History Characters / DynastyWarriorsWeiKingdom

* SinisterScimitar:
** He provides the trope's image. Since ''3''(and barring ''6''), he wielded a "liuyedao", which in most cases, is pretty big. Subsequent reappearances shrank it to a regular dao since ''7''.
** Since ''7:XL'', he gets another weapon in its own weapon category, a "podao", though, it was really just the liuyedao again[[note]]An actual podao would be similar to that of the guandao, the polearm commonly associated with Guan Yu, or the Japanese naginata.[[/note]].

* CoolSword: His sword is cool enough that he is one of the characters whose WeaponOfChoice remains the same throughout the series.

* SignatureInstrument: Her flute which is her WeaponOfChoice. Outside of the battlefield, she plays with it during downtime usually with fellow musician, Cai Wenji.

* MusicalAssassin: Prior to ''7'', her WeaponOfChoice is a Chinese violin. Later games show her using a harp. In both cases, she fights by throwing out sonic projectiles that deal SplashDamage.

* SignatureInstrument: Initially, she plays the erhu in ''Strikeforce 2'' but in ''7'', she gets the harp which is her WeaponOfChoice. It sticks that way afterwards most especially during cutscenes where she plays with it.

* DualWielding: Her WeaponOfChoice is a pair of trishula, which are essentially [[SaiGuy large bladed sais]]. This is changed to a pair of emeici in 8: Empires.

* DualWielding: Wields a pair of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_sword hook swords]] as his WeaponOfChoice.

* WhipSword: His WeaponOfChoice. He wields it with grace and methodical precision.

%%* PowerTrio: With Cao Ren and Pang De at Fan Castle.

%%* CoolHelmet

* ImprobableWeaponUser: He uses a pool cue and balls; considering his WeaponOfChoice, his given profession DLC outfits are related to ball sports like tennis and billiard.

* SparedByAdaptation: Historically, he died sometime before Cao Cao's death, probably shortly after or at the Battle of Ruxukou (his last appearance in the novel, where he got shot in the face by Gan Ning), but in the game, he is still alive during Cao Pi's reign.

* PowerTrio: With Zhang Liao and Yue Jin at He Fei, depsite being a non-playable character pre-''8''
%%* ScarfOfAsskicking
* SparedByAdaptation: Historically died sometime before Cao Cao's death. But in the game, he is still alive during Cao Pi's reign.

* WeaponOfChoice: Shared with Zhong Hui and Guan Xing, Cao Xiu wields the fan sword, which is effectively a bladed fan that can also detach said blades.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Very sweet and gentle with Zhenji, a stark contrast from [[DomesticAbuser his behavior]] in [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms the books]]. His reign is also a period of relative peace in the endless wars of the Three Kingdoms, and in the [[VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi crossover]] he goes to great lengths to secretly help the resistance while appearing to work against them. He is also very close to his cousin, Cao Xiu, that he still encourages him to call him by his style name despite being the emperor.

* SparedByAdaptation:

* AnAxeToGrind: A "great axe" in all appearances until ''6'', and again from ''NEXT'' onward. It appears that his real life and novel persona also used this weapon.

* ShesGotLegs: All of her outfits show off her legs without showing much skin.

* LongLived: Born in 172 [[note]] Historically, his exact year of birth is unknown; he was "elderly" when appointed Grand Commandant in 239. [[/note]], 12 years before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and dies in 242, well after all other playable Wei officers have passed away, and only seven years before Sima Yi takes full control of Wei via the coup at Gaoping Tombs.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Very sweet and gentle with Zhenji, a stark contrast from [[BastardBoyfriend his behavior]] in [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms the books]]. His reign is also a period of relative peace in the endless wars of the Three Kingdoms, and in the [[VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi crossover]] he goes to great lengths to secretly help the resistance while appearing to work against them. He is also very close to his cousin, Cao Xiu, that he still encourages him to call him by his style name despite being the emperor.

* NiceHat: So glorious it has remained consistent since his introduction.

* NiceHat: He always wears his turban in all games.

* NiceHat: His hypothetical scenario DLC costume has him wearing a beadless and smaller version of a mianguan which sort of looked like a small box.

* NiceHat: He wears a turban since his debut.

* NiceHat: Wears one in all of his appearances so far.

