Choose your officer below to follow their seven-stage Musou story through to the ending in DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered. This walkthrough covers Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, Xiahou Dun, Huang Gai, Sun Shangxiang, and Diaochan. Start with an officer already available in your character selection screen; their unlock conditions and rare weapon hunts are outside this story guide.
Before entering a familiar battle, check which army your officer is fighting for. At Yiling, Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei attack Sun Quan, while Huang Gai and Sun Shangxiang attack Liu Bei. Diaochan’s Hulao Gate has four enemy leaders to defeat. Xiahou Dun’s version only requires Dong Zhuo. The route table gives the chapter order; the battle sections explain these changes in target.
Starting Musou Mode and preparing your weapons
Select Musou Mode, choose your officer, and open Equipment before starting the battle. For a first run with the remaster’s additions, use Normal Settings under System, Game Settings, Game System. Classic Settings changes a group of options together. Normal Settings includes conveniences such as Automatic Item Pickup and Dismount While Moving; it is separate from the battle difficulty you choose.
Enable Evasion in Game System to use Perfect Evasion/Counterattack. With the PlayStation button prompts shown in the Tips screen, press R2 at the moment an incoming attack would hit. A successful dodge slows time; press Square during that opening to counterattack. The counterattack needs this second input. Perfect Evasion cannot be used against enemy Musou Attacks or mounted attacks, so give Lu Bu room when he uses those moves.
Enable Perfect Power Guard separately in Game System if you want to use it. With the Xbox button prompts, its Tips screen shows X: press it just before the enemy’s attack connects to parry, counterattack, and briefly stun the enemy. Follow the displayed prompt for your current control layout rather than substituting the ordinary Guard button.
Before the next chapter, open Equipment, Weapon Fusion. Choose the unwanted weapon as material first, then choose the weapon you want to keep. On the comparison screen, the material appears on the left and the receiving weapon on the right. Select the elements or skills to transfer, check the right-hand weapon and its resulting properties, then choose Next. The left-hand weapon is consumed when the fusion completes.
For Huang Gai, an Iron Rod can supply Attack +4 and Reach +4 to a Steel Rod. Select those two properties and keep the Steel Rod on the right. The resulting Steel Rod retains its base Attack +31 and Max Hits 5, with Attack +4 and Reach +4 listed as additional effects. This transfers the selected properties; it does not turn the Steel Rod into a higher-rank weapon.
In battle, open Unit Info, select the named officer in the unit list, and check that unit’s highlighted location on the map. Enemy officers belong to units; defeating a Unit Commander makes its affiliated officers retreat. Concentrate on a commander blocking a gate or attacking your allied leader. If a gate still appears closed, use History to find its opening announcement, then check the passage itself. The fort directions below refer to the edges of the battle minimap, rather than the direction your officer is facing.
The six story routes in order
Each of these routes has seven story stages. Shared battle names do not imply shared objectives. The stage number is useful when you resume a saved story: Zhao Yun’s Yiling is stage five, but Jiang Wei reaches it at stage three.
The opening missions: rescue, bandits, and Hulao Gate
Changban: keep Liu Bei in the battle
Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei begin at Changban. Defeat Cao Cao while keeping Liu Bei alive and on the battlefield. Liu Bei retreating also causes defeat, so treating this as a simple escort to an exit will cost you the mission. Locate Liu Bei in Unit Info, remove pursuing officers close to him, and move toward Cao Cao when you have relieved that pressure. Watch the arrival of Cao Cao’s main force before riding away to collect drops.
If you fall during Zhao Yun’s opening, use Retry on the Battle Results screen. Changban can fail while you are still fighting elsewhere, so a retry should change your priorities: clear the officers threatening Liu Bei sooner, then pursue Cao Cao. Grinding a large K.O. count while your commander retreats does not satisfy the victory condition.
Sun Shangxiang’s Mountain Bandit Campaign
Sun Shangxiang starts with a thirty-minute mission to save peasants from bandits. Victory requires the Commander and all Lt. Commanders to be defeated. You lose if Sun Shangxiang falls or all peasants are lost. Move between the attacked village areas, defeat the commanding bandits there, and use Unit Info to locate the remaining Lt. Commanders before taking on the main Commander. An early fight with one bandit leader does not finish the stage.
Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Allied Hulao route
Huang Gai and Xiahou Dun first fight for the Imperial Forces. Defeat Zhang Jiao and keep He Jin alive. Once the story moves to Hulao Gate, the Allied victory target becomes Dong Zhuo; Yuan Shao is the allied commander to protect.
