Xtreme Mode

Xtreme Mode (修羅モード, Shura Mode) is a gameplay mode introduced in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends. The goal is to win as many battles as possible without quitting or dying. The player is given 3 different areas to choose from, each one with its own set of missions and rewards. Selecting an area will send the player to a shop where they can spend gold on items, characters, and troops before heading out for combat. Missions typically come in the form of small-scale battles that last for 15 minutes. Defeating enemies or completing various objectives earns the player rank points which determine the amount of gold acquired when multiplied with the area's conversion rate.

Unlike in other modes, characters retain their injuries after clearing a mission, forcing players to fight defensively and use their resources wisely. Meat buns are no longer dropped by common foes, though they may be stashed in random pots or taken from defeated officers; party members are guaranteed to leave one behind upon their demise. As more battles are won, missions become progressively harder while conversion rates escalate at the same time. Replacing the bodyguard function is a party system which allows the player to recruit 3 characters as sub-officers and 3 troops to fill up their ranks.

Stat growth, weapon levels, and items acquired in this mode are saved by exiting the game without dying; they cannot be transferred to other modes and vice versa. Weapons in particular are capped to level 9. Saving options are limited in that players cannot resume their progress in case they lose.

Duplicate items, both common and rare, will be exchanged for additional gold.
 * Common Items - Item Level x 50 Gold
 * Rare Items - 1,000 Gold
 * Orbs - Orb Level x 200 Gold

Changes in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends

 * Aside from gold, players can collect iron to improve their weapons at the blacksmith. They are commonly obtained from crates, supply bases, enemy officers, etc.
 * Stats for characters and weapons are reset after quitting. However, a small portion of iron will be carried over for the next playthrough. This amount increases every time a playthrough ends; the player keeps 10% if they choose to quit the game while 5% is retained if their character dies.
 * Standard items are replaced by new ones exclusive to this mode.
 * Troops are no longer available for hire. Instead, the player can now recruit up to 6 officers, keeping 3 in reserve until they are needed; reserved officers slowly regain health after each mission, but their stat growth is halted as a result.
 * Captured officers will become party members, but their health will initially be halved. If the player already has a full party, the captives will automatically be ransomed away for 1,000 gold.
 * Sub-officers do not die when defeated and can be recruited once more if given the chance.
 * Players can expand their kingdoms by invading other areas to unify the land. They may choose to risk leaving territories undefended for other missions instead of losing them outright.
 * Events outside of battle may occur to help the player's progress. Some are task-related while others are character-based.
 * Combo chains cannot increase the quality of growth items dropped by enemies in this mode.
 * Two player co-op is available, but with some restrictions: the second player is unable to use items, upgrade weapons, or gain stat bonuses.
 * Music from previous Dynasty Warriors titles will play in kingdom-based missions.
 * Exiting this mode will yield different stat books depending on the player's overall performance.

Blacksmith
Sometimes replacing shops, the blacksmith allows players to forge their weapons with various attributes. Options include increasing attack power, changing weight type, and attaching 5 different stats for further customization. Each time a weapon receives additional attributes, it accumulates upgrade points that enable it to evolve; points are needed to create a second weapon, 16 for a third weapon, and 84 for the final one. Certain attributes are only offered in exceptional blacksmiths, though these are somewhat rare to come across.


 * * denotes attributes offered by exceptional blacksmiths.

Kingdom
Once a player establishes their own kingdom, they are tasked with expanding its current size and unification rate. Size increases every time a craftsman builds a new facility whereas the unification rate rises when new lands are conquered. Below is a list of facilities and their respective functions.


 * 1) Market - Receive gold after a mission is cleared. The amount gained is 500 times the conversion rate of the current stage.
 * 2) Foundry - Receive 200 iron after a mission is cleared.
 * 3) Stable - Receive Jeweled Harnesses for every 5 missions cleared.
 * 4) Hospital - Restores life by 20 points following each mission.

