Elements

Elements are a concept included in both Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors series, and many other Warriors related series. They can be fused with weapons or added as a separate item. Sometimes only one is allowed though recent games and the Warriors Orochi series allow multiple elements. Elements are effects that take place at the end of charge attacks (often requiring a full musou bar to take place) that add a special property. The elements are generally as follows:

Elements

 * Lightning/Bolt: Cause instant damage, foes crumble to ground, and in some games it spreads.
 * Fire: Gradual damage as long as target is airborne.
 * Ice: Freezes foes, causing them to stick to the ground through your attacks and lowers their defense.
 * Wind/Air: Increases knockback and airborne attacks.
 * Light/Flash/Blast: Breaks or damages guard, occasionally throws in extra damage.
 * Drain/Night: Absorbs a tiny bit of life from enemies.
 * Clones/Multi: Creates clones that add onto attack making it more powerful. Can sometimes mess with knockback functions.
 * Dark/Vorpal/Death/Demon/Slay: Instantly kills peons and takes a percent of a generals health. Sometimes drains musou bar.
 * Poison: Only in Dynasty Warriors 4. Lowers defense for a time.

Appearances
In Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors 3, they are attached to weapons and require full musou gauge to use (though in Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends there is an item which activates element without full musou). In Samurai Warriors 2, the concept was slightly changed as they only required one full musou bar out of three to activate. It also introduced the Demon and Wind elements, with the former being initially considered too powerful. This was changed in the expansion as the Demon element was downgraded. The same element system is retained in Samurai Warriors 3, though once again Demon element power has slightly been adjusted.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, only the regular elements Fire, Ice and Bolt appeared. They are attached to weapons and certain horses, too.