Hulao Gate: Allied and Diaochan objectives
Huang Gai can work through Hua Xiong and Xu Rong before approaching Dong Zhuo. Lu Bu’s appearance is dangerous, but defeating him is not the Allied victory requirement. If he intercepts you, create distance and continue toward Dong Zhuo when the road allows it. Huang Gai’s story can clear Hulao Gate without defeating Lu Bu. Save that duel for a stronger officer if it is repeatedly ending your run.
Diaochan starts on Dong Zhuo’s side, so the Allied shortcut does not apply. Her victory condition requires Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei all to be defeated while Dong Zhuo survives. Locate those four leaders in Unit Info and check which remain after each fight. Do not head for Dong Zhuo as if he were the boss of this route.
Huang Gai’s Liu Biao mission
After Hulao Gate, Huang Gai goes to Liu Biao’s Surprise Attack. Follow the attack through the settlement and into the enclosed courtyard where Liu Biao is fighting. Defeat Liu Biao to finish the mission, then prepare for Chibi. This chapter belongs between Hulao Gate and Chibi; it is not part of Sun Shangxiang’s story order.
Chibi and Yiling: choose the target for your side
Chibi: cross the fleet to the enemy leader
At Chibi, Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, Huang Gai, and Sun Shangxiang fight with the Allied Forces. Their victory target is Cao Cao, and Sun Quan must survive. Cross the connected fleet toward Cao Cao, clearing the officers that obstruct your crossing. The fire attack changes the battlefield, but a fire cutscene is not the end of the mission: continue to Cao Cao and defeat him.
Diaochan reaches Chibi much later, after serving Dong Zhuo through Yiling. She now fights with Lu Bu’s forces against Dong Zhuo. Attack Dong Zhuo to clear this version. Cao Cao is the target in the Allied stories, so carrying that objective into Diaochan’s sixth stage sends you looking for the wrong leader.
Yiling: protect the leader of your army
| Yiling route | Enemy to defeat | Allied side |
|---|---|---|
| Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei | Sun Quan | Shu, led by Liu Bei |
| Huang Gai and Sun Shangxiang | Liu Bei | Wu, led by Sun Quan |
| Diaochan | Liu Bei | Dong Zhuo’s forces |
On Jiang Wei’s Shu route, intercept Zhu Ran when Wu sends out its fire attack. Locate him in Unit Info and defeat him before continuing the push toward Sun Quan. A message confirms that the fire attack has been prevented. This is a useful way to remove an immediate threat to Liu Bei, but Sun Quan is still the final target. Do not stop after defeating Zhu Ran.
For Huang Gai and Sun Shangxiang, push through the Shu officers toward Liu Bei while keeping Sun Quan safe. Diaochan also finishes her Yiling stage by defeating Liu Bei, but her army is Dong Zhuo’s. The map alone will not tell you which story you are following; the army and leader shown on the preparation screen do.
Chengdu, Dingjun, Guandu, and Jieting
Assault on Chengdu
Zhao Yun’s third chapter, Assault on Chengdu, has a thirty-minute limit. The target is Liu Zhang, and losing Liu Bei ends the mission. The route leads through forest before the final approach to Liu Zhang. Stay alert for the ambush as you emerge from the trees. Pang Tong can fall during the fighting; his death does not automatically prevent this story stage from clearing. Continue supporting Liu Bei and finish Liu Zhang.
Battle of Mt. Dingjun
At Mt. Dingjun, Zhao Yun fights for Shu and defeats Cao Cao while protecting Liu Bei. Diaochan’s fourth stage reverses the opposing army: she fights Shu, defeats Liu Bei, and protects Dong Zhuo. Both versions begin with a thirty-minute timer. Take the connected mountain roads toward the named leader rather than spending that shorter timer clearing every side group.
Battle of Guandu
At Guandu, Xiahou Dun fights for Cao Cao. Clear a path through Yuan Shao’s forces and defeat Yuan Shao, returning to help Cao Cao if he is threatened. Diaochan fights for Dong Zhuo and ends her Guandu mission by defeating Cao Cao. Follow the enemy leader for your officer: Cao Cao is Xiahou Dun’s ally here.
