Lu Bu

Lu Bu first appears in Dynasty Warriors and continues to appear in every title of the series. He is one of the icon characters in the series as he is usually known for having the highest statistics in the games (bar Zuo Ci in the fifth installment) and a vastly superior move set. He's difficult to kill in the Dynasty Warriors series —alluding to his reputation as an unmatched and highly skilled warrior- and is always seen riding Red Hare. The exclamation "It's... It's Lu Bu!" is fondly remembered by fans. His theme song is the musical motif for many of the games' opening sequences. Using his Dynasty Warriors 4 appearance, he also appears as the last challenger in the Abyss survival mode in Samurai Warriors.

In the Dynasty Warriors series, he is 29 years old and his height is 208 cm (close to 6'10").

Role in Games

 * "A legend of your age, and yet you side with the devil. I suppose you thought that feeding off his scraps would provide you sufficient prey!"
 * "And I was right. He has led me to the greatest prey of all!"
 * ―Tadakatsu Honda and Lu Bu; Warriors Orochi

Dynasty Warriors
Lu Bu is a warrior who wants to prove his strength to all. First serving his adopted father, Dong Zhuo, he defies the Allied Forces at Hu Lao and Si Shui Gates. Known for his ferocity in the former battle, Yuan Shao warns his officers to steer clear of him in every game. In most titles, he has a special duel with Liu Bei and his brothers during the conflict. Not one to trust Dong Zhuo, he often gives into Diao Chan's deception and rebels against his former master in their story modes. In other characters' scenarios, he wanders the land after his benefactor's death and steals Xia Pi away from Liu Bei. Facing Cao Cao and Liu Bei's armies at the castle, Lu Bu dies after his defeat.

His story in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends has him start as an obedient subject to Dong Zhuo. Lu Bu doesn't care for the portly one's ambitions and only desires to fight. After their victory at Hu Lao Gate, Dong Zhuo's influence grows and he has a portion of the alliance submit to him. Lu Bu continues to aid Dong Zhuo by killing Cao Cao at Guan Du and rescuing his lord from Liu Bei at Wan Castle. While Liu Bei's army tries to flee from capture, his forces are stopped by Lu Bu at Chang Ban. Upset at the turn of events and seeing no reason for them to continue fighting, Diao Chan and Zhang Liao desert Dong Zhuo. Lu Bu, who wants them to help him, retrieves their loyalty after he catches them at the Five Passes. The trio work together to rebel against Dong Zhuo, putting an end to the tyrant at Chi Bi and making Lu Bu the land's new leader.

Lu Bu only serves Dong Zhuo until they defeat the Allied Forces in Dynasty Warriors 4. Soon after their victory over Yuan Shao, he slays his former liege. He is labeled a threat to the rest of the regional lords and survives their siege against him at Xia Pi. Cao Cao, Sun Jian and Liu Bei try to stop him, but his forces prevail over all others. Lu Bu becomes the land's great unifier in the new time of peace. His Legend Mode in the Xtreme Legends expansion details his indomitable defense at Hu Lao Gate. After slaying many soldiers, Sun Jian and Cao Cao challenge him. Once they fall, the three oath brothers face him. When the trio are cut down, Yuan Shao declares that taking the gate is a lost cause and orders his army to retreat.

Dynasty Warriors 5 has Lu Bu additionally defend Si Shui Gate. After the battle of Hu Lao Gate, he kills Dong Zhuo on Diao Chan's requests. His adopted father's followers disagreed with Lu Bu's actions and chased him out from the capital. Left with no land of his own, he briefly wanders into Yuan Shao's care and assists the battle against Gongsun Zan at Cheng Shan. Though his rival is defeated thanks to Lu Bu's efforts, Yuan Shao begins to fear Lu Bu and wants the warrior dead due to his past treachery. Liu Bei shelters him at Xia Pi, but he takes the lord to be a weak ruler. He steals the position away from his new benefactor and faces the army against him with his might. Alone and disappointed, he decides to ride off on Red Hare to search for a land worthy of him. Diao Chan and Zhang Liao loyally follow him. He shares his Legend Mode with them in the Xtreme Legends expansion, which details when he recruits Chen Gong.

