Dynasty Warriors

 Guan Ping (關平)

Guan Ping is the adopted son of Guan Yu. He fights alongside his father in numerous battles and defends him from the pursuing Wei forces when Guan Yu is escaping from Cao Cao (appears only if the player is playing on Wei's side). His most significant role is during the Battle of Fan Castle, where he assists in initiating the flood attack on Cao Ren. In history, Guan Ping and his adoptive father were defeated and captured by Lü Meng of Wu and executed. In the game, however, Guan Ping survives (but Guan Yu dies) and participates in the Battle of Yiling.
Guan Ping is commonly seen as a generic officer until Dynasty Warriors 5, where he is seen wielding a giant back-hand sword called "Young Dragon". The weapon's size slows him down and he has to rely on momentum to wield his sword rather than skill. This can also be attributed to his young age and eagerness to prove himself to his adoptive father. His attacks involve a combination of straight forward slashes, swinging and twirling and throwing of the sword. Guan Ping has a mixed level of effectiveness in combat. His slow attacks leave him vulnerable yet his potentially devastating charge attacks can be exactly as expected. Typically, his suitability in combat can fluctuate, leading him to being either extremely valuable or very undesirable to a player. His Musou attack is a few simple spins with his sword to slash those around him and very much similar to his father's except for the final move. In Dynasty Warriors 6, he switches his giant sword for a halberd that resembles Lü Bu's former weapon. He does not have a musou mode however in Dynasty Warrior 6.

Guan Yu

Guan Yu (關羽)

Guan Yu is the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu and a sworn brother of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Together with Zhang, they are the first two generals to serve Liu and fight alongside him against the Yellow Turban rebels and Dong Zhuo's forces. In the novel, he slays Hua Xiong, a mighty general serving Dong Zhuo, and this feat is reenacted in the game. The epic battle in the novel between the three sworn brothers and the mighty warrior Lü Bu is also brought to life in the game. Guan Yu is clearly emphasized in the game, with a large stature and announcing rather than speaking, in a pompous but courageous tone.
Guan Yu plays an important role in Shu until his death, having participated in most of the major battles. He serves Cao Cao briefly and helps to slay Yuan Shao's generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou instantly at the Battle of Guandu as a non-playable character. When he meets Liu Bei, who is in Yuan's service then, he will cause Liu to retreat from the battlefield. He also maintains a close friendship with Cao Cao's generals Zhang Liao and Xu Huang, of which the latter often spoke with respect and admiration towards him. He leaves Cao Cao and escapes to rejoin his brothers with Xiahou Dun hot on his heels. He also leads Shu to attack Cao Ren at Fan Castle together with his adopted son Guan Ping. If the player is not playing as him, he will die after the battle and that ultimately leads to the Battle of Yiling. He acquires Lü Bu's steed Red Hare as a gift from Cao Cao and rides on it in the battles from Guandu onwards.
Guan Yu's fighting style is very straightforward, encompassing broad sweeps and stabs of his Guandao, known as the "Blue Moon Dragon", and his charge attacks are mostly spinning attacks. His Musou attack is rather simple and similar to Guan Ping's, except for the final move. He moves forward in a spinning manner to cut through enemies and finally conjure a whirlwind to throw his enemies up into the air. His simple yet effective fighting style makes him a popular choice for beginners and he is almost always a playable character at the start of the game.

Huang Zhong

Huang Zhong (黄忠)

Huang Zhong is the oldest playable character in the Dynasty Warriors series and one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu. He appears as an energetic and determined elderly warrior with a white beard and he mentions his old age often in dialogues. His most memorable role in the game is at the Battle of Mount Dingjun, where he charges down the slope and battles the Wei general Xiahou Yuan. Although the outcome of the duel depends on whether the player is playing as Huang or Xiahou, in all other instances, Xiahou is killed by Huang in the battle as depicted in the novel.
Huang Zhong is seen in every cutscene wielding his bow and arrows as his proficiency in archery is legendary. However, his primary weapon is still a broadsword called "Oracle Sword" that is similar to Xiahou Yuan's in the second and third versions of the game. His fighting style is very much similar to Xiahou Yuan's early one, simple and yet predictable, with a Musou attack that involves spinning and slashing around. His charge attack involves firing several arrows repeatedly but the number of arrows for bow attack does not decrease. Before Dynasty Warriors 6, his Musou attack seems to provide a hint towards his age, as he stumbles slightly on the last move while Xiahou Yuan recovers normally. Huang also has a higher bow attack than any other character but his stats are very average in general, despite his Tiger General status.