Lu Bu is often portrayed as one of the most formidable warriors in Chinese history, and Dynasty Warriors: Origins is no exception. You'll encounter Lu Bu several times throughout the main campaign of Dynasty Warriors: Origins, beginning in Chapter Two, but it's not until a pivotal battle much later on that you actually have an opportunity to defeat him. Usually, his sudden appearance means you have little recourse but to flee; he functions a lot like Mr. X in Resident Evil 2 during certain missions, forcing you to abandon strategic points and run for your life.

Finally, during the mission "Battle of Xiapi," you'll be able to face Lu Bu in one-on-one combat, and, with a lot of skill and a little luck, defeat him for good. Just don't expect him to be easy, just as he is in every Dynasty Warriors game where he appears. Lu Bu fully lives up to his reputation, delivering devastating blows both by himself and astride his steed, the renowned Red Hare, and you'll need every tool in your arsenal to defeat him.

How To Prepare For Lu Bu

Battle Preparation

By the time you've reached Lu Bu, your Dynasty Warriors: Origins build is probably pretty well set in stone. Still, you'll want to double-check everything in the Battle Preparation menu. Ensure that you have the strongest available weapon of your preferred type equipped. If you can, you'll want to equip a weapon that does well against single targets and doesn't rely too much on timing: swords and spears are better than wheels and gauntlets here.

You may not have to fight Lu Bu in all story routes. The battle involves an alliance between Liu Bei and Cao Cao, so you may be able to skip it by deciding to take Sun Jian/Sun Ce's side in Chapter Four instead.

Other than that, make sure you have an accessory, a set of squad tactics, and one of Dynasty Warriors' gems equipped to fit your playstyle. You likely already know what works best for you. As for Arts, equip a good variety: some with knockbacks, some with high damage, some with low Bravery costs, some with high costs. Most importantly, make sure you have at least one [Sp.] Art equipped. You'll need this skill to interrupt some of Lu Bu's moves, which will be vital to your survival.

Getting To Lu Bu

During the War Council, you'll be briefed on this battle's goal: Xun You and Jia Xu will open the floodgates, flooding the castle. Meanwhile, Xiahou Dun will aid other officers in attacking the gates of Lu Bu's castle directly, hoping to draw him out. In the early moments of the fight, spend time however you see fit: aid the engineers, capture surrounding bases, or a little of both while the dialogue plays out. Eventually, you'll get a notification that explains that Lu Bu's forces are attacking the floodgates - this would be a good time to lend a hand.

Either way, contribute to your allies' fighting forces around the map until the floodgates are open and the castle is soaked. Once the Xiapi castle gates are destroyed, Lu Bu will fall back. Your goal then becomes to defeat two of his officers: Chen Gong and Zhang Liao. Track them down on the map; you can defeat Zhang Liao quickly in a duel, but you may need to break up Chen Gong's Large Force before you can meet him one-on-one. Defeat these officers by your preferred means, and you'll see a victory screen, after which you'll be thrust immediately into a battle against Lu Bu.

How To Beat Lu Bu

Phase One: Mounted

Lu Bu begins this fight on horseback, which gives him greater mobility and access to a different arsenal of skills. You may be tempted to meet him on his own level by summoning a horse of your own, but it's highly recommended that you stay on foot for most of this battle. This way, you can keep access to much of your own arsenal, particularly your dodge.

Your goal here is to knock Lu Bu off his steed by bringing his HP down to about 90%. Give him a wide berth; Lu Bu is pretty fast, and won't hesitate to run you over if you stay close. Instead, keep your distance while he's activating his skills, then rush in immediately after while he's cooling down to sneak in a few hits. As always, try to interrupt him with your Sp. Arts when he glows gold.

If Lu Bu starts to glow red, watch out; he's either about to trample you, shoot out massive, arc-shaped projectiles, or both. The remedy for all these is to dodge, then rush back in during his cooldown. If you can pull off a perfect dodge, do so. Otherwise, just prioritize staying out of the way.

Phase Two: On Foot

When Lu Bu is down to about 90% of his HP, he'll jump his horse into the air and slam down heavily on the ground. (Make sure to dodge this move.) From there, he'll dismount, and fight the rest of the battle on foot.

Now the fight against Lu Bu starts to work like any old officer battle. Deplete his defenses by using heavy attacks, Musou, Arts, and Rage, then use the Assault command to deal burst damage and a knockback. Lu Bu does have incredibly high defense, with no fewer than ten shields, but he does take a fair bit of damage once you've broken through it.

Don't let all the red fool you: although most of Lu Bu's attacks in this phase have red effects, many of them are still blockable. Watch for the white flash of light before the move begins to time your parry. Make full use of your counterattacks until he enters phase three.

Phase Three: Full Strength

Once Lu Bu is at roughly half of his max HP, he'll enter a third phase, unlocking a new moveset. During this phase, he prioritizes unblockable and interruptable skills instead of blockable ones; as a result, you'll want to stay as close as possible to use your Sp. Arts whenever you can. In particular, watch out for the move in which he glows golden, then unleashes three arcs of projectiles. He'll also sometimes slam his spear on the ground, sending out a wave of spikes.

Lu Bu may also glow gold and assume a pose as if he's gathering power. At times, he'll leap into the air and slam down, sending red shockwaves outwards. Just make sure you stay close and interrupt when prompted. If he rears back as if preparing to charge, then he's about to use an unblockable move; be ready to dodge.

When his HP is very low, red rings will appear above Lu Bu's head. When they're full, Lu Bu will assume a position near the middle of the arena, and send out several shockwaves in succession. Dodge or jump over these, trending closer to Lu Bu. You should eventually be able to strike him while this ability is on cooldown, and deal enough damage to distract him. Keep hitting him until his HP is reduced to zero, and congratulations: you've defeated Lu Bu and can move onto Chapter Five of Dynasty Warriors: Origins.