Battle of Jieting
Jiang Wei reaches Jieting at stage six. On his Shu route, the opening dialogue warns that Ma Su’s mountain position threatens the army’s retreat. Zhuge Liang calls for a defense while waiting for Zhao Yun. Clear the immediate pressure around your army, then push through Zhang He toward Sima Yi to finish the stage.
Xiahou Dun’s sixth stage is the Wei side of Jieting. Defeat Zhuge Liang while keeping Sima Yi alive. You have thirty minutes, so take the roads toward Zhuge Liang and fight the Shu officers blocking them. Eliminating Ma Su’s force can help that advance; you still need to reach Zhuge Liang and defeat him.
Hefei, Nanman, and the Rogue Fortress
Battle of Hefei
Battle of Hefei appears in three of these stories with three different enemy leaders. Xiahou Dun finishes against Sun Quan, Sun Shangxiang can win by defeating Cao Cao, and Diaochan must defeat Sun Ce. Sun Shangxiang begins on Wu’s side with Sun Quan leading the army. Follow the northwest road called out at the start, clear the Wei officers ahead, and work toward Cao Cao. Diaochan instead protects Dong Zhuo and attacks Sun Ce. Battle of Hefei is a separate chapter from the later Siege of Hefei Castle.
Battle of Shiting
Huang Gai has Battle of Shiting after Yiling. Work through the opposing Wei units and continue to Sima Yi, who is the final opponent in this route. Fighting Cao Xiu earlier in the stage does not complete it. Finish Sima Yi before advancing to the castle siege.
Nanman Campaign: follow Meng Huo’s return
At Nanman, Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei fight for Shu under Zhuge Liang; Sun Shangxiang fights for Wu under Lu Xun. All three pursue Meng Huo, but they protect different allied commanders. Meng Huo can reappear after an earlier defeat. Keep following his new position and continue until the army’s victory screen appears. An officer-defeated message during an early encounter is not enough to leave the battle.
After each Meng Huo encounter, open Unit Info to find where he has reappeared. Deal with Yong Kai or Meng You if they block that route or threaten your commander. Near the final fight, draw Meng Huo away from his guards if the crowd keeps interrupting your attacks. If Zhao Yun falls here, choose Retry on Battle Results to return to the fight and continue the story.
Raid on the Rogue Fortress: through the snow fort
Jiang Wei reaches the fortress at stage four and finishes against Huang Gai. Sun Shangxiang reaches it at stage six, has thirty minutes, and finishes against Zhang Fei. The fort has an outer wooden wall, smaller yards around a square central keep, and raised wooden walkways. The boss is inside the keep; riding straight toward the boss marker leaves you against a closed wall.
- Enter from your starting side. Jiang Wei rides along the bottom of the minimap to the southern outer gate and defeats its Lt. Commander. Sun Shangxiang starts outside the lower-left corner: follow the outer wall upward to the western gate, defeat the guard, enter, and turn toward the Lt. Commander at the bottom of the inner fort. In each approach, wait for the wooden doors to open before riding through.
- From the southern inner yard, follow the passage around the right side of the square keep. Defeat the Lt. Commander and nearby Bandit Chiefs at the wooden gate. This advances the route into the eastern yard; the doorway through the keep itself is still closed.
- Use the raised wooden walkway to reach the upper side of the fort. Work through the commanding bandits there. Continue around the outside of the keep and along the left-hand wall toward the lower-left yard. This loop brings you to another ramp onto the raised walkway; it is the way around the walls separating the ground-level yards.
- From the lower-left yard, climb the next ramp and take the raised walkway into the upper camp with the tents. Defeat its Lt. Commander and wait for the gate-opening message.
- Ride through the now-open doorway on the right side of the keep. Huang Gai or Zhang Fei is waiting in the stone courtyard beyond it. Defeat your route’s leader to finish.
If you reach a closed wooden door during that loop, check for a surviving Lt. Commander in the same yard before doubling back. The Bandit Chiefs crowding the doorway can obscure the commander. Use Unit Info to distinguish that unit from the final leader inside the keep, and use History to confirm which gate has opened.
The two five-gate missions
Xiahou Dun: stop Guan Yu’s escape
Xiahou Dun’s fourth stage is a pursuit. Defeat Guan Yu before the cart breaks through all five gates. The mission starts with thirty minutes, but the cart’s advance is the more urgent danger. Move up the long road toward Guan Yu instead of staying behind to clear abandoned garrisons. Once you reach him, keep the duel focused on Guan Yu. His defeat ends the stage; letting the cart pass the fifth gate loses it.
