Controls and attacking
The default keys and gamepad buttons, the normal string, charge attacks C1 to C6, dash and jump attacks, Break Charge and how to clear crowds.
- J is a normal hit, K is a heavy finishing hit (a charge attack), L is your special attack.
- The number of J presses before K decides which charge attack you get: C1 to C6.
- Clear crowds of soldiers to collect power-ups.
Tap an underlined word to see what it means.
Dynasty Warriors Online is played with the keyboard or a gamepad. The whole move set fits on six buttons: Normal Attack, Charge Attack, Jump, Guard, Musou and Flask Upgrade. The game prints the key for each one along the bottom of the battle screen, so you never have to memorise them.
Keyboard controls
Tap a key to see what it does.
W A S D Move
Walk and run: W forward, S back, A left, D right. The arrow keys work too.
J Normal Attack
Your basic hit. Press it again and again to string several hits together.
K Charge Attack
A heavy finishing hit. After some normal hits it becomes a different attack, C1 to C6.
L Musou Attack
With a full Musou gauge, fires your invincible special attack. Hold it while the gauge is not full to charge the gauge.
I Flask Upgrade
Spends the flasks you collected on the flask ring to power up.
N . Jump
Jump. Press Normal or Charge in the air for a jump attack.
U O Guard
Block attacks from the front and turn the camera behind you. Hold U and press K to charge-block.
H Break Charge
Switch to your second weapon with a special attack (only when you carry two weapons).
, Lieutenant
Call or ride your lieutenant.
M Minimap
Switch the minimap view.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Battle voices
Play a voice line from your command wheel in battle, or an emote in town.
Y T R P G Chat channels
Y say, T tell, R reply, P party chat, G guild chat.
SPACE Chat
Start typing a chat message.
Chat keys
| Key | Chat action |
|---|---|
| Space | Start typing in the current channel. |
| Y | Say (everyone near you). |
| T | Tell (a private message). |
| R | Reply to the last private message. |
| P | Party chat. |
| G | Guild chat. |
Every key can be changed in the settings: open the main menu, then Functions, Settings, Keyboard. The keys are grouped into Combat, Combat and Town Common, Chat and Shortcuts.
The game starts with very small text. Before your first battle, open the settings and set the text size to Large. Your eyes will thank you.
Gamepad
Any gamepad that Windows recognises works. The game's manual numbers the buttons rather than naming them, and which physical button is which depends on your pad, so check the Keyboard and gamepad settings once.
| Button | In battle |
|---|---|
| Button 1 | Normal Attack |
| Button 2 | Charge Attack |
| Button 3 | Jump |
| Button 4 | Musou |
| Button 5 | Guard and camera behind you |
| Button 6 | Flask Upgrade (enhancement) |
| Button 7 | Lieutenant |
| Button 8 | Minimap switch |
| Button 9 | Help |
| Button 10 | Chat |
| Left stick or D-pad | Move |
| Right stick | Camera |
Aiming and the camera
- There is no lock-on button. If you attack without pressing a movement key, your attacks keep turning towards the enemy you first aimed at. Press any movement key to break away.
- Guard swings the camera behind your character. Tapping Guard is the quickest way to face where you are going.
- The mouse turns the camera. Camera inversion can be set in the settings.
The normal string
Press Normal Attack (J) repeatedly and your character strings the hits together by themselves; no timing is needed. Players write the hits as N1, N2, N3 and so on. A fresh weapon has four normal hits; a fifth and sixth unlock when you use the Combo+ flask upgrade in battle.
Charge attacks C1 to C6
A charge attack is your finisher. Its number is simply how many normal hits came before it, so the same Charge key gives six different attacks:
- C1K
A quick attack; its shape comes from your weapon's first emblem.
- C2J K
Often throws the enemy into the air.
- C3J J K
The crowd clearer you will use most.
- C4J J J K
A heavier blow, often knocks enemies down.
- C5J J J J K
Needs one Combo+ upgrade in battle.
- C6J J J J J K
Your strongest; needs two Combo+ upgrades.
C2 to C5 are fixed for each weapon type. Only C1 and C6 change with the weapon's Emblems, which is why two weapons of the same type can play differently. Every weapon page on this wiki lists its own charge attacks.
In the Courtyard the Trial Officer lets you try a weapon before you commit to it. Use it to learn what each C-attack of a new weapon does.
Combo+ and Evolution attacks
Combo+ is one of the flask upgrades you buy in battle (see Flask upgrades). Each use extends your string:
| Combo+ used | What you get |
|---|---|
| 0 | N1 to N4 and C1 to C4 |
| 1 | Adds N5 and C5 |
| 2 | Adds N6 and C6 |
| 3 | Evolution attacks: with a full Musou gauge, keep pressing Normal Attack after N5 for a special finisher that has Super Armor and does not use up the gauge. |
Dash, jump and other attacks
| Attack | How | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Dash attack | Run at least six steps, then press Normal Attack. | Closing the distance. If you have not run far enough it simply does not come out. |
| Jump attack | Jump, then Normal Attack. | A quick hit from the air. |
| Jump charge (JC) | Jump, then Charge Attack. | Long reach and a wide area on many weapons. It can even hit enemies behind you, and on some weapons it is the best way to break towers. |
| Break Charge | Press H (needs a second weapon). | Swaps to your second weapon with a break attack. It costs Musou (130, or 70 out of a dash) and its hits fill no Musou. |
Clearing crowds and farming flasks
Ordinary soldiers are not a threat; they are your income. The leader of each squad (a Major or sorcerer) drops a flask most of the time, and flasks power you up for the rest of the battle. A good loop looks like this:
- Look at the minimap for a crowd of enemy dots.
- Run around the crowd so the squads bunch up and chase you.
- Clear the pile with your widest attack, usually C3.
- Pick up the flasks and move on. Squads come back a while after their leader falls, so loop back later.
Soldiers come in packs of one leader and four soldiers, and only the leader drops anything: usually a flask, sometimes a meat bun. Soldiers in PvP battles hit hard and can defeat a player, so do not ignore them.
Enemies you will meet
| Enemy | What to know |
|---|---|
| Soldiers | Wake up as a group when you come close, chase you, and soon give up once you break away. Archers stay where they are. Soldiers never guard, jump or use Musou. |
| Officers and captains | Tougher named enemies that guard bases. Defeat the ones a base needs to capture it. |
| Commanders | Other players (and CPU generals in some rooms). Defeating commanders is how most battles are won. |
| Structures | Towers, gates and barricades. They take damage from your Damage stat, not your Attack stat. |
Attack hurts people; Damage breaks objects. They are two different stats, and some bases cannot be captured without Damage.
Check yourself
1. Which keys do a C3?
C3 is two normal hits (J, J) followed by a charge attack (K).
2. What does the number in C1 to C6 mean?
The number counts the normal hits before K.
3. Which attack usually clears a crowd of soldiers best?
C3 is the widest attack on most weapons.