Lu Bu has already killed Dong Zhuo when his story starts in Dynasty Warriors 6. Driven from the capital, Chen Gong gives his lord an interesting alternative: make a new path for himself in the chaos and take the land. He gains a new base for his forces by forcing Liu Bei's forces away from Xia Pi. Though it has no business with him, he dives straight into the battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao at Guan Du, defeating both parties with his army. Hearing the petty ambitions of Liu Yong, Yan Baihu, Wang Lang and other individuals from Jiang Dong, he deals with them personally at Shi Ting. When Sun Quan join forces with Liu Bei to end Cao Cao at Chi Bi, Lu Bu is fascinated by the battle at sea and routing both leaders. The angered Dian Wei and Zhou Yu attempt to avenge their masters, uniting their talents to end Lu Bu. Upon their defeat, the armies from the battle are scattered and Lu Bu's army heads towards Mt. Ding Jun. Opposing them are the resurrected Dong Zhuo and Zhang Jiao, both who are spiteful towards Lu Bu. They escape from death a second time and unite with Lu Bu's previous opponents in an attempt to eradicate the warrior. Undeterred, he faces them at Hu Lao Gate. Slaying his entire opposition in the battle, he becomes the land's new ruler. The wars don't end, however, as several other forces march against him during his ending. Even so, Lu Bu is pleased to have ample opportunities to fight someone.

In chapter 2 for every kingdom in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, Lu Bu can be seen above the weapon Dong Zhuo placed at Hu Lao Gate, Bi Xie. Similar to previous games, he will betray Dong Zhuo and start a campaign to conquer the land. He is killed at Bai Men Tower but raises from his grave in chapter 6, causing the three kingdoms to form another alliance to bring his reign of chaos to an end. Lu Bu's otherworldly strength corrupts the land's spiritual guardians, the kingdoms' respective animal avatars. The Allied Forces manage to seal them all and kill Lu Bu at Xia Pi Castle.

Warriors Orochi
In Warriors Orochi, Lu Bu becomes one of the Serpent King's top officers. Unlike other generals, little is indulged on how or when this occurs. He only serves Orochi out of respect of the demon's incredible power; he is biding his time until he is powerful enough to slay Orochi himself and claim the title of the strongest. Until then, Lu Bu serves the Orochi Army, realizing the most powerful warriors of both China and Japan will oppose the Serpent King. Aside from Orochi, he finds his greatest rival to be Tadakatsu.

Lu Bu continues serving the remnants of Orochi's army in the sequel. Unimpressed by Kiyomori's methods, he rebels against him late in Wu's story with his band of loyal officers. After dealing with Kiyomori, he decides to prove himself as the greatest by taking on Orochi X. Sun Jian takes advantage of Lu Bu's momentum and uses it to end the serpent king. He teams up with Tadakatsu and Keiji to end Orochi in their dream mode. While his teammates want to assist the mutual Liu Bei, Orochi's soldiers try to keep them trapped within the garrison. Lu Bu's personal goal in the stage is defeating several of them and frighten them to open the gates. He also shares special dialogue with Dong Zhuo, Zhang Liao, and Da Ji.

Dynasty Tactics
Lu Bu primarily acts as one of Liu Bei's early antagonists in Dynasty Tactics. He can either be exterminated quickly by Cao Cao and Liu Bei at Xia Pi or temporarily join forces with the latter. In the second scenario, the two lords form an alliance to end Yuan Shu. Soon after their victory, they are outmaneuvered by Cao Ren's army. Reinforcements miraculously come when Liu Biao aids them and their land is saved. During their victory banquet, however, Lu Bu kills their savior based on a loose report that he was a cohort with Cao Cao. Shocked by the violence, Liu Bei departs and declares war on him. When Lu Bu is defeated, his life is spared but he rebounds later to fulfill his desire for conquest. He is supposedly killed after his defeat. In one of Wu's scenarios, however, he can be recruited in the last chapter. Players can also fight his Dynasty Tactics counterpart in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends, as he leads a heavily armed army and challenges anyone to defeat him at Chi Bi.

