Zhang Liao

Zhang Liao is a character introduced in the second Dynasty Warriors game. He first served as a high-ranking commander under Lu Bu until he is captured by Cao Cao. Showing courage at his execution, he is spared and soon became the leader of the Five Generals of Wei.

In the Dynasty Warriors series, he is 27 years old. His height in Dynasty Warriors and Kessen II is 185 cm (close to 6'1").

Dynasty Warriors
Zhang Liao is known as a hardened veteran of war within the series and is feared by many officers in various games. Ordinarily, he starts as a general under Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu. While he may continue to serve them in their respective Musou Modes, he will become a Wei officer during his story. Although he is one of the generals present at the Five Passes, he will also not oppose Guan Yu's departure from Wei. He is best known for his unshaken defense at He Fei.

In Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends, Zhang Liao and two ally generals are surrounded by overwhelming odds at He Fei. Undeterred, he rushes into battle to wipe out the massive Wu army. While he hurries to aid his allies, he faces several generals including Lu Meng and Zhou Tai. His might startles Sun Quan and the Wu leader issues a retreat soon after.

Described as a soldier who has a history of serving unworthy masters, Zhang Liao starts as one of Dong Zhuo's generals at Si Shui Gate in Dynasty Warriors 5. After Dong Zhou's death, he follows Lu Bu to Xia Pi Castle. During the conflict, he proves his valor and, not wanting to see his talents go to waste, Guan Yu attempts to convince him to join his side. Though he refuses due to his faith in Lu Bu's honor, Zhang Liao feels he wasn't completely content with either of his previous lords and swears allegiance to Cao Cao after Lu Bu's defeat. While in Wei, he finds a purpose with Cao Cao and escorts his liege's escape from Chi Bi. When Cao Cao reaches Guan Yu, Zhang Liao accuses the Shu general as hypocritical for forsaking Cao Cao's acts of kindness towards him, one of which includes Red Hare. Thanks to his statements, both parties part ways peacefully and Guan Yu thanks him for preventing what could have been a regretful event. Rebuilding their forces after their loss, Wu attacks Zhang Liao's post in He Fei. He leads a brave resistance and stalls the large army long enough for Cao Cao's reinforcements. Distinguished in two kingdoms as a fearsome warrior, his name inspired awe in all who heard it and he is content to finally serve a worthy master.

His Legend Mode in the Xtreme Legends expansion occurs when he is under Lu Bu's command and groups him with his master and Diao Chan. The trio work together to surround Pu Yang Castle and join forces with the Wei defector, Chen Gong. After the battle, Zhang Liao notes that he can see past Lu Bu's violent nature and recognizes him as a honorable man.

Zhang Liao starts his story as an officer in Wei in Dynasty Warriors 6. Since his previous lords only fought for strength and power, he begins to question how he can fight for himself. While he swears to wage war for Cao Cao's vision, he asks other generals in Wei their purposes for fighting to find his own justifications for being a warrior. Once he realizes his strength can pave a path for the less fortunate, he gradually becomes one of Wei's finest generals and is named the army's Commander. After the other two kingdoms fall, Zhang Liao swears to uphold peace in the new land his lord desired.

Warriors Orochi
During Orochi's story, he was sent by his lord to reinforce Wu's resistance against the serpent king's army. He and Gan Ning hold the center of the field and charge for the enemy's main camp. When their plan is foiled, he is defeated and he retreats to report Orochi's prowess to Cao Cao. When his kingdom falls to Orochi, he acts as one of Orochi's instigators in Warriors Orochi. He stars in two gaiden stages for Wei. One pairs him with Mitsunari Ishida to rescue Diao Chan and the other has him and other Wei vassals taking on the Takeda-Uesugi alliance.

In Warriors Orochi 2, Zhang Liao is not seen until the Battle of Jia Meng Gate, where he appears by orders of Cao Cao to assist Guan Yu in defeating Kiyomori. In this battle, he reveals to Guan Yu that the defeat of the phantom soldiers is done by killing the sorcerers who control them. The two warriors accomplish that task and move on to defeating the Sun Wukong doubles only to find more sorcery at the gates. Eventually the two overcome the poison gas and defeat Kiyomori together. Zhang Liao is also present at Koshi Castle where he takes a northern path to take out the northwestern garrison to stop the cannon fire.

In his dream stage, he teams up with Gan Ning and Kotarō Fūma to carry out a sneak attack on Meng Huo's base, Ueda Castle. While the warriors penetrate the castle's rear defenses, they encounter Ranmaru, Kunoichi, and Zhuge Liang intruding their path.

Kessen
Zhang Liao is a general for Cao Cao in Kessen II. He often leads one of the physically strongest armies for Wei with a mixed footman and cavalry unit. During Wei's war councils, he often offers strategies that aim to demoralize the Shu army with brute force. He's an old friend of Guan Yu and, when their countries were allies, they dine together during Wei and Shu's victory banquet. In the past, they once fought a decade ago over a woman. However, Guan Yu let him win their battle and allowed Zhang Liao to marry her.