Titles
Titles are earned by fulfilling certain requirements before ending the game. They determine the different amount of stat books the player obtains.

Missions
This section pertains to various missions the player may encounter throughout their journey. Every area is given one or two reports that indicate the conditions and objectives presented; a few of them determine what type of items are available in shops. The player can usually end a mission by defeating the enemy commander, though the game encourages them to make the most out of every request they receive to increase their chances of surviving. Note that character-specific missions will not happen if the character involved is already a party member.

Character alignment, a hidden value that measures one's affinity for good or evil actions, plays a role in determining what type of missions may appear. In Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends, good-aligned players befriend people more easily while those with a strong affinity for evil will cause allies nearby to defect or be stalked mercilessly by characters in Hyper Mode. Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends changes this by having party members leave on their own if they find the player's behavior unacceptable. Also included are alignment-type events that take place sporadically; good characters may receive meat buns from generous peasants whereas evil characters will tax the people for extra gold if possible.

Missions with multiples of 5 have at least one area where kingdom-based battles take place. These types of battles last for 20 minutes and vary in detail based on the player's alignment; enemy reinforcements and defections from both sides are also a common occurrence. One of the perks of owning a kingdom is a 30% discount for items sold in the area's shop.

Dynasty Warriors 4=

Battle-Specific
"There are many troops on guard in this area."
 * A straightforward battle with no special objectives. The enemies here are mostly generic officers, though a unique character may serve as the enemy commander.

"There is a Bandit Fortress here."
 * Wage war against a group of bandits. Defeating the bandit leader raises the player's alignment and ends the mission.

"Bandits have been plaguing this area."
 * An ally bandit will ask the player to help raid a merchant's supply base upon being approached. Eliminating the supply units with or without meeting the bandit lowers the player's alignment. On the other hand, defeating the bandit instead raises it instead. This mission is only available for evil-aligned characters.

"There is a well guarded supply base here."
 * An ally character will ask the player to eliminate the enemy's supply units upon being approached. Going near the supply troops will trigger an ambush led by a hostile character. Fulfilling the request earns the player one of three rewards: a random item, 1,000 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"It is said a supply unit is secretly moving goods here."
 * Supply units carrying growth items can be found by purchasing an Eye of Heaven at the shop.

"There are rumors that the item (Equipment) has been found in this area."
 * The item in question is obtained as a reward for fulfilling a character's request. Alternatively, they are carried by supply units discovered when the player purchases an Eye of Heaven.

"A battle has started here, and (Officer) has set up camp."
 * An ally character will ask the player to eliminate the enemy commander for them. Fulfilling the request yields one of three rewards: a random item, 1,000 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"(Officer) is said to be in this area with some companions."
 * An ally character will be attacked by the opposing army. Coming to his or her aid earns the player one of three rewards: a random item, 500 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"(Officer) is said to have disappeared here."
 * An ally character is held prisoner by an enemy officer or bandit. Saving him or her not only raises the player's alignment, it also yields one of three rewards: a random item, 500 points, or the rescued officer as a party member.

"A Monster is terrorizing the people here."
 * Only available after clearing 3 missions. The player will be tasked with defeating an unknown monster. Upon reaching its location, the monster may appear as either one of the following below.

"There is currently little information on this area."
 * A rampaging Lu Bu in Hyper Mode. Defeating him yields 1,000 points.
 * An elephant-riding officer. Defeating him yields a random item or 1,000 points, though Zhu Rong may appear as enemy reinforcements if the player chooses to mount the elephant for a certain amount of time.
 * A group of uncontrollable Juggernauts. Destroying them yields 500 rank points.
 * Can be any of the aforementioned missions.

The missions listed below are classified as kingdom-based campaigns. Once a kingdom has been created, the player must constantly protect them. Participating in defense stages is the only way to acquire rare items; saddles are dropped by supply troops once the 50th mission is cleared. Skipping these battles will cause the player to lose their kingdom, forcing them to find another area to conquer.