Dynasty Tactics 2 portrays him as slightly less arrogant and also introduces his daughter, Lu Lingqi. He is one of the possible rulers in the game who can conquer the land. In one of his story branches, he learns from Cao Cao that his ally, Liu Bei, wishes to betray him and personally storms Liu Bei's castle to murder him. He seemingly dies from an archer volley in a charge against Cao Cao's troops. However, he survives and joins forces with the stunned Ma Chao to rebuild his ranks. With his new army, he eventually defeats Wei and perpetuates war in the land.

Kessen
During the prologue movie in Kessen II, Liu Bei and Cao Cao become allies to defeat forces under the Lu family name. While players are free to interpret the general's identity in the game, the official databook remarks that Liu Bei was fighting Lu Bu at the time historically.

Personality
Lu Bu is typically depicted as an extremely aggressive, brutish, and bloodthirsty warrior who fights for the sole purpose of finding an opponent worthy of challenge. He believes himself to be the "Mightiest Man Alive", and believes that the only true justice in the world is not found in any court, but when one fights for one's life on the battlefield, where the strong survive and the weak are crushed. More of a man of action than talk, he disregards strategy and politics as a waste of his time. Despite his repeated betrayals, Lu Bu is a rather honest man, having little faith or respect in politicians, bureaucrats, and those who use deceptive words to gain power and hide like cowards behind the law for their own protection. For this same reason, Lu Bu despises sycophants and suck ups and was resentful of having to be a lackey of Dong Zhuo.

Lu Bu considers Dong Zhuo an arrogant pig and repulsive coward who is undeserving of his wealth and status, and only joined him because the pay was obscenely substantial. His resentment is even further inflamed when the greedy tyrant takes the beautiful Diao Chan for his own.

If Lu Bu has any weakness, it’s women. When he first met Diao Chan, he was left speechless by her beauty, and her kind words, her encouragements, and her gentle nature quickly endeared her to him. Throughout Diao Chan’s campaign, his motive is to create a world where Diao Chan can be happy, and worries about her getting hurt on the battlefield. He displays this same protectiveness towards his daughter in Dynasty Tactics 2.

Voice Actors

 * Dan Woren - Dynasty Warriors 4 (English)
 * Jamieson Price - Dynasty Warriors 5~6, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Richard Epcar - Dynasty Tactics 2 (English)
 * Kim Il - Dynasty Warriors 2 (Korean)
 * Im Jineung - Dynasty Warriors 3~5 (Korean)
 * Tetsu Inada - Dynasty Warriors, Warriors Orochi, and Dynasty Tactics series (Japanese)
 * Hideo Ishikawa - Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CD series

Quotes

 * See also: Lu Bu/Quotes


 * "I am the mightiest man alive!"
 * "You stand against me? You have courage!"
 * "You dare face the Mighty Lu Bu?"
 * "Who else seeks death?"
 * "Is there anyone who can provide me with a decent challenge?"
 * "Worthless scum, I'll stomp you into a bloody mess!"
 * "Come! I shall face all and stand victorious!"
 * "I battle only for the sake of battle, and fight only for myself!"
 * "Cowards! Run back to your homes and hide!"
 * "Let them come back and try to better us. I don't care about what such weaklings do!"
 * "What is magic? There is no magic before the might of my blade! Onward!"
 * "Do you think I'll need your help to squash some bugs?!"
 * "You dare stand in my way? You pitiful worm!"
 * "It doesn't matter, their numbers make no difference. By opposing me, they are marching to their own slaughter!"'
 * "Lu Bu, how dare you stab me in the back! You will pay!"
 * "Humph! Don't make me laugh, you pig! It is I who shall surpass you, and it is I who shall rule the land!"
 * Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu; Dynasty Warriors 4


 * "Diao...Chan! Ahhh! Worthless scum! You will all pay! Not a hair of yours will be left in this world!"