* NiceHat: Has one in his playable appearance. As a matter of fact, many of his previous what-if DW artworks also feature him wearing one.

* ProngsOfPoseidon: He wields a war trident as his WeaponOfChoice.

%%* RapunzelHair: From ''7'' onward.

->'''Voiced by''': Takahiro Yoshimizu (Japanese), Creator/DougStone (English; ''4''-''8''), Loren Kling (English; ''9''), Yu Lin (Mandarin Chinese; ''9'')

* IllBoy: In his debut for [=7:XL=], he hid this fact silently in his ending. In ''8'', preventing his natural death is one of the important things you need to do to unlock Wei's hypothetical path.

* HornedHairdo: Always has two tufts of hair that stuck out from both sides of his head. In ''6'' a peasant mistakes him for the devil.

* BaldOfAwesome: It used to be BaldOfEvil, since his moniker is "The Coming Evil". However, the Evil part turned back to just Awesome as Wei stopped being the "evil" faction.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: Prior to 6 his name was pronounced "Cow Cow" instead of the accurate "Tsao Tsao". Unsurprisingly, this is a source of jokes among fans.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: In 5 his name was pronounced "Cow Pee" and the fans have never let the series forget it.

->'''Voiced by''': Creator/HisaoEgawa (Japanese), Creator/BeauBillingslea (English; ''4''-''8''), William Salyers (English; ''9''), Xiao Tan (Mandarin Chinese; ''9'')

* BadassBeard: Xiahou Dun always had a beard, but as time went on, by ''8'', his facial hair became a lot less "uniformed" and more along the lines of a somewhat scruffy aesthetic, which compliments his gruff demeanor.

* BadassBeard: A mustache and beard combo that befits Cao Cao's cunning and ruthless nature.

%%* BadassBeard:

* BadassMustache: He has the facial hair of a musketeer to go with the hat.

%%* BadassBeard:

* BadassBeard: They emphasize his senior status and differ him from his younger master, Ma Chao.

* BadassBeard: Jia Xu's beard is rather thin, but it gives off the vibe of a mischevious trickster, which he is portrayed somewhat as.

* BadassMustache: Most likely to show his status as the eldest of the Five Generals.

* UnfortunateNames: His name, when spoken in Chinese, is pronounced very similarly to the term for menstruation ("yue jing") in the same language.

* UnfortunateNames: Using his Style Name, Man Boning, is a ''particularly'' notable example for pretty self-explanatory reasons (for English speakers anyway).

* RunningGag: Much of Zhenji’s unique dialogue against enemy officers in ''[=DW8=]'' is with female characters who happen to be wives of major characters within their factions; her targets are Shangxiang, Zhurong, Yueying and Daqiao, Zhenji inflates her ego and taunts them with diminishing their value as proper women of etiquette compared to her grace, wondering how they even got married, slandering their husbands as well by saying they don’t have a keen eye for picking women. All the taunting doesn’t work because the women Zhenji targets are all strong willed and will fire right back.

** Cai Wenji’s utmost importance to Cao Cao is shown at its best in ''8:XL's'' final stage for Wei’s missions. With her supposedly going missing, Cao Cao issues an order for his men to find and bring her back at once. The catch is that he doesn’t issue the order to just any group of officers, he orders Xiahou Yuan, Li Dian and ''two'' of ''Wei's Great Generals'', Yu Jin and Yue Jin, to personally go out and find Cai Wenji.

* OlderThanHeLooks: He is one of Cao Cao's earliest supporters

* NotSoDifferent: When Xiahou Yuan notes the unlikeliness of Liu Bei being the leader of the last Anti-Cao Cao forces in Wei's hypothetical route in 8, Xiahou Dun shoots back that their rush to power started with them running away from Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao accepts this, and finally acknowledges Liu Bei as a WorthyOpponent.

-->'''Jia Xu:''' [[Understatement You are an odd one, aren't you?]]

* HonorBeforeReason: A rare example where it turns out to be the correct thing to do is his and Lu Bu's capture at Xiapi. Zhang Liao chooses to FaceDeathWithDignity, but Cao Cao is not only impressed enough to spare Zhang Liao's life over Lu Bu's (although that may be how Lu Bu [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder cannot be trusted]]), he also recruits Zhang Liao.