During Wei's story, he suppresses rebellions from Yuan Shao's armies and returns to his lord victorious. He joins moments before the Battle at Chang Ban Po and volunteers a strategy to use the shortest route through the eastern forest. If he meets Guan Yu during this time, they will have a friendly bout in battle. He asks his friend if he has a maiden and promises them a safe escape. Guan Yu refuses, stating that a man fights for the ones close to them. In response, Zhang Liao wins their scuffle and earnestly tells him to not disappoint his woman. Zhang Liao remains in Cao Cao's army for the rest of the game.

Personality
Zhang Liao is a man of honor and will stay virtuous to the very end, no matter what obstacles come his way. Usually calm and just, he is also capable of turning into a fierce beast during battle. He believes that he can only find his true purpose in life during war and walks the warrior's path. While serving Lu Bu, Zhang Liao has the utmost faith in his master's more valiant traits. He is praised as the one of the land's greatest warrior by Lu Bu and the two generals mutually respect each of their strengths.

In most titles, he admires Guan Yu's chivalry during their time together in Wei. In the destiny mode for Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends, Zhang Liao states that his weapon, Blue Wyvern, was made to be similar to Guan Yu's as a sign of respect. Their reverence for one another is also featured in Warriors Orochi 2.

Voice Actors

 * Michael McConnohie - Dynasty Warriors 4~5, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Travis Willingham - Dynasty Warriors 6 (English)
 * Paul St. Peter - Kessen II (English)
 * Yu Heamu - Dynasty Warriors 2 (Korean)
 * Lee Gyoo Seok - Dynasty Warriors 3 (Korean)
 * Kim Gwang-Kook - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (Korean)
 * Naoki Kinoshita - Dynasty Warriors 2 (Japanese)
 * Hironobu Tanaka - Dynasty Warriors 3~6 and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Ryōtarō Okiayu - Dynasty Tactics series (Japanese)
 * Hideyuki Tanaka - Kessen II (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See also: Zhang Liao (Quotes)


 * "They used to talk about us, you know."
 * "They'd say, 'Wei has Zhang Liao but Wu has Gan Ning!'"
 * "The bad news for you lot is..."
 * "You have the unfortunate luck of running into the both of us!"
 * Zhang Liao and Gan Ning; Warriors Orochi 2

Ground Moveset

 * undefined: Rushes forward spinning his blade in front of him then does a horizontal slash.
 * , undefined: Knocks opponent airborne with an upward diagonal swing.
 * ,, undefined (undefined, undefined, undefined): Swings his blade diagonally in front of him multiple times, in the opposite direction each time then finishes with a broad swing.
 * ,, , undefined: Spins around and pivots on one foot with his spear held in front of him.
 * ,, , , undefined: An upward swing that releases a small white tornado in front of Zhang Liao.
 * ,, , , , undefined: A large gust of wind and energy.
 * A series of downward diagonal slashes then a horizontal slash repelling opponents.


 * , : Jump, then swipe with halberd.
 * , undefined: Releases a disc flying down from his weapon.

Horse Moveset

 * undefined: Zhang Liao leans to each side, and spins his weapon.
 * ,, , , , : Three attacks to the right side, three to the left.
 * Repeating slashes to all sides until the Musou gauge empties.

Ground Moveset

 * string (Renbu ∞): Four horizontal slashes with his right halberd, performing a turning slash on the last cut. Uses both halberds high to slash foes to his front, mixing between low and high dual blows. Stabs twice and slices two times with both halberds. Finishes the chain with ten alternating diagonal cuts from each of his halberds.
 * undefined string (Renbu ∞): Stabs with each halberd once while walking forward. Hits again one halberd before using both in one slash. Poses to create a burst of energy around himself, knocking away nearby foes.
 * undefined (held): One-two slashes with his halberds. Range increases on higher Renbu levels.
 * Series of attacks based on Renbu levels. Ends with three spinning slashes and a pose, creating a burst of energy that knocks away enemies.


 * , : Quick wide slash with both of his weapons.
 * , undefined: Hovers a bit in the air and plunges both halberds' bladed ends into the ground.
 * Dashing : Single diagonal slash with a halberd.
 * Dashing undefined: Hops and smashes both of his halberds into the earth. Emits a small explosion effect around the weapons' impact.


 * Grapple attack : One handed strike in a circular rotation to his left, which has him lift his left leg slightly. If it connects, he uses left halberd to throw off his enemy's balance. He then stabs with his right halberd and retracts it, using the blunt edge to shift their body's weight to the right. He finishes by stabbing again with his left halberd. Enemies have to be directly in front of him to successfully pull off the move.
 * Grapple attack undefined: Wide attack with both halberds. If it connects, he stuns them with his first blow before trapping them a second time between his weapons' hooked blades. With them caught between his weapons, he spins once and throws his foe forward. Enemies have to be directly in front of him to successfully pull off the move.