 * Lu Bu; Dynasty Warriors 4


 * "Is talking all that you are good for? If you seek power, then show me your might!"


 * Lu Bu vs. the Three Oath Brothers, Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends


 * "Enough!!! I don't need more strength or wisdom! Having you around would only weigh me down. You want to live? Then go!


 * Lu Bu dealing with sycophants; Dynasty Warriors 6


 * "Are there no others?! Is there no one left to challenge me? Is this the end? Are there no more great battles for me to join? Argh! More! I still wish to wield my blade in battle! I do not care who! Come and face me! Come and face the great Lu Bu!"


 * End of his Musou Mode, Dynasty Warriors 6


 * "You shall face the might of the greatest warrior in the land!"


 * Dynasty Tactics


 * "The great Lu Bu will join you! The world is all but ours now!"


 * Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI

Ground Moveset

 * undefined: Two advancing fiery swings and then a ground stomp that knock everyone in a certain area away, breaks guard, and invincible for the duration.
 * , undefined: An upward strike with the butt of the spear.
 * ,, undefined: Swings halberd around Lu Bu 360 degrees multiple times, and then swings right to left, and slams the halberd butt first into the ground making a shockwave.
 * ,, , undefined: A quick, powerful, advancing right to left swing that knock everyone it hit back
 * ,, , , undefined: Lu Bu swings upward creating a massive energy explosion that knocks victims into the air.
 * ,, , , , undefined: Several extremely quick slashes, then plunges spear into the ground making a shockwave.
 * Lu Bu repeatedly spinning around in a downward right direction, bringing a stiff halberd down with each jump. Ended with Lu Bu slamming his halberd into the ground, creating a wide-ranged shockwave.
 * , : Jump, then upward slash.
 * , undefined: Lu Bu jumps, then flips onto the ground creating an earthquake. Then lashes out his halberd to the right.

Horse Moveset

 * undefined: Lu Bu 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 ∞): Keeps his weapon as a cross as he slashes and twirls it six times. Performs a quick stab with one of the blades' ends and follows with two stronger swings. Waves his weapon in a criss-cross motion in front of him, sending seven x-shaped airwaves forward.
 * undefined string (Renbu ∞): Uplifting slash with blades together. Separates them for a dual downwards cut. Connects them again for another rising smash. Hurls a x-shaped airwave. Finishes by bashing the ground with the middle section of his connected weapon.
 * undefined (held): Hurls his connected weapon a great distance in front of him. Hits foes as it flies forward and returns to Lu Bu. Lu Bu will not move until his weapon is returned to him or if he is hit.
 * Series of swings with his weapon connected and detached. Ends with him hurling his weapon around him in a 360 radius. It flies for six rotations before he catches it with one hand. The weapon will not hit people who are too close to him.


 * , : Downwards swing. All four blade tips cut at once.
 * , undefined: Hovers into the air and separates both blades. Plunges them into the earth as he lands.
 * Dashing : Simple swing that sends a x-shaped airwave forward.
 * Dashing undefined: Lifts both arms in the air, hops, and smashes the ground with one of his blade's ends. If you press undefined when he smashes the ground, he will two-hand uppercut from the lower left to the upper right.


 * Grapple attack : Plunges the connecting part of his weapon forward. If he connects, he lifts his foe and throws them on the ground behind him.
 * Grapple attack undefined: Turning rising slash. If he connects, he juggles his enemy atop his weapon. He spins it one handed, cutting them with his weapon's blades like a blender. Finishes by harshly swinging to the right, hurling his opponent forward.
 * Deadlock attack: Stabs one of his blades into his foe, spins them with one halberd still attached to the chest, reconnects his halberd, and performs an X-slash.


