Pang Tong

Pang Tong (rōmaji: Hō Tō) is a short lived strategist for Liu Bei. He is sometimes addressed as "The Fledgling Phoenix", the clashing opposite of the "Sleeping Dragon". Although he is a talented strategist, his odd appearance and snide personality were said to repulse the lords in the Three Kingdoms era.

The Dynasty Warriors series states his character's age as 32 years old and his height is 160 cm (almost 5'3"). He is forty-fourth place in Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll.

In Kessen II, his character's height is 165 cm (close to 5'5").

Role in Games

 * "You soar above us like a glorious phoenix!"
 * ―Ina; Warriors Orochi

Dynasty Warriors
Known as a genius who matches Zhuge Liang's intelligence, Pang Tong joins the resistance against Wei sometime before Chi Bi. In most of the games, he works as a mole within Cao Cao's army at Chi Bi and suggests for the boats to be chained together. His tactics increases the damage of the imperative fire attack. Formally joining Liu Bei soon after, he is the one who suggests for his liege to attack Liu Zhang. Unless players are playing his story or they neglect his safety at Cheng Du, Pang Tong often dies due to Zhang Ren's ambush.

His Legend Mode in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends has him challenge Zhuge Liang for the title of the army's master strategist. Even with Pang Tong's genius, he is still only seen as "second best" to his colleague. Hoping to prove his worth in their battle, he wants to demonstrate that he is truly better than Zhuge Liang.

Dynasty Warriors 5 describes Pang Tong as a scholar who once studied with Zhuge Liang. He was first recruited by Wu but his dull countenance and eccentric appearance made him unpopular. Before the Battle of Chi Bi, he went to Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, who knows his colleague's talents, invited him under his sovereign's service. At Chi Bi, he knocks out the central boats connecting the armies together, gathering Cao Cao's army in one place. His plans gained him recognition and he becomes the main commander at Jing Province in place of Zhuge Liang. Claiming a resounding victory at Cheng Du, Pang Tong sees their chance to expand and directs Liu Bei to capture Han Zhong at the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun. With the Shu kingdom established, Liu Bei suddenly passes away with his ambitions unfulfilled. Touched by his lord's vision, Pang Tong works together with his fellow strategist to fulfill it. After the Nanman tribe surrenders, both geniuses decide to take out both kingdoms at once. Zhuge Liang engages Wei at Wu Zhang Plains and Pang Tong leads the simultaneous defense against Wu at Bai Di Castle. Both strategists are victorious in their campaigns and the land is united under Shu. Pang Tong lives the rest of his life upholding his lord's dream of a land at peace.

In the Xtreme Legends expansion, Pang Tong shares his Legend Mode with Zhang Jiao and Zuo Ci. A year before the Yellow Turban Rebellion takes place, the three men compete to obtain the mystical book, The Way of Peace.

He continues to act as a contributing figure in Chi Bi and Cheng Du in the sixth title. In Wei's version of Chi Bi, he chains Wei's boats together and defects later in the battle. If Zhuge Liang is defeated, Pang Tong acts as his substitute and calls upon the winds. Players may choose to keep him alive in his other battle.

As opposed to attacking Cheng Du like other titles, Liu Bei absolutely refuses to listen to Pang Tong's advise in Dynasty Warriors 7 and forbids his men from attacking Liu Zhang. Whether his lord agrees to the attack or not, the strategist knows the people of Yi Province are in support of Liu Bei and feels it's necessary to remove Liu Zhang. Respecting Liu Bei's wish to avoid attacking Cheng Du at least, Pang Tong instead covertly gathers a small group of supporters to attack Liu Zhang's home at Luo Castle. Both he and Fa Zheng coordinate the troops for the battle. Pang Tong suffers an arrow wound by Zhang Ren's soldiers while passing through the southern valley, but he perseveres for Liu Zhang's retreat. After they take the castle, Liu Bei begins to state his protest but is quickly startled to hear the citizens' grateful cheers. Pang Tong passes away from his wounds soon after, entrusting his duty as strategist to Zhuge Liang.