"The Prefect is not in the castle, so it should not be heavily guarded. This will be a Kingdom Creation Mission."
 * Conquer the entire area by defeating all enemy officers. Once the opposing troops defect to the player's side, the enemy commander will arrive to stop the invasion. This mission becomes available if the player does not have their own kingdom.

"The soldiers of this area are unhappy with their Prefect. This will be a Kingdom Creation Mission."
 * Identical to the previous mission, but only appears for good-aligned characters.

"(Officer) has led troops into (Player)'s territory. This will be a Kingdom Defense Mission."
 * The player's officers will automatically split up to support other allies in different locations. A surviving ally is worth 500 points, so keeping them alive should be a top priority. This mission becomes available if the player has their own kingdom, and this mission like all other kingdom defense missions allow for a chance for a supply unit to appear (which can be slain to allow the player to acquire the unique rare items to be used in this mode such as Way of the Musou and Charge Bracer).

"(Officer) has sent out a call to arms, and is forming a coalition against (Player). This will be a Kingdom Defense Mission."
 * Identical to normal defense missions, but only appears for evil-aligned characters. More enemy officers are present while the invading commander is in Hyper Mode and followed by sub-officers.

"Soldiers unhappy with (Player) have invited (Officer) to come. This will be a Kingdom Defense Mission."
 * Identical to normal defense missions, but only appears for evil-aligned characters. Allied troops may revolt at any time while the invading commander is in Hyper Mode.

Shop-Specific
"Meat Buns are very cheap here."
 * Self-explanatory.

"Ointment is always available here, but at a high price."
 * Self-explanatory.

"A strange Pass is being sold here."
 * Second or Eighth Passes are guaranteed to appear in the shop. Purchasing one is recommended if the player is using a stronger character for their new playthrough.

"Many swords and shields are sold here."
 * Self-explanatory.

"(Officer) is said to be in this area, seeking a traveling companion."
 * The mentioned character is guaranteed to appear in the shop.

"There is a large city here, with many travellers."
 * 3 to 4 random characters will appear in the shop.

"A group of (Units) is supposedly looking for work."
 * The mentioned unit is guaranteed to appear in the shop.

"There is a shop closing down here, so they will sell cheap."
 * Prices are reduced at the cost of lower item quantity.

Character-Specific
The player's interaction with others is defined not only by their alignment, but also through hidden relationship values which gauge how well they get along with individual characters. At first, ally characters tend to act suspicious when approached and will retaliate if attacked. Should they be defeated, their relationship with the player will plummet. Otherwise, coming to their aid or fulfilling their requests will make them more likely to return the favor. A character's relationship values are reset once he or she arrives as reinforcements for the player or their foes during kingdom-based missions.


 * 1) Guan Yu, Zhang Liao, Lu Xun, or Yuan Shao will ask the player to defeat the enemy commander if their troops have set up camp.
 * 2) Huang Zhong, Jiang Wei, Pang Tong, Cao Ren, or Zhou Yu will request the player's aid if there is a well-guarded supply base for them to raid.
 * 3) Certain characters accompanied by two sub-officers may ask the player to help them abduct someone for personal reasons. Attacking the target and halving their life will turn them into the player's captive. Bringing them in yields a random item or 1,000 points at the cost of lowering alignment. Affinity with the client increases while relationship values with the target suffer greatly. The reverse can happen if the player decides to betray the client and recruit the captive to their party. Below is a list of characters involved.
 * Cao Cao wants to kidnap Da Qiao.
 * Dong Zhuo wants to kidnap Xiao Qiao.
 * Yuan Shao wants to kidnap Diao Chan.
 * Zhang Jiao wants to kidnap either Yue Ying, Zhen Ji, Sun Shang Xiang, or Zhu Rong.
 * Meng Huo wants to kidnap Lu Xun.
 * 1) Players may find themselves in a special battle based on the Yellow Turban Rebellion once they have cleared 11 or more missions. The enemy commander is Zhang Jiao who employs sorcerers and phantom soldiers to attack the player. The phantom soldiers can only be eliminated by using an Eye of Heaven to identify the officer controlling them.
 * 2) If the player's alignment is high enough, they may be asked by Ma Chao, Xu Zhu, or Sun Shang Xiang to help hunt down a group of bandits. The bandit leader will be in Hyper Mode upon being confronted. Defeating him yields a random item, 1,000 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.
 * -|Dynasty Warriors 5=

