zhou Yu's death, quietly expecting someone to succeed him eventually. When Cao Ren (Sima Yi in some versions) is besieged at Fan Castle by Guan Yu, he improvises a temporary alliance with Cao Cao to defeat Guan Yu. Lu Xun often cites Zhou Yu and Lu Meng as his role models when he becomes an important general of Wu in the later battles. If the player is playing as Lu Meng, he will continue to fight until the last battle at He Fei Castle.

Lu Meng fights with a long pike that evolves to become a halberd in later installments of the game. He has a fierce and forceful fighting style that relies on the strength and technique of his attacks rather than the motion and speed of the weapon as other characters do. He has a fairly simple but very effective musou attack, consisting of swipes and stabs with the halberd. In general, Lu Meng has high attack, defense, a decent running speed and a good move-set, with his only weakness being his low health and musou ratings as compared to any other character.

Lu Xun / Riku Son / 陸遜

Further information: Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)

Lu Xun is a young strategist of Wu who is almost on par with Zhuge Liang of Shu or Sima Yi of Wei in terms of intelligence and abilities, with the latter commenting that Lu Xun might become a future threat to him. He starts at the Battle of Fan Castle, where he devises a plan with Lu Meng that ultimately leads to Guan Yu's defeat and death. He succeeds Zhou Yu and Lu Meng as the chief strategist of Wu eventually, leading Wu forces to victory over Shu at the Battle of Yi Ling. He also directs the Wu armies in the battles of Shi Ting and He Fei Castle, as well as the Invasion of Nan Zhong.

Lu Xun wields a pair of swords and his attacks comprise swift and 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 has an affinity for fire-based attacks as well, with reference to his fire attack strategy at Yi Ling, that is echoed in a dialogue between him and Zhu Rong. His musou attack involves him swinging his swords in front of him and ending with him conjuring a fireball in the air. He excels in musou and attack in terms of his stats, but he lacks in health and defense. He wields a single sword in Dynasty Warriors 6, but in Dynasty Warriors 7 he goes back to twin swords as his EX weapon.

Sun Ce / Son Saku / 孫策

Further information: Sun Ce

Sun Ce is the oldest of Sun Jian's three children and appears as a light hearted and good humored fighter. He participates in some of the earlier battles and his father dies in the Battle of Xiang Yang against Liu Biao. He succeeds his father as the leader of Wu and establishes his kingdom in Jiang Dong after defeating some local warlords. At that time, several new generals enter his service, including Taishi Ci, Zhou Tai and Ling Tong, in addition to the veteran Huang Gai and his father's old followers. Sun Ce has Zhou Yu as his sworn brother and they marry the older and younger of the Qiao sisters respectively. In Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends there is one stage about the encounter between Sun Ce and the magician Yu Ji, in which Sun has to defeat illusion clones of the magician, himself, his father and his wife.

Sun Ce fights with a pair of tonfas and his relatively unorthodox fighting style is very much like a modern martial artist's, supplemented by kicks and running attacks with bodily contact and a lot of movement. His musou attack is generally considered to be less stylish with simple hits and twirls with the tonfas. In Dynasty Warriors 6 Sun Ce wields a halberd with a straight-edged blade and another curved blade extending underneath, and he has a new move-set. His tonfas are later returned in Dynasty Warriors 7.

Sun Jian / Son Ken / 孫堅

Further information: Sun Jian

Sun Jian is the founder of Wu. He suppresses the Yellow Turban Rebellion together with other warlords and Ou Xing's rebellion in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends. He is portrayed as a charismatic and humorous man as well as a loving father to his three children who appear in the game: Sun Ce, Sun Quan and Sun Shang Xiang. He leads the vanguard army of the coalition forces against Dong Zhuo at the Battle of Si Shui Gate and Battle of Hu Lao Gate. He dies in the Battle of Xiang Yang after falling into an ambush set by Liu Biao's men. His death is depicted differently in different installments of the game. In Dynasty Warriors 3 he is killed when a wall of rocks falls on him, while the preceding version has him killed in an ambush after being isolated while Dynasty Warriors 5 shows him critically wounded by a shower of arrows and he dies shortly after passing his last words to his children. Sun Jian's older son Sun Ce succeeds him and builds the kingdom of Wu with the help of a well trained army and a group of loyal followers left behind by his father.