Pang Tong's first Legendary Mode has him attack Luo Castle by himself, pushing through Liu Zhang's army using brute force. He has a chance to defy his death by defeating Zhang Ren and claims victory once Wu Yi is defeated. His second Legendary Mode has him and Zhuge Liang unite their talents to defeat Cao Cao and his army sometime after Chi Bi.

Warriors Orochi
In the first game, Pang Tong appears in Wei's story as a strategist for Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan. He sends engineers to build a bridge over a nearby river to lead directly into the enemy main camp. If this plan is thwarted, he will retreat to the stone sentinel maze with an ambush party, creating clones of himself to confuse the player. If confronted with Cao Pi, he will claim that he's not willing to work for Orochi. When Cao Pi stresses that he wants Pang Tong to work for him, Pang Tong agrees. He is among the officers who appear in Wei's ending to support Cao Pi over Cao Cao.

Pang Tong stays with Wei in Warriors Orochi 2. He stays with Cao Pi to defend the main headquarters and springs into action when Kiyomori and the newly resurrected Orochi attack them. To counter the Orochi army offensive, Pang Tong circles around the main actions on the battlefield and forces the enemy troops to crowd in the center. He then unleashes a fire attack on them, dropping the morale of Kiyomori's troops. Zhang Jiao and Zuo Ci team with him for their dream stage. They desire to prove the superiority of sorcery to the ninpo (ninja magic) from Nene's army. He is the one who reveals the hidden Kunoichi on the field.

Warriors Orochi Z has him participate in another dream stage with San Zang and Toshiie. He supports both of them at Anegawa.

Pleased with Orochi's second defeat, Pang Tong retired for years and sought to live a life of solitude in Warriors Orochi 3. Wanting to once again have his talents for their cause, Zhuge Liang and his party later locate the strategist heavily surrounded by the serpent forces at Komaki-Nagakute. Once the small group of reinforcements rescue him, Pang Tong quickly initiates the fire attack he planned in advance to reverse the tide of battle to their favor. Realizing that the wars are not over, Pang Tong reluctantly leaves his days of leisure to assist the coalition.

Kessen
In Kessen II, Pang Tong is introduced as Zhuge Liang's brother-in-law. Unlike his Dynasty Warriors counterpart, he doesn't wear a mask and is portrayed as a young, intelligent slacker who loves to drink. After he joins, he acts as a cunning military and political adviser. He is a good magician but doesn't have a strong military stat or defense. To balance out his strength, he usually leads an archery unit and acts as a secondary general for Liu Bei, Sun Li, or Mei Sanniang. He may also swear brotherhood with Ma Su.

Personality
Nihilistic, vain, and sometimes smarmy, Pang Tong is someone who spares sweet talk and stays focused on the heart of the matter. While he seeks practical solutions that grants the best results, his blunt statements may sometimes make him unpopular with others. Even so, his heart is in the right place and he is a bit playful; with each little insult that he may let slip, Pang Tong mends it with well-meaning advice. While he may not always show it, he is just as loyal to his liege as any other member within Liu Bei's army. In the Asian script, he speaks in a particularly sleazy and loose tone with an archaic dialect.

He is good friends with Zhuge Liang and is one of the few in Shu who can talk as his intellectual equal. He sympathizes with Wei Yan and encourages his companion to stay true to his beliefs. During the Warriors Orochi series, he grows fond of Cao Pi and praises the younger man's accomplishments. He also offers special praise to Hanzō, Kunoichi, Mitsunari, Yoshimoto, and Hanbei.

Character Symbolism
In the Japanese version of Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires, Pang Tong is given the nickname of "Intellectual Black Bird" while the English version changes it to "The Phoenix of Chaos". As a dominant ruler in Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, he calls his five greatest warriors the "Five Phoenix Generals".

His original name for his Level 11 Weapon is named after Fenghuang, a mythological beast originating from China. Though identified as the "Chinese phoenix", it is actually closer to a chimera by definition since its body is composed of various body parts of other animals. Commonly known as the lord of all birds and a wind god, its feathers grant living beings the power to become rulers of the land. It is a positive entity of power, benevolence, virtue, and justice often paired with the dragon. A guardian beast for rulers, it ensures prosperity for an era's rule if it is seen beside a person of power. Princes who are highly intelligent are also said to have been born with a fenghuang's protection. The fenghuang is a member of the Four Spirits whom once protected the Jade Emperor's gardens, working together with the Qilin (a tiger-like beast standing for faith), Ling'gui (tortoise who displayed good or bad fortunes), and Yinglong (dragon who foretold changes). The Four Spirits are said to either be the inspiration or deviation of the Four Gods in mythology due to their similar characteristics. As a side note, the fenghuang is also a symbol for Wei within the Dynasty Warriors series.