 * Special attack: True Speed: greatly boosts speed. Holds his right halberd in front and keeps his left halberd tucked by his hip while he runs.
 * Dashing : Slices inwards with both halberds as he runs.
 * Dashing undefined: Same as his normal dashing version except he emits a larger explosion as he lands.

Horse Moveset

 * string: Strikes with both halberds individually to the right, using circular sweeps to attack.
 * undefined: Stronger slash with one halberd.
 * Faster version of the string that ends with a undefined attack.

Dynasty Warriors
In Dynasty Warriors 6, Zhang Liao has a pair of axes. Zhang Liao's primary strong attacks are viewed as extremely strong for Renbu Gauge level one. His grapple attacks are slow compared to a group of select characters, though they are very powerful. Zhang Liao's range factor might be one to consider as his weakness, so it is recommended that players use a standard-type weapon. Zhang Liao's Special Attack is True Speed. Despite it's two consecutive hits per multiple steps, the bonuses Rush and Power Rush increase damage to enemies during the attack, and Stamina increases the duration of the Special Attack.

Dynasty Warriors 4

 * Level 10 Weapon: Gold Wyvern
 * Base Attack: 48
 * Stage: Battle of Si Shui Gate; Battle of Hu Lao Gate
 * Requirements: In Musou mode, at the battle of Si Shui Gate of Lu Bu's forces, defeat Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian. Then, at the battle of Hu Lao Gate, do not kill any generals till after the fire attack on the city. Once that occurs, eliminate Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian.

Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends

 * Level 11 Weapon: Celestial Wyvern
 * Base Attack: 60
 * Attributes: Level 17 Dragon Amulet, Level 11 Huang's Bow, Level 18 Horned Helm, Level 20 Elixir
 * Stage: Ambush at He Fei
 * Requirements: Keep all four top castle ally Guard Troop Captains alive until Zhou Tai appears. Achieve 300 K.O. count.
 * Strategy: Yue Jin's morale drops VERY fast. Also, the Wu troops' morale will raise each time Sun Quan orders an attack. The only way to prevent Yue Jin's seemingly imminent defeat is for you to kill enemy peons quickly. Whenever you reach multiples of 50s in KOs, your morale will raise for sure. So, whenever Yue Jin is in trouble, drop whatever you're doing and help him until he tells you to go back to defend the castle. It is important to find the balance between killing peons and chasing officers, because you need to kill the officers to pass the stage within 15 minutes.


 * 1) Bottom left (reach 100 KOs and kill Ling Tong).
 * 2) He Fei castle front (reach 150 KOs).
 * 3) Top right and bottom right gates (reach 250 KOs and kill Gan Ning and Xu Sheng).
 * 4) He Fei castle front (reach 300 KOs and kill Lu Meng).
 * 5) Level 11 message.
 * 6) reach 350 KOs.
 * 7) Go to bottom of the map and kill Zhou Tai to end the stage.

An alternative method:


 * 1) equip peacock urn, turtoise amulet, herbal remedy, secret of the orbs, meat bun sack, war drum, vorpal/fire(recommended)/ice orb, and shadow sattle
 * 2) Kill Ling Tong and 100 of his men
 * 3) go to Xu Sheng and kill 50 of his men
 * 4) by this time Gan Ning should be there, go kill him and 50 of his men.
 * 5) Go to the castle front and defend it, kill Lu meng, and there are more than 100 men there....
 * 6) if you get it, save and quit, then set it to begginer (dont wanna risk it) and kill Zhou Tai

How to Obtain Gold Wyvern

 * Stage: Battle of He Fei (Wei)
 * Location: One of the islands in the southeast.
 * Requirements: Defeat nine Generals/Sub-Generals or defeat 700 people. Every few enemies the enemy soldiers will comment: you get the valuable item report when Sun Quan comments that "One man struck fear in my entire army by himself!". This must be done before Cao Ren arrives.


 * Strategy
 * If you have a Red Hare Harness, equip it. First defeat Pan Zhang's two sub-officers, killing troops as you go. After, kill Pan Zhang. Then, ride down to the bottom-left corner, where Lu Meng's sub-officers are, and kill them. If Lu Meng has not started retreating after you kill the subs, kill him too. If he has, do not worry. Next, ride up to the top-right corner, where your supply base is in danger from Zhu Zhi's subs. Kill them, then Taishi Ci's subs, then Zhu Zhi. After this, the weapon should appear, followed by Sun Quan's comment of "One man struck fear in my entire army by himself!". However, do not collect the weapon yet, as Gan Ning would have appeared by now. Go and kill him (and Dong Xi) before he kills Cao Cao. Then get the weapon and continue normally.

Trivia

 * Zhang Liao's irrational yet fun nickname with Japanese Dynasty Warriors fans is "Yamada~!" (山田ああ!), which is a pun of one his battle cries during his True Musou in Dynasty Warriors 3, "Out of my way!" (邪魔だ!, Jyamada!). It started due to the characteristic slur that the voice actor does while saying the line, making it sound like he's yelling at a person rather than saying a phrase. The name's popularity grew in more recent installments due to the voice actor's harsh delivery of the line.