DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered has more than 40 playable officers. But like other games, you won’t get access to everyone at the start of the game. To unlock the most officers, you need to complete Musou Mode with specific officers or trigger certain events during battles.
This DYNASTY WARRIORS 3 character unlock guide lists every character and the exact requirement to add them to your roster. Character unlocks are tied to Musou Mode, so you can’t unlock them in the Free Mode. The difficulty you choose doesn’t matter, so you can use Beginner or Easy if you want to unlock characters without making battles harder than necessary.
How to Unlock Shu Characters
| Character | Unlock Requirement |
|---|---|
| Zhao Yun | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Guan Yu | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Zhang Fei | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Zhuge Liang | Complete Musou Mode once with a Shu character other than Zhang Fei or Pang Tong. |
| Liu Bei | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Shu character. |
| Ma Chao | Complete Musou Mode once with a Shu character. |
| Huang Zhong | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Shu character. |
| Jiang Wei | Complete Musou Mode with Zhuge Liang. |
| Wei Yan | Complete Musou Mode once with a Shu character. |
| Pang Tong | Keep Pang Tong alive during Assault on Cheng Du by defeating Zhang Ren. |
How to Unlock Pang Tong
Pang Tong has a battle-specific requirement instead of a Musou Mode completion requirement.
During Assault on Cheng Du, you need to keep Pang Tong alive. Defeat Zhang Ren to prevent Pang Tong from being killed and unlock him.
How to Unlock Zhuge Liang
For Zhuge Liang, complete Musou Mode once using a Shu character. You cannot use Zhang Fei or Pang Tong for this requirement.
How to Unlock Wei Characters
| Character | Unlock Requirement |
|---|---|
| Xiahou Dun | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Dian Wei | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Xu Zhu | Complete Musou Mode once with a Wei character. |
| Cao Cao | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Wei character. |
| Xiahou Yuan | Defeat him during the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun in Shu Musou Mode. |
| Zhang Liao | Defeat him during the Battle of He Fei in Wu Musou Mode. |
| Sima Yi | Complete Musou Mode once with a Wei character other than Dian Wei, Zhang Liao, or Zhen Ji. |
| Xu Huang | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Wei character. |
| Zhang He | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Zhen Ji | Complete Musou Mode once with a Wei character. |
Sima Yi specifically requires a Wei character. You cannot use a Shu or Wu character for this unlock.
How to Unlock Wu Characters
| Character | Unlock Requirement |
|---|---|
| Zhou Yu | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Lu Xun | Complete Musou Mode once with a Wu character. |
| Taishi Ci | Make him surrender during Assault on Wu Territory by defeating Liu Yong. |
| Sun Shangxiang | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Sun Jian | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Wu character. |
| Sun Quan | Make Cao Cao retreat during Battle of He Fei. |
| Lu Meng | Complete Battle of Fan Castle while Lu Meng is still alive. |
| Gan Ning | Activate and defeat his surprise attack during the Battle of He Fei in Wei Musou Mode. |
| Huang Gai | Unlocked by default from the start. |
| Sun Ce | Complete Musou Mode twice with a Wu character. |
| Da Qiao | Complete Musou Mode once with a Wu character. |
| Xiao Qiao | Complete Musou Mode with either Zhou Yu or Da Qiao. |
How to Unlock Sun Quan
Sun Quan has a slightly more complicated unlock condition.
During the Battle of He Fei, let Taishi Ci be defeated. This will cause Sun Quan to retreat. Go to Sun Quan’s location, and a cutscene will trigger where you can jump across the river with him.
After this, Zhang Liao will disappear from the battlefield but return later near Sun Quan. Defeat Zhang Liao, then eliminate all of Cao Cao’s officers.
Once Cao Cao has no officers remaining on the battlefield, he will retreat. This will unlock Sun Quan.
How to Unlock Other Characters
Some characters are not part of the Shu, Wei, or Wu starting groups. Their unlock conditions are tied to specific battles or Musou Mode completions.
| Character | Unlock Requirement |
|---|---|
| Zhang Jiao | Defeat Zhang Bao, Zhang Liang, and Zhang Jiao during Yellow Turban Rebellion. |
| Diao Chan | Defeat her during the Battle at Hu Lao Gate. |
| Lu Bu | Get 1,000 kills during Battle at Hu Lao Gate. |
| Dong Zhou | Defeat both Diao Chan and Lu Bu during Battle at Hu Lao Gate. |
| Yuan Shao | Defeat Yan Liang and Wen Chou before Guan Yu can defeat them during the Battle of Guan Du. |
| Meng Huo | Defeat him at all seven locations during the Nanman Campaign. |
| Zhurong | Defeat her during Nanman Campaign. |
| Fuxi | Complete the Musou Modes of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian. |
| Nuwa | Complete Musou Mode with Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, Sun Shangxiang, and Zhen Ji. |
| Ziluan | Complete Musou Mode once. |
How to Unlock Lu Bu
For Lu Bu, you need to reach 1,000 kills during the Battle at Hu Lao Gate at any difficulty.
How to Unlock Meng Huo
During the Nanman Campaign, defeat Meng Huo at all seven locations.
How to Unlock Fuxi and Nuwa
Fuxi requires three Musou Mode completions:
- Cao Cao
- Liu Bei
- Sun Jian
For Nuwa, complete Musou Mode with these four characters:
- Da Qiao
- Xiao Qiao
- Sun Shangxiang
- Zhen Ji