Sun Jian wields a long sword. He is an all-rounded character with above average stats. He wields a large broadsword in Dynasty Warriors 6 that he swings with little effort. Likewise, his EX weapon in Dynasty Warriors 7 is the broadsword.

Sun Quan / Son Ken / 孫權

Further information: Sun Quan

Sun Quan is the second oldest of Sun Jian's three children and he inherits the Wu kingdom from his older brother Sun Ce. He is the main commander of the Wu forces in most of the battles involving Wu from the Battle of Xia Kou onwards in the game until the Battle of He Fei Castle. As compared to his father and brother, Sun Quan is more serious and ambitious in his plans and actions, that makes him a strong competitor to his rivals Cao Cao and Liu Bei. He scores major victories over them at the Battle of Chi Bi and Battle of Yi Ling, with help from his strategists Zhou Yu and Lu Xun respectively in those battles. His personal involvement, however, is not significant and most of the time he stays in the main camp, except at the Battle of He Fei when he performs an extraordinary feat by leaping on his horse across a broken bridge to escape from Zhang Liao.

Sun Quan uses a long sword and his fighting style resembles his father's, except that he has slightly lower stats. His weapon changes to a larger broadsword in Dynasty Warriors 6 and his fighting style resembles Yuan Shao more. His appearance also changes to make him look younger, as he is now clean-shaven and styles his hair in a more "junior" manner. Before that, he used to wear a hat and sport a beard, making him look older than his brother (who sports a small goatee).

Sun Shang Xiang / Son Shoukou / 孫尚香

Further information: Lady Sun

Sun Shang Xiang is the youngest of Sun Jian's three children and younger sister of Sun Ce and Sun Quan. She participates in some of the later battles involving Wu but her role is not very significant, except at the Battle of Shi Ting in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends. The last stage of her Musou Mode is the Battle of Yi Ling, in which she fights on her brother's side against Liu Bei, defeating him eventually and mourning while he dies in her arms, promising "to live a life worthy of Liu Bei's memory". In Dynasty Warriors 6 she denounces Sun Quan instead and sides with Liu Bei, and spares her brother's life only when Liu Bei asks her to do so.

Sun Shang Xiang made her debut in Dynasty Warriors with a bob cut hairstyle and wearing a simple pink traditional Chinese dress. She uses a sword and has a move-set based on Zhou Yu's. From Dynasty Warriors 2 until Dynasty Warriors 5, she wields a pair of wind and fire wheels (translated as chakrams in the English-dubbed versions of the game). She uses striking and spinning attacks supplemented by kicks and she can throw the wheels for a short distance in her musou and charge attacks. Although she is an extremely fast and agile fighter, she lacks in attack power and defense, so she needs to use more hits to take out enemies than other characters. In Dynasty Warriors 6 she uses a bow and arrows, but her chakrams are returned to her in Dynasty Warriors 7 (although her skill with a bow is repeatedly boasted in in-game dialogue, and she has special dialogue when using any bow in Conquest Mode, she also uses a bow in her aerial musou launching a gunpowder arrow).

Taishi Ci / Taishi Ji / 太史慈

Further information: Taishi Ci

Taishi Ci is a hulking warrior who used to fight for the warlord Liu Yao before deciding to serve Wu after being defeated by Sun Ce in the Battle of Jiang Dong. He participates in several battles involving Wu, including the Battle of Chi Bi. He is killed by Wei archers at the Battle of He Fei while defending Sun Quan from Zhang Liao's men. He has a relatively smaller role in the mainstream games but appears quite frequently in the Xtreme Legends versions.

