Bodyguards (Dynasty Warriors)

Bodyguards are optional NPCs 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 returns in Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends. In the third 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. The Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends revamp allows three guards.

In the PSP version of the game, the player could hire a maximum of four bodyguards to increase their own stats. The officers also provide skills that help inside or outside of battle, and may occasionally be activated during battle with a cool down period. In Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2, there are "combinations" between officers. Having a combination will give the player additional stat boosts.

Dynasty Warriors 4
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

Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends

 * See also: Bodyguards (Dynasty Warriors)/Weapons

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

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. The player will start with two peons and but can have up to eight elite bodyguards. Playable characters can be assigned to be the player's bodyguard as well.

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 customization features. 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. Bodyguard names are randomized and are one of six possible weapon types: Spear, Sword, Crossbow, Bow, Staff, and Fan. 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. Customization is limited to the color of their uniforms which is dependent upon the faction of the character the player used to complete the stage. Costume parts, on the other hand, are randomly generated. Family names may also be shared between characters and hired bodyguards.

Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends allows the player to use any three officers or playable characters they wish from the ones unlocked in Ambition Mode. Any officer personally defeated by the player in battle will join as an ally; a total of 816 officers can be earned in battle or from the Barracks. Bodyguards can be ordered via the Command Bodyguard option to Guard the player, Mobilize to attack nearby foes while heading towards the main enemy general, Secure a maximum of three different locations or use their unique Battle Skill. Each Battle Skill, such as fire attack or gather supplies, can be increased in levels to allot more uses of it. Battle Skills are increased with the Strengthen Bodyguards option by sacrificing gained allies to train the chosen officer. These released allies need to be regained again in Ambition Mode. Battle Skills have a chance to fail or not initiate if the player character's bond with the officer using the skill is too low.

Bodyguards also provide passive buffs to the player via their Support Skill. Each officer has a maximum of two Support Skills, the second skill is unlocked once the player has maximized their bond with the officer. Players can only raise bonds in Ambition Mode by bringing the officer with them into battle as a bodyguard or as a part of their departing unit to conquer a region; the officer needs to accompany the player in ten battles to optimize bonds. With the playable cast, the player needs to additionally view all three of the character's conversation events before the second skill is unlocked. These second skills are also only available based on the gender of the character the player used to level bonds. Players need to maximize bonds using both a male and female playable character. Officers have an associated Fee parameter; Fees dictate which officers the player can choose based on their playable character's Leadership level. Leadership is leveled in battle by manually giving bodyguards orders; Leadership levels max at 99 which increases the player's Fee limit to 99.