Dynasty Warriors: Origins - How To Defeat Lu Bu

There's a saying that goes: "Among men, Lu Bu; among horses, Red Hare." And your mettle will certainly be tested once you meet both the general and his fierce steed on the battlefield. Lu Bu is truly a piece of work, and he certainly puts the "nasty" in Dynasty Warriors: Origins due to his brutal attacks and high defense. Still, if you decide to pursue him, we've got tips to aid you. Here's our guide on how to defeat Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. Likewise, please be reminded that this article contains minor spoilers.

How to defeat Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Our Dynasty Warriors: Origins Lu Bu guide is divided into several sections. First, we talk about a few notable missions where you encounter this doughy fighter, as well as the abilities needed to take him out. We then discuss some post-campaign unlocks, including his weapon type (Halberd) and even the means to turn him into a companion.

Notable battles against Lu Bu

Lu Bu appears several times in the campaign, often accompanied by pulse-pounding music that lets you know that business is about to pick up. Here are some notable battles:
Chapter 2: Battle of Sishui Gate (demo) - If you're playing the Dynasty Warriors: Origins demo, then Lu Bu is likely to surprise you as he shows up at the end of the engagement. Don't worry, though, because he won't be around at this part in the full game.
Chapter 2: Assassination of Dong Zhuo - In this bout, you need to escort Cao Cao as he attempts to escape the capital. You won't just contend with Dong Zhuo's cohorts, but also Lu Bu who's hot on your heels.
Chapter 2: Battle of Hulao Gate - This is the battle that truly made Lu Bu's name resound through history. As Coalition Forces approach Hulao Gate, Lu Bu thunders across the pass and barrels down while astride Red Hare. After slaying multiple generals, he sets off to take Yuan Shao's head, but he's stopped by the Three Brothers: Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.
Chapter 3: First and Second Battle of Puyang - This is when Cao Cao is completely driven out of his territory and has to find another foothold to help him reclaim his lands.
Chapter 4: Battle of Xiapi - This is part of the short-lived Cao-Liu alliance. These two lords join forces to finally put an end to the threat that Lu Bu poses. It also leads to a Lu Bu boss fight, which we discuss later in our guide.
Note that you might not be able to tackle all the battles in chapter 3 onwards in one playthrough. That's because you need to make a pivotal decision on which faction to join: Cao Cao, Liu Bei, or Sun Jian. Cao Cao and Liu Bei both fight Lu Bu at this stage, whereas the Sun family contend with other lords to the south, far removed from these rivalries.

Fighting Lu Bu: Mounted and on-foot abilities

In Dynasty Warriors: Origins Lu Bu encounters, you need to be mindful of the abilities that he uses. This depends on whether he's mounted on Red Hare or roaming around on-foot:
Mounted abilities - Lu Bu has three notable abilities while mounted, all of which are easily telegraphed:
Crescent Slash - Fires multiple scarlet projectiles from his halberd.
Bulldozer - Red Hare will glow and Lu Bu will barrel down a path, zigzagging to take out multiple troops.
Diving Crash - Lu Bu will jump high up into the air and slam down on the ground, triggering a massive shockwave.
All of these abilities can be dodged, but you need to time it properly. Moreover, Lu Bu has an "orange glow" action that he sometimes casts, which you can interrupt with a special arts skill.
On-foot abilities - In some levels, Lu Bu might be on-foot when you encounter him. In others, such as Hulao Gate, Lu Bu starts astride Red Hare and will only go on-foot once his HP goes below a certain threshold. His abilities while on-foot tend to be more erratic and unpredictable, though you're best bet is to time your dodges perfectly.
One notable skill that he has is his Triple Arrow Shot which can easily kill your character due in two or three hits. This is an "orange glow" ability, so you need to interrupt it with a long-range special art. Basically, if you only have Palm Strike, the default special art, it won't be enough as it's a short-range option.
There are also a few tidbits to keep in mind if you want to defeat Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins:
Invincibility frames - Keep your musou and musou rage abilities ready, as their animations/activations grant invulnerability.
Officer switching - Similarly, swapping to an officer companion also helps the Wanderer avoid taking deadly damage. You'll want to maximize your companion's active duration on the battlefield before casting their musou.
Guard tactics - Try to use tactics like Charge and Flaming Volley whenever possible. Lu Bu has a knack for killing guards too easily.

Battle of Xiapi: Lu Bu boss fight

You can participate in the Battle of Xiapi provided that you joined Cao Cao's or Liu Bei's force at the end of Chapter 3. Eventually, you're told that Cao Cao and Liu Bei have allied with each other to finish off Lu Bu for good. In this particular engagement, you can help officers trigger the flood attacks or you could beeline straight for Zhang Liao at the castle gates. Then, once you've beaten Chen Gong, you start the next phase where you duke it out against Lu Bu.
The Dynasty Warriors: Origins Lu Bu boss fight is as hectic as it gets. As usual, he starts the bout while mounted on Red Hare, so try to avoid the aforementioned abilities. Then, at roughly 80% HP, he'll dismount and you need to fight him on foot. The notable facets in this encounter are:
You'll be assisted by one officer at any given time, starting with your chosen companion, followed by other unique generals--i.e. Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. Once a unique officer has been defeated, the fighter next in line will join the fray.
Lu Bu has a multi-hit grab attack that's devastating, but you can use meat buns and other items to restore HP in the middle of the animation.
Once Lu Bu's HP is low enough, he'll glow red and begin charging his ultimate musou ability. It's imperative that you use various attacks, skills, and evasive maneuvers to whittle down his guard/defense pips. Once his guard is broken, perform an assault strike to take him out.

How to get Lu Bu as a companion?

If you want Lu Bu as a Dynasty Warriors: Origins companion, all you need to do is finish the campaign once. Upon loading your clear save file, you'll be able to select battles that you've already completed during your initial playthrough. In these engagements, you can choose Lu Bu to join you. You can learn more in our officer companions guide.
Also, note that this only applies to one-off battle-only replays. You might not be able to pick Lu Bu if you replay story segments and start battles that are part of campaign progression.

How to get Lu Bu's Halberd weapon

During our initial playthrough, we were able to defeat Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins a few times. Unfortunately, he never dropped the Halberd weapon. Instead, we only saw this armament type after we completed the campaign and loaded our clear save file:
Rampaging Luan Halberd: Obtained by switching to Ultimate Warrior difficulty and beating Lu Bu in the Battle of Hulao Gate.
Other non-unique Halberds: Can be purchased from cities, though they have a higher cost compared to other weapon types.
That does it for our guide on how to defeat Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. If you need more survival and campaign tips, you can check our beginner's guide.
From the mountainous regions of the north to the great rivers of the south, you're bound to face numerous foes as you travel across China in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. If you need more help, you can visit our guides hub.

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