Taishi Ci fights with a pair of thick, club-like rods and dons full body armour. In Dynasty Warriors 6 he wields a large trident called "Rage Trident". He is a remarkably strong and fast attacker. His musou attack involves him moving slowly and steadily forward while plunging his clubs into the enemy in a predictable pattern. He is the hardest enemy character to defeat in the Battle of Jiang Dong stage if the player is playing on Wu's side.

Xiao Qiao / Shou Kyou / 小喬

Further information: Two Qiaos

Xiao Qiao is Da Qiao's younger sister and Zhou Yu's wife. She usually participates only in the battles that her husband is involved in and appears by his side. The sisters help their husbands defeat the local warlords of Jiang Dong led by Liu Yao and establish the kingdom of Wu. Another significant appearance she makes is at the Battle of Shi Ting, in which she captures two forts. In one stage in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends the sisters are kidnapped by Dong Zhuo and their husbands must rescue them. She appears to be more reckless and childish than her sister as shown in the cutscenes and dialogues in the game.

Xiao Qiao's fighting style is very similar to her sister's but with some minor differences and some players have a tendency to play as either one of them since they are almost clones of each other. She wields a pair of fans with blades attached to the edges. Her charge attacks have a wider attack range than her sister's and more suitable for crowd control but her charge attack in Dynasty Warriors 5 is more ideal for one-on-one duels. She controls her fans with psychic powers but in her musou attack she wields the fans in her hands and spins through the air with them. In Dynasty Warriors 6 her physical appearance is drastically altered and her move set features many spinning attacks and acrobatic dance-like moves. In Dynasty Warriors 7 she is associated with a single large fan.

Zhou Tai / Shuu Tai / 周泰

Further information: Zhou Tai

Zhou Tai is a towering figure on the battlefield and was one of the earliest generals to join Wu. He is one of the few characters to wear a cape. He has a scar across his left eye and wears more elaborate iron masks in some of his character designs. He is a man of few words and speaks softly. He saves Sun Quan from the warlords' ambush at the Battle of Jiang Dong and from Zhang Liao's men at the Battle of He Fei. He also participates in some of the later battles, serving as one of Lu Xun's subordinates.

Zhou Tai fights with a tachi (a type of katana) and keeps his weapon sheathed all the time except when attacking (suggesting that he practises a form of Battōjutsu or Iaidō). His fighting style is unique, comprising graceful and swift strokes with his sword and sheathing it immediately after attacking. His musou attack requires him to remain stationary, when he swings the tachi and slashes all enemies within range, and he "poses" after the last move before sheathing the sword again. He is more suitable for taking on single opponents or small groups of enemies since his attack range is rather limited. His weapon becomes a larger but shorter sword in Dynasty Warriors 6. When mounted, he attacks enemies on his right only but his attack range is rather short.

Zhou Yu / Shuu Yu / 周瑜

Further information: Zhou Yu

Zhou Yu appears as a youthful and handsome long-haired man (or "pretty boy") dressed in stylish robes. He is Sun Ce's sworn brother and Xiao Qiao's husband. He joins Sun Ce in defeating the warlords of Jiang Dong and contributes to the founding of the kingdom of Wu. He serves as an important strategist to Sun Quan after Sun Ce's death. His greatest accomplishment is at the Battle of Chi Bi, where he plans the fire attack on Cao Cao's navy and leads the allied forces to victory. He does not appear in any battles after that if he is a non-playable character.

Zhou Yu wields a long, slightly curved sword. He has fast but relatively weak attacks but high defense power. His moves are simple and unique as compared to the other sword-wielding characters. His strikes are more wispy and swashbuckling, with a few fanciful martial arts-style thrusts and spins. His musou attack is rather straightforward, when he moves while slicing his sword forward left and right. He has the ability to conjure a fireball for his charge attack as well. He uses a staff in Dynasty Warriors 6 and it is his EX weapon in Dynasty Warriors 7.

Notes and references

1. ^ "Dynasty Warriors Character Guide - Zhang He: a.k.a. "The Gay Guy"". http://yueying.net/dw/characters/zhang-he/. Retrieved 2008-05-16. 

External links

• Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires on Koei's website
• Dynasty Warriors 7 on gamecity.ne.jp