Diaochan: escape through the five gates
Diaochan’s final stage puts you on the escaping side. Break through five gates without being defeated, within the thirty-minute limit. The road is mostly a chain of garrisons: ride to the next closed gate, dismount to defeat its officers, and resume riding when the gate opens. The exit lies beyond the last garrison, so opening a gate alone is not the final action.
Use the following order to keep track of the garrisons. Fight the named officers at the next barrier, then ride onward when that garrison opens. Affiliated officers can retreat when their commander falls, so check the opening message before searching for every remaining name.
| Gate | Officers encountered | Where to go next |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Song Xian and Wei Xu | Pass the first barrier and follow the road to Lu Meng’s group. |
| 2 | Lu Meng and Taishi Ci | After the Second Garrison opening message, cross its gate toward Zhang He and Xiahou Dun. |
| 3 | Zhang He and Xiahou Dun | The Third Garrison opening message marks the passage to Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun. |
| 4 | Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun | Concentrate on Zhao Yun; Huang Zhong can withdraw with his force. Continue through the opened barrier to Gao Shun’s group. |
| 5 | Gao Shun and Zhang Liao; Lu Bu may intercept afterward | Clear the blocking officers, watch for the Fifth Garrison opening message, and ride beyond the gate along the final road to the exit. |
Lu Bu can catch Diaochan near the end, after the fights with Gao Shun and Zhang Liao. Leave room to dodge his normal attacks and counter during an opening; Perfect Evasion will not trigger against his Musou Attacks. One way through this interception is to fight him until the message reports that Lu Bu’s force has been destroyed. Then check for the Fifth Garrison opening message, mount up, and follow the remaining road beyond the barrier. The escape cutscene and victory screen confirm completion; opening the fifth gate alone does not finish the stage.
The last battle and your first-clear reward
Battle of Wuzhang Plains
Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei, and Xiahou Dun finish at Battle of Wuzhang Plains. The Shu stories target Sima Yi and protect Zhuge Liang. Xiahou Dun’s Wei story targets Zhuge Liang and protects Sima Yi. Use Unit Info to locate the opposing leader, clear the officers obstructing that approach, and respond to threats against your own commander before returning to the final fight. A reinforcement announcement or a destroyed enemy unit does not replace defeating the leader.
Siege of Hefei Castle: enter the northern compound
Huang Gai and Sun Shangxiang both fight for Wu, protect Sun Quan, and finish by defeating Sima Yi. His headquarters is the long enclosure across the top of the battle minimap, beyond the central castle yards. The small bridges between walled sections matter more than a straight line to his marker. Both stories can reach him through the western approach to the northern compound.
- Clear the pressure around Wu’s advance. Huang Gai encounters Xu Huang and Zhang He after fighting around the eastern approach and Xu Zhu’s unit. Sun Shangxiang works through Xu Zhu’s area and later Zhang Liao. If Sun Quan is engaged nearby, deal with those officers before leaving him behind. The instruction to support allies behind the Main South Gate concerns that advance; it is not the final victory condition.
- Work around the left side of the central castle toward the upper-left compound. Follow the wall to the arched brick doorway with a short, railed crossing in front of it. Enter the small enclosed yard where Zhenji is fighting. This side approach leads toward the headquarters; the main gate in front of Wu’s advance is a different entrance.
- Defeat Zhenji and the officers obstructing the yard. Use the opposite archway to leave, then follow the stone path and bridge along the front of the northern enclosure. Continue into the open headquarters courtyard with the pavilion and Sima Yi’s unit.
- Dismount and defeat Sima Yi while keeping Sun Quan alive. A gate announcement elsewhere on the map can occur during this fight. Once you are in the headquarters, keep attacking Sima Yi rather than leaving to open every other entrance.
After the last victory, advance through the battle results, story recap, and ending. A first Musou clear with an officer awards three Huanglong Elixirs. They increase officer growth before beginning another Musou run, and the game lets you choose how many to spend from the character selection screen. The reward applies to the first clear with each officer, so repeating the same cleared story is not a way to collect another first-clear reward.
To stop before finishing a chapter, choose Quit from the in-battle menu and accept the save-progress confirmation. When you return to Musou Mode, choose Resume for the Suspend Data. Selecting New with that same officer warns that proceeding will delete the suspended run; back out of that warning if you want to keep it. After a defeat, use Retry on Battle Results to return to the battle.