Battle-Specific
"This area has been invaded by numerous armies. There is continual fighting."
 * A straightforward battle with no special objectives. The enemies here are mostly generic officers, though a unique character may serve as the enemy commander.

"Rumors say there are bandits in the area kidnapping young women."
 * Approaching a female character will cause her to accuse the player of being a bandit. After a few seconds have passed, a bandit will come and try to attack her. Once the misunderstanding has been cleared up, the female character will cooperate with the player to eliminate the remaining bandits. Doing so not only yields a random item or 600 points, but also raises alignment. Defeating the female character when she turns hostile will make her a captive and lower the player's alignment. Upon confronting the bandit chief and reducing his life, he will summon a male character to assist him. Subduing the character will make him a captive in turn.

"Rumors have it that bandits have brought strange animals into the area."
 * An ally character will ask the player to help find their missing pet tiger upon being approached. This mission will provide 2 different locations: one where another character joins the search and the other being the tiger's actual position. Coming in contact with the tiger will cause bandits to surround the area. After defeating them, the player may choose to return the tiger to its owner or keep it. Doing the former raises alignment and yields the following rewards: a random item, 600 points, or the requesting officer as a party member. The latter requires attacking the enemy commander with the tiger in tow, causing the owner to spawn to their location and retaliate. Defeating them earns the player 1,000 points and lowers alignment.

"Rumor has it that somebody here has the (Unique Item)."
 * The item in question is obtained as a reward for fulfilling a character's request.

A few missions offer group healing as a reward. Party members are only healed if they are close to the player's position.

"A merchant selling Meat Buns in the area was captured by bandits."
 * A merchant is being held hostage by bandits within a nearby fortress. Defeating them will cause the merchant to reward the player's party with a meat bun and raise alignment.

"Zhang Jiao, the one with the strange abilities, has been imprisoned on grounds of rebellion."
 * The battle begins with Zhang Jiao imprisoned in one of the empty strongholds guarded by 3 or more generic officers. Rescuing Zhang Jiao will allow him to heal 200 points of the party's life.

"They say that there is a small but rich village in the area."
 * A village will be attacked by an ally character accompanied by two sub-officers while another character will come to its defense. If the player successfully loots the village and captures the defender, they will receive one of three rewards: a random item, 1,000 points, or the attacking officer as a party member. Afterwards, the party's life is restored by 100 points and the player's alignment is lowered.

"They say that someone is planning to raid a small and wealthy village in the area."
 * The opposite version of the previous mission. Instead of helping attack the village, the player will join the defender's side. Protecting the village yields one of three rewards: a random item, 500 points, or the defending officer as a party member. The player's party receives no healing, though alignment rises up.

Certain objectives revolve around raiding supply bases owned by the opposing army. They contain 10 pots filled with random swords, shields, and iron, making them a cost-effective method of strengthening characters. However, the player must defeat the officer guarding the base to gain access to its contents. Neglecting to approach the requesting characters before raiding a base will nullify their respective missions.

"It's said that there is a supply depot with lots of valuable supplies in the area."
 * An ally character will ask the player to raid an enemy supply base for them. Fulfilling this task yields one of three rewards: a random item, 500 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"It appears that (Officer) is planning a large scale attack in the area."
 * An ally character will ask the player to defeat the enemy officer guarding the supply base. Approaching the target will cause two sub-officers to bolster the base's defense. If the officer in charge is defeated, a fire attack will kill all of the remaining enemies within the vicinity. Fulfilling this task earns the player one of three rewards: a random item, 900 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"(Officer) is with one of the bands roaming the area creating trouble."
 * An enemy character will begin the battle in Hyper Mode while accompanied by two sub-officers. However, he or she will remain in their current position. Taking the unmarked supply base will cause the character to lose morale and force an ambush officer near the enemy commander to flee. Defeating them will result in their capture.

