How To Duel Enemies in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Dynasty Warriors: Origins' Duel System: A High-Stakes Showdown

While Dynasty Warriors: Origins focuses on large-scale battles against hordes of enemies, a compelling gameplay element from previous titles makes a return: duels. Here's a breakdown of how they work.

Duels in Dynasty Warriors: Origins – A Strategic Risk

Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 4, duels reappear in Dynasty Warriors: Origins after more than two decades. Accessible from Chapter 2 onwards, duels aren't available against any opponent. Only high-ranking enemy officers can be challenged. A limited-time prompt appears when these officers are encountered; press R1 and L1 simultaneously to initiate a duel.

The duel takes place in a designated arena surrounded by soldiers. A progress bar at the top of the screen tracks the duel's progress for both combatants. Successful hits on your opponent advance your meter; conversely, their hits advance theirs. The objective is to completely fill your meter by inflicting sufficient damage.

Duel Dynamics: Morale, Strategy, and Consequences

Your health doesn't influence your starting position in a duel; instead, your morale plays a crucial role. A winning streak fills your meter faster, while losing causes your opponent's meter to progress more rapidly. A closely matched duel results in evenly matched meters. The one-on-one format necessitates careful observation of your opponent's attacks, utilizing dodges and parries to minimize damage and maintaining a safe distance when facing Battle Arts. While time is limited, reckless aggression is ill-advised.

Victory in a duel inflicts massive damage on your opponent and provides a significant morale boost. Conversely, defeat results in substantial damage to you and a heavy morale penalty for your army, potentially jeopardizing your battle progress, especially in later stages. However, if neither combatant wins, there are no penalties. The duel ends, and the battle continues.

Certain duels are unavoidable; losing these results in immediate mission failure, while victory guarantees battle victory. While duels offer the potential for significant battle advantages, underestimating your opponent can lead to disastrous consequences.

Availability

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is currently available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.