 * Special attack: Swift Attack: immediately boosts Lu Bu's Renbu gauge up to the Infinite Renbu and grants higher attack and defense power. When used at low, red health, the effects of Swift Attack increase. Makes him similar to his frightfully strong CPU counterpart.

Horse Moveset

 * string: Quick twirling swings to the right. Number of strikes is determined by the Renbu gauge.
 * undefined: Separates both blades. With a blade in each hand, he simultaneously cuts foes on both sides of his saddle.
 * faster version of the string that ends with a undefined attack.

Dynasty Warriors
His weapon, a large halberd he calls the "Sky Scorcher", is also deadlier than almost every other weapon due to its long reach, wide range and massive rate of damage.

In Dynasty Warriors 6, Lu Bu wields a stylized double voulge which can separate into two double edged spears. He has excellent crowd control and dueling. He can practically plow through any obstacle and is especially deadly with an infinite Renbu gauge. He is the only character in the game who is limited to one Special Tome.

Weapons

 * See also: Lu Bu/Weapons

Historical information
Lü Bu was a military general and minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. According to the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was a master in horse riding, archery, and armed combat, and was thus known as the Flying General. His image as a handsome and mighty warrior wielding a Ji (halberd) on top of his steed Red Hare was later popularized by the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Besides being matchless on the battlefield, Lü Bu was also notorious for having betrayed his guardians, Dong Zhuo and Ding Yuan. However, in actuality, he was not the adoptive son of Ding Yuan. Contrary to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, Lü Bu did not face the Three Sworn Brothers all at once in the Battle of Hulao Pass.

Lü Bu did not betray Dong Zhuo because of Diāo Chán. Dong Zhuo once threw a halberd at Lu Bu and often got angry at him. Lǚ Bù also had an affair with one of his master's maids, which made him anxious. Wang Yun eventually incited Lü Bu to betray him.

Lü Bu was eventually defeated and captured by Cáo Cāo in the city of Xià Pī and hanged afterwards at Liu Bei's suggestion. Having little trust in the capricious character, Cáo Cāo had Lü Bu strangled despite his pledge of service.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Lu Bu was said to be a master of all of the martial arts, a crack shot with the bow, and a peerless rider. His most major flaws were his impatience and his temper, and he preferred action to talk and diplomacy, and made a rather poor general and politician. The adopted son of Ding Yuan, he led the army that his stepfather brought to oppose the usurping Dong Zhuo. Before the negotiations even ended, Lu Bu got impatient and with a yell he charged alone into Dong Zhuo's front line, causing the panicked infantry to flee. The fat tyrant realized that he would never defeat Ding Yuan so long as Lu Bu served him. Li Su, a general under Dong Zhuo and a fellow villager of Lü Bu, then volunteered to persuade the formidable warrior to defect. Bringing along a famous steed named the Red Hare, a thousand taels of gold, dozens of pearls and a jade belt (which would amount to a $1,000,000 bribe in today's market), Li Su came to see Lü Bu, who was encamped outside the city. It did not take much persuasion to convince Lü Bu to betray his master, who felt that his career was going nowhere under Ding Yuan. That very night, Lü Bu carried a sword into the tent of Ding Yuan, who was reading under the candlelight. Ding Yuan questioned him as to why he was holding the sword. Quickly sensing that Lü Bu had switched sides, Ding Yuan tried to escape but was unsuccessful.

With a stroke of his sword Lü Bu cut down his master and father's head, which he brought to Dong Zhuo the next morning. Lü Bu then took Dong Zhuo as his new adoptive father, who was overjoyed and showered his newly adopted son with more gifts. The constant presence of Lü Bu at his side deterred future assassins. For his personal safety, Dong Zhuo relied heavily on Lü Bu, who had by then been promoted to Knight General. The son would be seen beside the father almost all the time. Lu Bu would serve as the vanguard of the army to supress the rebellion called by Cao Cao. He personally held off the coalition at the Battle of Hulao Pass, even fighting a mounted duel against Zhang Fei, Guan Yu and Liu Bei before having to retreat.