Pang Tong's weapons are usually named after elements of the wind or illusions, which continues for the Asian ports of Dynasty Warriors 6. His third, fourth, and Standard weapons mention a wind god in their titles, but it's not clear if it alludes to wind gods in general (風神, fuujin or kaze no kami) or Fuujin (風神), a Japanese elemental spirit. Fuujin is depicted as either an ominous supernatural entity or a god working together with his opposite, Raijin. He is usually depicted as a demonic man carrying a sack of wind over his shoulders. If he was angered, Fuujin would ride the currents of the wind and enter a person's orifices. Once inside, he would exhale a yellow tinted breeze from his mouth. During medieval Japan, it was believed foul stenches or the extreme temperatures of seasonal weather could enter a person's internals and make them sick; thus, Fuujin is known mainly as an entity that spreads illness. The phrase for warning someone of the common cold in Japanese, "[You'll] catch a cold" (風邪を引く, Kaze wo hiku), dates from the Edo Period and refers to this ancient belief of infections.

His personal item in Warriors Orochi is originally named "Water Mirror Silk". Water Mirror is the Taoist name for Sima Hui, a hermit who shared close ties with Pang Tong and his father. The particular silk awarded to Pang Tong is famous for having a glossy and shimmering shine to it, a prized fabric for collectors.

Voice Actors

 * Richard Cansino - Dynasty Warriors 4~7, Warriors Orochi series (English-uncredited)
 * Yun Se Wung - Dynasty Warriors 3 (Korean)
 * Kim Jang - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (Korean)
 * Takahiro Kawachi - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Toshio Furukawa - Kessen II (Japanese), Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CD series

Quotes

 * See also: Pang Tong/Quotes


 * "The land is in chaos. There is no justice or virtue here."
 * "I don't like the looks of this place. If we get ambushed..."
 * "To be honest, I am astounded. I did not think you to be so powerful..."
 * "See? There you go again! Talking down to people... That's one thing I really don't like about you..."
 * "I see... So you are determined to fight me..."
 * "Sure... Let's determine who's better... once and for all..."
 * Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong; Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends


 * "Surrounded at Fallen Phoenix Hill? The enemy seems to have a sense of humor. The problem is, I have no intention of falling just yet. I'll see you on the side of the hill!"
 * Pang Tong at Cheng Du before the ambush; Dynasty Warriors 5


 * "Ah... So, you control the winds. Still, with your little wings, you shall never reach the heavens. Come with me. Leave behind your worldly desires. Let the peace of the heavens enfold you."
 * "Nah, that's not for me. Sitting back and just watching events unfold? How boring can you get? Down here is where I want to soar. And I plan to fly as far as these wings will take me."
 * Zuo Ci and Pang Tong; Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends


 * "Well, well well! Look at what we have here! Are you lost? You didn't really think you could pass through so easily through a road like this?"
 * "I work for a greater purpose! ...It is even a purpose I will risk my life for!"
 * Zhang Ren ambushing Pang Tong; Dynasty Warriors 6


 * "So you're the one they call the Fledgling Phoenix, huh?"
 * "Eh, I've been called lots of things. Some more complimentary than others..."
 * Mitsunari and Pang Tong; Warriors Orochi


 * "There's a lot more to you than I thought, isn't there."
 * "Flattery will get you nowhere with me, young lady."
 * Kunoichi and Pang Tong; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "Ah, gathering information on the enemy, I see. Nice work. Having spies as capable as you makes it easy for us strategists to formulate tactics."
 * "I meant that as a compliment. Don't you have anything to say in response?"
 * Pang Tong and Hanzō; Warriors Orochi 3
 * Pang Tong and Hanzō; Warriors Orochi 3

Gameplay

 * See also: Pang Tong/Movesets

Dynasty Warriors 7
Pang Tong is affiliated with the shaman rod in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. When he performs his musous, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack: ,,,,undefined,undefined: Takes a swig of wine, spits forward a torrent of fire from his mouth and stumbles around drunkenly a few moments afterward.
 * Sky Surfer: : Rides on his rod and flies forward with a flaming aura, sweeping all enemies in the way.
 * Power Nap: R1 + : Yawns, lies on the ground, scratches his back a few times with his staff and as he gets up knocks his opponents back with a blast of air. Heals a bit of Pang Tong's health.

