DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS Tier List: Current Rankings

Q: Who is the protagonist in Dynasty Warriors Origins?

He is a nameless amnesiac martial artist the game refers to as the Wanderer, whose real name is revealed to be Ziluan. He is a member of the Guardians of Peace, an original character created for this game rather than a figure from the Three Kingdoms records, and he is the only character you directly control in the main story.

Q: How many weapon types are there in Dynasty Warriors Origins?

Ten: Sword, Spear, Gauntlets, Wheels, Podao, Staff, Twin Pikes, Lance, Crescent Blade and Halberd. You equip two at a time and can swap between them freely during a battle, and each type carries its own grade, attack value and Battle Art set.

Q: What is Bravery used for?

Bravery pays for Battle Arts. You start with 4 points and the cap rises to 10 as your rank increases. It refills from landing hits, from parry counters, from perfect evasions and from assaulting a staggered officer. In Rage Mode, Battle Arts spend Musou instead of Bravery.

Q: Does the game cover the whole Three Kingdoms story?

No. The five chapters run from the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the Battle of Chibi, ending with Sanjiangkou and the Huarong Path. The later Shu, Wei and Wu wars that other Dynasty Warriors games cover are outside this game's timeline.

Q: Which faction should I join in Chapter 3?

There is no wrong pick, but the choice changes which battles you play and which companions fight beside you. Nine of the ten companions serve under Cao Cao, Sun Jian or Liu Bei, and the game supports multiple endings, so replaying with a different allegiance is the intended way to see the rest.

DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS tier list ranking every role and weapon. Updated rankings with detailed reasoning.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

This DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Characters Rankings

Tier	Role	Rating	Playstyle
A	Sword	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Spear	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Gauntlets	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Podao	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Halberd	8.5/10	Balanced approach

Detailed Characters Analysis

Sword (A-Tier)

Sword is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: General's Sword. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Spear (A-Tier)

Spear is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Dragon Spear. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Gauntlets (A-Tier)

Gauntlets is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Fists of Divine Flux. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Podao (A-Tier)

Podao is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Crushing Falchion. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Halberd (A-Tier)

Halberd is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Sky Piercer. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Weapons Rankings

Weapon	Best With	Notes
General's Sword	First playthroughs, players still learning parry timing, and any battle where you are switching between crowds and officers constantly.	A mid tier Sword with the most balanced numbers in the game and the shortest recovery on its combo finisher.
Dragon Spear	Crowd control at gates and bridges, keeping mounted officers at range, and any player who wants one weapon that never feels wrong.	A Spear whose thrust reaches past the first rank of a shield line and whose sweeps knock pikemen off their feet.
Fists of Divine Flux	Officer duels, the Lu Bu fights at Hulao Gate and Xiapi, and finishing a stagger before it recovers.	High grade Gauntlets with the shortest reach and the highest damage per second against a single target in the game.
Crushing Falchion	Large Force clashes, packed infantry formations, and clearing a path to an objective marker rather than duelling.	The entry Podao, a slow two handed blade that cuts an arc through a full line of soldiers.
Sky Piercer	Aggressive players, surrounded fights, and any map where multiple officers arrive at once.	The starting Halberd, derived from Lu Bu's style, with wide sweeping arts that interrupt officers mid attack.

Check our weapons guide for in-depth stats and comparisons.

Weapons Analysis

General's Sword: A mid tier Sword with the most balanced numbers in the game and the shortest recovery on its combo finisher. Swords are the type the tutorial hands you, and the whole family from Longsword up to Lurking Luan Sword keeps the same forgiving parry window.

Dragon Spear: A Spear whose thrust reaches past the first rank of a shield line and whose sweeps knock pikemen off their feet. Spears bridge distance better than anything except the Lance, and the family runs from Recruit's Spear up to Flying Luan Spear.

Fists of Divine Flux: High grade Gauntlets with the shortest reach and the highest damage per second against a single target in the game. Every hit lands close enough that a mistimed evade is punished immediately, which is the trade for how fast an officer's health bar falls.

Crushing Falchion: The entry Podao, a slow two handed blade that cuts an arc through a full line of soldiers. Wind up and recovery are both long, so it punishes button mashing, and it rewards players who read the crowd before committing to a swing.

Sky Piercer: The starting Halberd, derived from Lu Bu's style, with wide sweeping arts that interrupt officers mid attack. It rewards standing in the middle of a formation instead of picking at its edges, because every arc connects with several enemies and refills Bravery quickly.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS centers on Bravery and Battle Arts and Parrying and perfect evasion. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one. Our combat guide explains these interactions in depth.

What's strong right now:

Sword with General's Sword is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
Grand Tactics and army morale builds are gaining ground as players find new combinations.
Gauntlets remains essential for learning hard content. See the boss guide.

What's underrated:

Spear is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
Fists of Divine Flux offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

Pure Halberd builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

Situation	Best Role	Best Weapon	Why
Overall best	Sword	General's Sword	Highest consistent performance
New player	Spear	Dragon Spear	Most forgiving, teaches mechanics
Hard content	Gauntlets	Fists of Divine Flux	Survivability when you need it
Group play	Podao	Crushing Falchion	Utility and team support
Experienced player	Halberd	Sky Piercer	Unique challenge and high ceiling

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