Although Dynasty Warriors: Origins focuses on battling countless faceless soldiers, one of the most compelling returning features from earlier games is the duel system. Here’s how duels work.
What Are Duels in Dynasty Warriors: Origins?
Duels first appeared in Dynasty Warriors 4, and after more than two decades, they are making a comeback in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. You won’t be able to duel during the early stages of the game, but the feature becomes available in Chapter 2. However, you can’t challenge just anyone—only high-ranking and prominent enemy officers. When a duel opportunity arises, you can issue a challenge by pressing both R1 and L1 buttons simultaneously, but the window to do so is brief.
Once initiated, soldiers form an arena around you, and you enter a one-on-one fight with the enemy officer. This isn’t a standard battle, though. A meter appears at the top of the screen representing both you and your opponent. Each hit you land pushes the meter in your favor, while successful attacks from your opponent shift it toward them.
The objective in a duel is to deal enough damage to fill your side of the meter completely. Your starting position on the meter is influenced by overall morale, not health. If you're winning the larger battle, your bar starts larger; if you're losing, the opponent’s bar is bigger. In an even battle, the meter begins balanced. Since it’s a one-on-one encounter, watch your opponent’s attack patterns closely. Dodge or parry when needed to avoid damage, and keep your distance if they activate a Battle Art. Time is limited, but recklessness is unnecessary.
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Winning a duel in Dynasty Warriors: Origins deals significant damage to your opponent and provides a major morale boost. Losing, however, inflicts heavy damage on you and severely reduces your army’s morale—which can be disastrous in the later stages of a battle. If neither side wins, there’s no penalty; you simply disengage and the battle continues. Only when there’s a clear victor do consequences apply. Some duels are inescapable: losing these results in an automatic mission failure, while winning secures immediate victory. Although initiating a duel can dramatically shift the battle in your favor, underestimating your opponent could lead to your downfall.
That covers how duels work in Dynasty Warriors: Origins.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is available now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
