Bodyguards (Dynasty Warriors)

Bodyguards are optional warriors who can follow the player's character on the map. It is a feature that was first introduced to the series in Dynasty Warriors 3 and is later phased out by Dynasty Warriors 6. In the first game, the player could have two bodyguards at once under a particular weapon class. The player could level up each group of bodyguards to eventually allow them to bring a total of eight guards onto the battlefield. By Dynasty Warriors 5, players are limited to a single guard.

Shu Guard

 * Xu Shu
 * Wu Yi
 * Zhang Yi
 * Chen Deng
 * Yi Ji
 * Liu Pi
 * Wu Ban
 * Huo Jin

Wei Guard

 * Zhang Yan
 * Cao Chun
 * Guo Huai
 * Xiahou Ba
 * Wang Shuang
 * Wen Qin
 * Zhuge Dan
 * Zang Ba

Wu Guard

 * Sun Yi
 * Zu Mao
 * Chen Wu
 * Ling Cao
 * Lu Kang
 * Li Yi
 * Sun Huan
 * Ma Zhong

Royal Guard

 * Ma Yun Yuan
 * Cai Wengi
 * Wu Guotai
 * Yue Ying
 * Bao Sanniang
 * Himiko
 * Yang Xiang
 * Yan Li

Dynasty Warriors 4
Note: These are the default group and guard names.

ROTK

 * Sima Shi
 * Sima Yan
 * Lu Kang
 * Du Yu
 * Sun Hao
 * Fei Yi
 * Cao Rui
 * Yang Hu

Koei

 * Nobunaga
 * Sho
 * Shiga
 * Jean-Luc
 * U-1
 * Gawoo
 * Ieyasu
 * Sanzo

Mystery

 * Kevin
 * Arnold
 * Clint
 * Forest
 * Nicolas
 * Liam
 * Vigo
 * Toshiro

Kessen

 * Mei
 * Himiko
 * Li Li
 * Mei Mei
 * Luo Luo
 * Hu Zhi
 * Cai
 * Sun Li

Spear

 * Liu Ren
 * Xia Shang
 * Lei Ren

Sword

 * Cao Wu
 * Xu Li
 * Lu Ai
 * Dian Jing

Crossbow

 * Sun Chun
 * Sun Zhi

Bow

 * Lu Hua

Staff

 * Hua Hu

Fan

 * Hai Ling

Customization
In Dynasty Warriors 3, bodyguards are a single, nameless group of soldiers who follow the player and limited to five weapon types: Sword, Spear, Pike, Bow and Crossbow. Players are also given the option to leave these guards to focus on either attack or defense. In its Xtreme Legends expansion, the bodyguard system is overhauled to give players four named and different customizable groups of bodyguards. Players could edit for each group their weapon type, growth rate (Balanced, Life/Musou, Attack, Defense, or Custom) and the color of their uniforms (Normal, Blue, Red, Green, or Purple). Bodyguards are also given two additional commands to either Shield or Support the player.

Dynasty Warriors 4 allowed players to completely customize their bodyguards' group titles and the individual guard names. Bodyguard edits are expanded to include different model types to choose from: Normal, Nanman and Yellow Turban for both genders. Growth and command options are removed and two new colors are added (Yellow and White) with the ability to let the uniform colors change automatically depending upon the player's faction.

Bodyguards are revamped again in Dynasty Warriors 5 to remove most of the former customizations. Instead, players are given a total of eight guards to hold in reserve of which only one is allowed to accompany the player on the field. New bodyguards can be earned after completing a battle and presented to the player by Sima Hui. They are given the option to accept the new guard or discard them in favor of keeping their old guards. Customizations are limited to the color of their uniforms which is dependent upon the faction of the character the player used to complete the stage.