"(Officer) has taken to the field in order to suppress the uprisings in the area."
 * An ally character will be ambushed and ask for aid. Helping him or her earns the player one of three rewards: a random item, 800 points, or the requesting officer as a party member.

"(Officer) is said to be patrolling the area."
 * An enemy character will stalk the player throughout the battle. Defeating them will result in their capture.

"A veteran warrior, (Officer), is in the area looking for someone to face in battle."
 * A strong enemy character will stalk the player throughout the battle. Defeating them earns 800 points.

"(Officer) has rebelled and seems to be trying to gain support from another country. Suppress a rebellion started by some of your officers."
 * Only occurs if one of the player's sub-officers is capable of rebelling. Can be mitigated by another officer with the suppress ability. Either way, the defecting officer leaves the player's party. Reduces unification rate by 20 if the rebellion is not put down.

"Rumors speak of an invincible army in the area."
 * A generic officer will inform the player of a mysterious unit terrorizing the people. Upon reaching its location, the monster may appear as either one of the following below.

"We've received word that a large, unknown weapon has been sighted in the area."
 * Wei Yan or Zhang Liao in Hyper Mode. Either one is surrounded by troops which include crossbowmen that shoot fire or ice arrows. Defeating them yields 1,500 points or a random item.
 * An army of stone sentinels led by Zhuge Liang. Defeating him yields 1,500 points or a random item.
 * A group of undead mystics led by Zuo Ci. Defeating him yields 1,500 points or a random item.
 * A rampaging Lu Bu in Hyper Mode. Defeating him yields 2,000 points and an ointment for the player's party.
 * Elephants or Juggernauts will appear as enemies during the mission.

"A huge army has gathered and the area is in a state of chaos."
 * Can be any of the aforementioned missions.

The following missions below are all kingdom-based campaigns. In most of these stages, sufficiently damaging the enemy commander will cause a general in Hyper Mode to appear and come charging at the player.

"The bandits of the area have joined together and taken control. Volunteer to campaign against bandits."
 * The enemies of this stage are mostly bandits. Several ambushes and reinforcements, however, may catch the player off-guard. The winning condition is to defeat all enemy officers in time. Helping an ally character overcome an ambush yields one of three rewards: a random item, 800 points, or the requesting officer as a party member. Clearing this battle is required in order to engage in other kingdom missions. The player is also given a random item by the emperor once the stage ends.

"The ruler of this kingdom was slain by (Officer) and the area is now in turmoil. Wage a battle to win your own kingdom."
 * The player's officers will automatically split up to support other allies in different locations. After some time passes, a group of peasants will be attacked by an enemy general; saving them earns 500 points.

"(Officer) has built a strong fortress in preparation for invasion. Invade a neighboring kingdom."
 * Mission becomes available if the player has their own kingdom. The opposing army consists of one character as the enemy commander and 3 generic officers. A volunteer unit will try to attack the player's forces from behind; defeating them earns 700 points. Clearing this mission increases unification rate by 20.

"(Officer)'s Cavalry is said to be exceptionally strong. Invade a neighboring kingdom."
 * Identical to the previous mission, but with one additional character as an enemy officer. Bandits will also appear to take advantage of the chaos; defeating them earns 1,000 points.

"The fierce (Officer) has invaded our land. Defend your land from an invasion."
 * Mission becomes available if the player has their own kingdom. A group of peasants will be attacked by an enemy general; saving them is optional. Enemy reinforcements and ambushes may prove to be a hindrance if left unchecked. Skipping this mission can decrease unification rate by 20 if invading army successfully conquers the area.

"The people, tired of being oppressed, have turned to a foreign army for help. Suppress an uprising of the people."
 * Identical to the previous mission, but only occurs if the people are constantly taxed by the player.

