Competitive Modes (Warriors Orochi)

The purpose of this page is to provide a detailed explanation of the different competitive modes featured in the Warriors Orochi series. Due to the differences between titles, the second game is limited to two players only whereas the third installment and its updated ports offer more multiplayer capabilities as well as various in-game rewards. It should be noted that all of these modes do not carry over character growth, skills, or equipment gained during the main portion of the games. However, every available character can use their full moveset right from the start except in certain modes that don't involve direct combat.

VS Mode
VS Mode is a new gameplay feature in Warriors Orochi 2 which solely focuses on competition by allowing players to test their skills together through four different mini-games. Each game has its own set of rules and conditions that more or less vary from one another. On another note, any character selected by the second player will automatically appear in their palette-swapped outfit to prevent visual confusion from both sides.

Tag Team & Elimination
Drawing inspiration from the first Dynasty Warriors title, Tag Team and Elimination pit both teams against one another in close combat. While these courses share the same gameplay mechanics, the two of them have slightly different goals and restrictions. The objective of Tag Team is to defeat any of the opposing team's characters by knocking them off the arena or reducing their life gauge completely. Since the fence walls in this mode are easily broken, caution is highly advised when standing near them.

Strafing enables players to move beyond the linear gap between them and their opponent in any direction. Also, characters in use can slowly regain Musou without switching back or equipping certain skills unlike in the main portion of the game. Another version of Tag Team is implemented in Survival Mode, a feature different from that of VS Mode. In the case of Elimination, both players must defeat the opposing team while keeping their own members alive. Note that character switches, support attacks, and even triple attacks have been disabled for this particular mode. Furthermore, the walls in Elimination cannot be knocked down no matter what.

Tower
The goal of Tower is to accumulate a higher score than the opponent by toppling as many enemies off the tower as possible. Unlike the previous Bridge Melee challenges in earlier Dynasty Warriors games, players will automatically warp back to the tower as many times as they fall down. Note that health depletion is not an issue for both sides in this course. More points can be earned by successfully knocking off the opposing player. Each round lasts for about a total of 3 minutes. The first player is assisted by blue-colored guards whereas the second player is given support from red-colored soldiers.

Items
Players can pick up items generated from small platforms and use them to gain the upper hand by tapping L3. The effects of these items range from hindering the opposing player or empowering the user in some way.

Obstacles
Tower features a number of different obstacles that serve to hinder both players on each side. While only one type of obstacle is available per round, they are mostly selected at random to provide an element of unpredictability to the course. However, there are rare instances in which obstacles may not appear at all. Some of these can even help knock away minor enemies for more points. Here are the following obstacles used in this mode.

Steeple Chase
Steeple Chase is a racing mini-game that involves both players running through the same track on horseback. The winning condition of this course is to reach the finish line first before the opposing team does. Players cannot dismount from their horses nor can they attack each other directly. As horses pick up momentum, their running speed increases rapidly until they run into an obstacle or get hit by item attacks. Obstacles in the track include fences, trees, flaming geysers, and even generic riders. A few of them can easily be avoided by executing high jumps at the right moment.

In this course, the running styles of each fighting type differ greatly in several ways. Power-type characters have the highest overall speed but lack proficiency in accelerating and turning. Speed-type characters accelerate the fastest to compensate for their low maximum speed. Technique-type characters excel at making sharp turns but are mediocre in everything else. Players are recommended to select a particular type that works best for them since all three of their chosen characters are automatically used in each lap.

Items
Like in Tower, players competing in Steeple Chase can pick up different items found on the race track and activate them by tapping L3. The player's current position during the race determines the type of item they can obtain.

Battle Royale Mode
A new gameplay feature in Musou Orochi 2: Special, Battle Royale Mode allows players to face off against computer-controlled teams or each other. The goal is to reach first place by scoring more points than the other teams. This is accomplished by eliminating a large quantity of enemy troops or members of any opposing team. Up to four players can participate in a single round. Included in this mode are tactical items and mini-objectives that serve to aid or hinder participants. The time limit of each battle can be set to three, five, or seven minutes depending on the host player's decision.

If a team member's life gauge is reduced to zero, he or she will be inactive for the remainder of the battle (until their entire team is completely eliminated) while the next member will be temporarily invincible for a few seconds. This applies to all other combatants as well. Players may earn gems at the end of each round while increasing the bonds of every participating character by a small margin. Note that the slight bond increase can be magnified by having each team use the same set of characters.

Orbs
Exclusive to Battle Royale Mode are different colored orbs that yield a variety of power-ups when picked up. These orbs are scattered throughout different parts of the battlefield and always reappear within certain intervals. To use them, players must hold the L button and press either left, down, or right depending on the item's button placement. Each team can only carry up to three simultaneously. Until these power-ups are used, players may still hold onto them even after being defeated multiple times.

Ruby Orb Power-Ups
These red-colored orbs enable players to attack the opposing team from a distance with fire or lightning spells. Useful in gaining more extra points or leaving foes vulnerable. Stronger versions of these spells can be acquired if any player is in last place.

Light Orb Power-Ups
The purpose of these yellow-colored orbs is to wear down opposing players via traps or status ailments. Their effects range from hampering the victim's movements or neutralizing them completely for a short amount of time. Efficient use of these orbs is a must in order to gain the upper hand.

Jade Orb Power-Ups
Unlike their different-hued counterparts, the green-colored orbs are purely used for self-preservation. The effects they offer can help players survive each round without sustaining too much damage. It may be prudent to reserve these power-ups when in a pinch.

Jasper Orb Power-Ups
These blue-colored orbs have the power to temporarily enhance the raw abilities of every player in battle. Some of their power-ups may be used to increase the potency of other colored orbs. Note that blue orbs have an additional effect of raising speed each time they are used.

Stratagems
Stratagems are a tactical aspect of Battle Royale Mode that cause a myriad of special effects throughout the battlefield for a short duration. By clearing given missions firsthand, players have the benefit of triggering a random stratagem against every other opponent while rendering themselves immune to it. These missions often involve defeating a certain amount of peons, officers, or even characters from rival teams. The type of stratagems available may depend on the location being used for battle.

Stages
Battle Royale Mode offers a total of twelve battlefields derived from several stages in Story Mode. Each has its own unique layout, troops, and gimmicks.

Duel Mode

 * See also: Strategy Cards

Introduced in Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper, Duel Mode is a tag team match that features tactical elements in the form of strategy cards. Players may select any character of their choosing and challenge either the computer or themselves (locally or online). In the case of the former, the opposing team's difficulty level can be adjusted to suit the player's needs whenever possible.

Similar to the second game's Elimination course, the objective of this mode is to defeat one of the opponent's members in battle before time runs out. Each round lasts for a total of five minutes. The victor is awarded with rare crystals, growth points, cards, and even wallpapers. Duel Mode also includes a survival match in which players can test their mettle against an endless supply of teams controlled by the computer.

Stages
Players are given eight different stages to choose from. The last three areas on the list are mere replicas with extra gimmicks that may affect gameplay.