In *Dynasty Warriors: Origins*, one of the earliest significant challenges players will encounter is the battle against Zhang Jiao, the head of the Yellow Turbans. Here's a detailed guide on how to triumph over him.
How To Fight Zhang Jiao’s First Phase
The initial confrontation with Zhang Jiao takes place in a vast wasteland, setting the stage for a one-on-one duel. In this phase, Zhang Jiao employs sorcery to hurl stones across the arena. When you're close, he'll summon four stones, requiring quick evasion to avoid damage. At a distance, he'll summon twice as many stones, throwing them in pairs, which you can dodge by simply running around him. If you're near when he summons a large number of stones, it's crucial to create distance to prevent taking significant damage from the barrage.
While most of his moves are designed to keep you at bay, Zhang Jiao also has a few close-range attacks. These include simple combos that you can parry, as well as an Area of Effect (AOE) attack meant to push you back. If you see him glowing white, he's preparing his AOE, so retreat to avoid the damage.
As the fight progresses, Zhang Jiao will start using attacks marked by a red aura, indicating they cannot be interrupted. These involve summoning a massive amount of rocks to fall around him and creating several clones. The best strategy here is to retreat until his attack concludes, then resume your assault. Equip a sword during this battle, as it will allow you to inflict substantial damage compared to using spears or gauntlets.
Managing your health is vital; you'll likely only have four healing opportunities, depending on your upgraded skills. Remember, there are jars near the arena's entrance containing meat buns, which you can use for healing. When retreating from Zhang Jiao's attacks, take the opportunity to grab some buns and restore your health.
How To Fight Zhang Jiao’s Second Phase
Upon unlocking Musou Rage, you'll enter the second phase, where Zhang Jiao is joined by Yellow Turban reinforcements. Fortunately, your army will also appear to assist you, providing some respite. This is an ideal time to heal by running to the entrance and grabbing those meat buns. Be mindful of the tornados Zhang Jiao summons, as they can disrupt your positioning while you're engaging his troops.
As you thin out his forces, Zhang Jiao will attempt a Grand Tactic, requiring you to defeat 300 soldiers within a tight timeframe to prevent a devastating attack. To complicate matters, he'll summon lightning to strike the arena. Keep an eye on the ground for closing rings and evade when they flash. The most effective way to meet the soldier count in time is by using Musou Mode, which, if timed correctly, can dispatch dozens of enemies at once. Although you may have access to Musou Rage Mode, sticking to the basic Musou mode will be more efficient given the time constraints.
After thwarting Zhang Jiao's Grand Tactic twice, he'll re-enter the fray with tactics reminiscent of Phase 1. With your army's support, it should be relatively straightforward to deplete his remaining health, concluding Chapter 1.
And that's how you can defeat Zhang Jiao in *Dynasty Warriors: Origins*. The game is now available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