"The final obstacle to peace and the unification of the land is (Officer). Wage a war that will decide the fate of the entire land."
 * Mission becomes available if the player has taken 4 areas. The opposing army consists of two characters and 3 generic officers. Enemy reinforcements will arrive at different intervals, all of them being unique characters in Hyper Mode.

Shop-Specific
"There is a special sale on Meat Buns."
 * Self-explanatory.

"An expensive boutique seems to be selling Ointment."
 * Self-explanatory.

"A store there sells many items for improving your abilities."
 * Self-explanatory.

"A store there seems to have a wide selection of goods."
 * The shop's inventory is stocked with a wide variety of items for sale.

"(Officer) is looking for someone to join."
 * The mentioned character is guaranteed to appear in the shop.

"A number of people are looking for someone to join."
 * 3 to 4 random characters will appear in the shop.

"There is a huge sale going on."
 * Prices are reduced at the cost of lower item quantity.

"There is an exceptional craftsman at the blacksmith."
 * Allows the player to forge their weapons with evolution attacks and elements. Only one of these attributes is offered per visit.

Character-Specific
Relationships between characters are now centered around the player and their party members. Actions that raise or lower alignment have an impact on affection levels, though the amount depends on the individual's personality. For instance, virtuous characters like Liu Bei are likely to bond with players who perform good deeds as opposed to evil-minded people such as Dong Zhuo who approve of evil actions. Once a character's affection values have been maximized, he or she will confess their feelings of camaraderie to the player and never revolt or abandon the party.

Unlike in the previous Xtreme Legends title, edit characters can participate in mission events like other unique officers.


 * 1) Zhao Yun, Guan Ping, Xiahou Dun, Xu Zhu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai, or a male edit character (passionate) will appear to serve either a bandit chief or a village elder.
 * 2) Dong Zhuo, Meng Huo, or Zhang Jiao will attack villages and may become an enemy or ally depending on the nature of the stage.
 * 3) All female characters including a female edit character (spirited) will appear for the bandit extermination mission.
 * 4) Sun Jian and Sun Ce will ask the player to find their missing tiger. Dian Wei, Zhang He, or Cao Ren will also appear to help with the search.
 * 5) Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Pang Tong, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Pi, Gan Ning, or Ling Tong will request the player's aid in raiding the enemy supply base.
 * 6) Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, Lu Meng, or a male edit character (calm) will request the player's aid in helping them set up their fire attack.
 * 7) Huang Zhong, Jiang Wei, Xu Huang, Pang De, or an edit character (heroic, relaxed, or innocent) are veterans who may challenge the player directly.
 * 8) Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, or Zhang Jiao will be attacked by an ambush party during the first kingdom-based mission.
 * 9) Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, Gan Ning, Lu Bu, or Zuo Ci will come rushing at the player while in Hyper Mode during kingdom campaigns.
 * 10) A lone private may request the player to deliver a letter to any of the following characters: Guan Yu, Cao Cao, Sima Yi, Taishi Ci, or Yuan Shao. Doing so earns either 300 points or a random item.

Battle Maps
Contains a list of different areas and their respective maps.

Dynasty Warriors 4=
 * -|Dynasty Warriors 5=

Items
Contains relevant data on items found in this mode. Although shops change inventory per visit, players can tell what kind of goods or services are available by reading the reports of each area. Some items have an inflation rate that increases as more missions are cleared.

Dynasty Warriors 4=
 * -|Dynasty Warriors 5=

Unique Items
Items that provide unique beneficial effects when equipped, they disappear after one use. These are obtained by fulfilling different requests or meeting travelling merchants.

Character Data
Information on each playable character.