Battle with Three Heroes at Hulao Pass
Since he placed the puppet Emperor Xian in the throne, Dong Zhuo's tyrannical and cruel ways had angered many warlords around the country. The warlords formed a coalition under Yuan Shao in 190 and came for Dong Zhuo in the capital Luoyang to vanquish him.

However, they were stopped at Hulao Pass, 50 li from Luoyang. Riding forth on his Red Hare, his halberd in hand, dressed in the finest silver armor and wearing a twin pheasent-tail headpiece, Lü Bu taunted for challengers to duel him. Every warrior who came within range of his halberd were either maimed horribly or met a swift, bloody death. Amid the chaotic screams of panic and death, Lü Bu heard a loud, bass voice call him a "bastard slave with three last names". Wielding his Eight-Zhang Serpent Spear, Zhang Fei shouted the insult at Lü Bu to get his attention and galloped out to fight him. Zhang Fei was said to have wielded the strength of a hundred men in battle, but he struggled against Lü Bu for more than fifty bouts,either side unable to gain an advantage. Then Guan Yu, brandishing his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, dashed out to assist his brother. The three fighters were engaged in another thirty bouts, but still Lü Bu held his ground. Then Liu Bei, holding up his Dual Swords, also joined the battle.

Like a merry-go-round, the three brothers galloped in a circle caging Lü Bu inside, who finally began to tire. Whenever Lü Bu tried to attack one, the other two would ride in and attack his exposed flanks forcing him back on the defensive, and soon he became exhausted. Unable to face the combined efforts of his three opponents at once, Lü Bu then made a feign at Liu Bei, whose martial ability he determined was the least of the three, and retreated through the resulting gap back to the pass gate. The Trio chased after Lü Bu but due to the speed of Red Hare, his horse, they could not keep up with him. However they abandoned the chase after they spotted Dong Zhuo and then pursued him unsuccessfully.

Romance with Diao Chan and Slaying Dong Zhuo
After Dong Zhuo moved the capital to the more strategically sound Chang'an, Minister of Interior Wang Yun started to contemplate a plot to assassinate the tyrant by using Diao Chan, a song girl who was brought up in his household but whom he treated like his own daughter, to plant the seed of dissension between Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu.

Inviting Lü Bu over one night, Wang Yun asked Diao Chan to serve wine to the guest. Lü Bu was immediately left speeachless by the girl's beauty. Well aware of this, Wang Yun then promised to marry Diao Chan to the mighty warrior.

A few days later, however, Wang Yun laid a feast for Dong Zhuo and repeated the feat. Like Lü Bu, Dong Zhuo could not lift his eyes off Diao Chan, who also displayed her prowess in song and dance. Dong Zhuo then brought Diao Chan home and made her his concubine.

When Lü Bu heard about this the next morning, he headed for Dong Zhuo's bedroom and peeped in through the window. There he saw Diao Chan sitting up grooming her hair while Dong Zhuo was still asleep. Seeing Lü Bu's reflection in the pond near the window, Diao Chan then put up a sorrowful expression and pretended to wipe tears off her eyes with a handkerchief.

When Dong Zhuo fell sick a month later, Lü Bu took the chance to see Diao Chan on the pretext of asking after Dong Zhuo's health, but this time Dong Zhuo woke up in time to see Lü Bu staring fixedly at Diao Chan. The arrogant and ungrateful Dong Zhuo then had Lü Bu shoved out and forbidden to enter the inner chambers henceforth.

Then one day, while Dong Zhuo was holding a conversation with Emperor Xian, Lü Bu stole to his adoptive father's residence and met with Diao Chan in the Fengyi Pavilion. Weeping, Diao Chan pled with Lü Bu to rescue her from Dong Zhuo vowing to drown herself in the pond rather than spend another minute with the horrid tyrant. Taken in by Diao Chan's act, Lü Bu placed his halberd aside and held Diao Chan in his arms while comforting her with promises for her rescue.

