How To Duel Enemies in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Dynasty Warriors: Origins reintroduces thrilling duels, a gameplay mechanic initially featured in Dynasty Warriors 4. This guide explains how these intense one-on-one encounters work.

Dueling in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

While duels aren't immediately available, they unlock in Chapter 2. You can only challenge high-ranking enemy officers. A prompt appears briefly when an officer is duel-eligible; press R1 and L1 simultaneously to initiate the challenge.

The duel takes place in a small arena surrounded by soldiers. A progress bar at the top of the screen tracks both your and your opponent's success. Landing hits fills your portion of the bar; conversely, your opponent's hits fill theirs. The objective is to completely fill your bar by landing enough blows.

Your starting position in the duel is determined by your morale, not your health. A winning streak grants you a head start, while a losing one puts you at a disadvantage. Evenly matched opponents begin with an equal progress bar. Strategic dodging, parrying, and maintaining distance (especially against opponents using Battle Arts) are crucial for victory. While time is limited, reckless aggression is ill-advised.

Consequences of Victory and Defeat

Winning a duel inflicts massive damage on your opponent and significantly boosts your morale. Losing, however, deals substantial damage to you and severely lowers your army's morale—potentially disastrous in later battle stages. Undecided duels, where neither side fills their bar, result in a return to normal gameplay without penalty.

However, some duels are unavoidable. Losing these results in immediate mission failure; winning guarantees victory. Therefore, while duels offer a significant strategic advantage, underestimating an opponent can lead to devastating consequences.

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