 * Money - How much gold a character initially has when selected as the player's avatar.
 * Cost - How much gold it costs to recruit a character as a sub-officer.
 * Ability - A character's set of support skills. Varies depending on the individual's traits. Only in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends.
 * Token Power-Up - Gives the player a Musou Token while causing sub-officers to enter Musou Rage. Occurs randomly.
 * Seal Power-Up - Gives the party unlimited Musou for 10 seconds. Occurs randomly.
 * Axe Power-Up - Doubles party's attack power for 30 seconds. Occurs randomly.
 * Armor Power-Up - Doubles party's defense power for 30 seconds. Occurs randomly.
 * Doctor - Calls a doctor to restore a small portion of health. Occurs randomly after every battle.
 * Revolt - Sub-officer defects and stages a revolt against the party. Occurs if the defecting character is thoroughly dissatisfied with the player's actions.
 * Suppress - Automatically puts down a defecting character's revolt, allowing players to avoid fighting them.
 * Virtue - The amount of intimacy points gained by doing good deeds. Only in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends.
 * Misdeed - The amount of intimacy points gained by doing bad deeds. Only in Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends.
 * Unit Type - The type of troops a character starts out with. Only in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends.

Units
Contains a list of troops that accompany the player in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends. A unit can die out if all of its members are killed, so replenishing them from time to time is necessary.


 * Bandits - Consists of 4 majors, 16 privates, 2 first bows, and 8 archers. Versatile and cheap; can be used in almost any situation.
 * Riders - Consists of 4 mounted sergeants and 16 privates. Good for quick assaults, but can be vulnerable to counterattacks.
 * Conscripts - Consists of 6 sergeants and 24 privates. Average in terms of power, yet affordable to hire.
 * Archers - Consists of 4 first bows, 16 archers, 2 sergeants, and 8 privates. Excels in back-up support, but low health makes this unit weak against direct attackers.
 * Elite Guard - Consists of 4 lady captains and 16 lady guards. Aggressive and powerful; will follow any opponent relentlessly.
 * Elite Troops - Consists of 4 mounted majors, 16 sergeants, 2 first crossbows, and 8 crossbows. Strong and well-balanced; has good weapon variety. Considerably expensive compared to other melee units.
 * Sorcerers - Consists of 2 head sorcerers and 8 sorcerers. Immobilizes enemies with lightning and ice projectiles. Provides enough room to ward off attacks and retaliate.
 * Shamans - Consists of 2 head sorcerers and 8 sorcerers. Weakens foes with blast and poison projectiles. Great for lowering defenses of enemy officers.
 * Militia - Consists of 30 privates. Weak in strength; heavily reliant on numbers. Cannot be hired in shops.
 * Nanman Troops - Consists of 6 warriors and 24 infantries. Similar to conscripts, though not available for hire in shops.

Tips & Strategy

 * 1) Recruit characters as early as possible so their stats can grow enough for them to survive in higher numbered missions.
 * 2) Try not to hire Huang Gai as a party member since his bombs can damage both foes and allies alike.
 * 3) If possible, try to take another character's horse to save time on traveling from one end to another.
 * 4) Refrain from visiting Nan Zhong due to its poisonous swamps unless a source of healing is available.
 * 5) Avoid purchasing meat buns if an ointment is proven to be less costly.

Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends

 * 1) Whenever possible, do not hesitate to employ hit and run tactics against enemy sorcerers as their spells can leave players vulnerable to incoming attacks.
 * 2) The enemy AI is more aggressive towards isolated characters, so staying together with other party members is essential.
 * 3) Players are encouraged to develop their character early on to gain an advantage when starting a new playthrough.

Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends

 * 1) Recruit at least two or more characters who can employ doctors. This can be helpful when prices for restorative items are too high.
 * 2) As a party member, Zhou Tai's shadow elemental attacks make him useful for taking out invincible armies led by Zhuge Liang or Zuo Ci.
 * 3) One can easily take out Zhuge Liang's stone sentinel troops by ramming them with a horse.
 * 4) Refrain from recruiting Zhang Jiao in order to take advantage of his healing service upon being rescued.
 * 5) When isolating enemy officers or commanders, immediately take down any archers or sorcerers to prevent potential interruptions.