Back at the palace, Dong Zhuo realized that Lü Bu had slipped away. Returning to his residence, he found the Red Hare horse outside and realized that Lü Bu had gone against his orders and reentered the inner chambers. In a huff, Dong Zhuo entered his residence to find the duo in the pavilion. The startled Lü Bu turned to flee, forgetting to retrieve his halberd in the process. Dong Zhuo grabbed the halberd and gave chase. Being too obese, Dong Zhuo could not catch up with the agile Lü Bu. He then hurled the halberd at Lü Bu but the latter fended it off and got away.

After the incident, Lü Bu was becoming increasingly (and understandably) fed up with Dong Zhuo's egotistical arrogance. This displeasure was further enticed by Wang Yun, who suggested subtly that Lü Bu take Dong Zhuo's life. Lü Bu attempted (weakly) to argue for Dong Zhuo's paternal relationship to himself, but Wang Yun dismissed it, saying, "His surname is Dong and yours is Lü. Where were the paternal feelings when he threw that halberd at you?" Upon this, Lü Bu decided that he'd had enough and made up his mind to kill Dong Zhuo.

The conspirators then sent Li Su to fetch Dong Zhuo from his castle in the county of Mei under the pretense that the emperor intended to abdicate the throne to the warlord. Despite repeated ill omens, the overjoyed Dong Zhuo came to the palace gate, where his troops were barred from entering. As Dong Zhuo's carriage neared the palace building, soldiers loyal to Wang Yun surrounded the carriage and stabbed Dong Zhuo with spears.

Dong was however injured only in the arms due to the breastplate he had taken the caution to wear that day. He then cried out for Lü Bu, giving him a "Imperial order to slay the traitor!". Unfortunately for Dong Zhuo, he was impaled in the throat by Lü Bu's halberd like a wild pig, while Lü Bu sarcastically proclaimed, "Then by Imperial order I'll slay the traitor!" It was said that Lü Bu not only skewered his stepfather, but also the carriage as well, with the bloody tip of his halberd sticking out the back. Not content with this slaughter, Lu Bu called for the death of Li Ru as well.

Days of exile
After the death of Dong Zhuo, rumors spread that the court intended to execute all his former troops from Liangzhou (涼州). When a royal decree of pardon was not issued, former subjects of Dong Zhuo, Li Jue and Guo Si, staged a coup and defeated Lü Bu within ten days. Escaping from Chang'an, Lü Bu went to Yuan Shu in Yangzhou (楊州). Deterred by Lü Bu's fickleness, however, Yuan Shu declined to keep him.

Lü Bu then headed north to seek a position under Yuan Shao. Having been given some troops by the northern warlord, Lü Bu successfully flushed out the bandit army under Zhang Yan. However, with his own force growing in strength, Lü Bu was beginning to seem like a threat to Yuan Shao. Sensing this himself, Lü Bu then bid his short-term master farewell. Yuan Shao sent assassins after Lü Bu but it was for naught; Lü Bu managed to slip away.

In 194, while Cao Cao was away on a campaign against Tao Qian in Xuzhou (徐州), his subjects Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled and handed Yanzhou (兗州) to Lü Bu. When Cao Cao heard the news, he quickly turned back and laid siege on Lü Bu in Puyang. After more than a hundred days of stalemate, a famine breakout forced Lü Bu to give up his position.

Occupation of Xuzhou
Thinking that by forcing Cao Cao's retreat from Xuzhou he had done it a favor, Lü Bu then headed for Xiapi to take refuge under Liu Bei, who was Xuzhou's governor. He often referred to Liu Bei as "little brother" which Liu Bei's Oath Brothers, particuarly Zhang Fei, found disrespectful. In 196, however, after a number of misunderstandings (many caused by the resentful Zhang Fei), Lü Bu turned on his host and took over Xiapi, proclaiming himself the governor and sending Liu Bei to the nearby town of Xiaopei (小沛, present day Pei County, Anhui).