His moveset has been changed in Warriors Orochi 3.
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Dynasty Warriors
Pang Tong is portrayed similarly to Zhang Jiao as a crouched, staff-wielding mystic, but he fights in a very odd, bouncing manner similar to a primate. He is the only character in Dynasty Warriors 4 to have a built-in Wind element. He also seems to be quite acrobatic with attacks as if he is trying to mimic a monkey. Many people say he is rather useless but despite this, his C3 from the fourth and fifth titles is quick and very useful for slipping behind people to attack past their guard. His musou attack is also an amazing crowd clearer as of in the fourth game, where as in his first appearance, his True Musou had difficulties connecting with the final blow.

Weapons

 * See also: Pang Tong/Weapons

Big Star Weapons
Pang Tong uses the following big star weapons in the game.
 * Staff of Refinement
 * Staff of Wisdom
 * Crooner (DLC)

Historical Information
Pang Tong was an adviser to Liu Bei during the Later Han period of China. Unlike the portrayal in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Pang Tong did not defect to Cao Cao's forces during the battle of ChiBi, nor scheme the chaining and burning of Cao Cao's fleet. Also, he did not advise Liu Bei to assassinate Liu Zhang, or Wei Yan to kill Liu Zhang at a banquet.

Pang Tong was appointed as an Attendant Official, but proved to be a terrible administrator. Instead, Pang Tong was given rank as Master of the Army, holding authority and proceeding over military discipline, strategy, and administration.

His most famous deed was recommending Liu Bei to follow one of three plans to seize the city of Yizhou: 1.) Request an audience with Yang Huai and Gao Pei, defenders of Boshui Pass, to leave for Jing, then arrest and kill them to gain control of their armies, 2.) Launch a surprise attack on the city, or, 3.) Go back to Jing and decide to seize Yizhou at another time. Of these, Pang Tong favored the second and thought the worst of the third, yet Liu Bei adopted the first plan. After finishing the tasks and absorbing Yang Huai and Gao Pei's armies, Liu Bei went on to besiege the city of Luo. During the siege, Pang Tong was killed by a stray arrow at the age of 36.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Pang Tong was a strategist of Liu Bei and old friend and rival of Zhuge Liang. He at first served Sun Quan where much regard was placed on him by Zhou Yu, and by pretending to defect to the enemy during the battle of Chibi, he was able to convince Cao Cao to chain his ships together, ensuring his defeat. During the engagements, Pang Tong was also able to give Liu Bei's first military adviser, Xu Shu a plan to escape the inevitable slaughter of Cao Cao's fleet. After Zhou Yu's death, Lu Su recommended him to Sun Quan as a replacement strategist, but he came off as ugly and arrogant, so he was not made strategist, after which he fled to Liu Bei with the help of Lu Su, where he was given a menial administrative role, and spent all his time drinking rather than working.

When Zhang Fei heard of this, he was furious and went to see him along with Sun Qian. Zhang Fei was determined to cut down Pang Tong on the spot but Sun Qian convinced him to hear out Pang Tong. It turned out that Pang Tong's skill was so great that he solved all administrative issues right in front of his startled guests, who reported this back to Liu Bei, who had been given advice by Zhuge Liang to not put him in any menial role, and Pang Tong was immediately promoted to a strategist role, where he aided Zhuge Liang in the plot to take the Riverlands. Liu Bei gave him a favorite horse for the invasion. However, he was killed during the battle by arrows launched by the troops of by Zhang Ren, which inspired Liu Bei to fight to avenge his death.

Trivia

 * His nickname with Japanese fans is usually "Sensei" (先生) but changes to "Mothra" (モスラ) with his Dynasty Warriors 6 designs.

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