In the same year, Yuan Shu sent a force led by Ji Ling to attack Liu Bei. Fearing that the defeat of Liu Bei would expose his backdoor to Yuan Shu, Lü Bu made camp south of Xiaopei and brought Ji Ling and Liu Bei together. The Flying General then had a halberd erected at the campground gate. Urging peace between both parties, Lü Bu extracted their promises to withdraw troops if he could hit the sharp tongue of the halberd with an arrow. From afar, Lü Bu fired a shot and the missile came in squarely on its target. Awed by such mastery in archery, the two sides then held true to their words.

To ward off the expansion of Cao Cao's power, Yuan Shu then offered to ally with Lü Bu. Lü Bu initially agreed but soon regretted. He even sent men to retrieve his daughter Lingqi, who was on her way to be married to Yuan Shu's son. She was the daughter of Lady Yan, Lü Bu's first wife. Lü Bu also imprisoned Yuan Shu's envoy and sent the captive to Cao Cao as a token of friendship.

Lü Bu's downfall
In 198, Cao Cao and Liu Bei formed a short-term alliance and laid siege on Lü Bu in Xiapi. The siege dragged on for two months without significant gains. Two advisors to Cao Cao, Xun Yu and Guo Jia, then suggested flooding the city with water from the Yi River (沂水) and Si River (泗水).

As the water level rose and submerged the city gates, Lü Bu's subjects rushed to inform their leader, but Lü Bu dismissed the threat on account that his Red Hare could run as well in water as on land. Thereupon he returned to his wine cups and consorts. However, heavy indulgence in alcohol and women had wasted his health away such that one day Lü Bu looked into the mirror and found himself looking thin and pallid. Making the resolution to quit drinking, Lü Bu then passed an order for all within the city to keep off wine.

One day, Hou Cheng, an officer under Lü Bu, caught a defector who attempted to steal fifty horses and give it to the enemy. Hou Cheng then prepared barrels of wine to celebrate with his colleagues. Fearing wrath of Lü Bu, he then had five bottles sent to his superior to appease the latter, which turned out to a terrible mistake. Seeing the bottles of wine, Lü Bu was enraged at the opposition to his alcoholic ban, and had Hou Cheng thrashed sixty times as punishment.

The unhappy Hou Cheng then plotted with two colleagues, Song Xian and Wei Xu, to betray Lü Bu to the enemy. Under the cover of the night Hou Cheng stole Lü Bu's Red Hare and galloped out of the only gate not submerged in water towards Cao Cao's camp.

The next morning, Cao Cao's troops launched a fierce attack on the city. Lü Bu had to personally take part in the defense of the walls. The battle dragged into high noon and the attackers backed off for a rest. The exhausted Lü Bu then slept in a guardhouse on top of the wall.

Taking the opportunity, Song Xian and Wei Xu very carefully tied Lü Bu with chains and hoisted a white flag. The two also threw Lü Bu's halberd down the wall as proof. Seeing the signals, Cao Cao's troops then poured into the city and seized it in no time.

After he had been captured he was taken in front of Cao Cao. Lü Bu attempted to appease Cao Cao, claiming that together, they would conquer China and the world beyond easily. Cao Cao, who had a penchant for recruiting powerful officers, was nearly swayed. To reinforce his point, Lü Bu then tried to get Liu Bei to plea for him. Liu Bei, however, had seen through him, and said to Cao Cao, "Don't you remember what happened to Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo?" Although Lu Bu threatened to kill Liu Bei like a dog for this, it turned out to be his last words, and Cao Cao then had Lü Bu strangled and then beheaded.

Trivia

 * In the hints section for Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI, Lu Bu is the only character who will insult the player for being incompetent. He explains methods for winning duels.
 * Lu Bu's style name, Fengxian, when broken into seprate characters means "Immortal Phoenix".