- Cao Cao is a Chinese name; the family name is Cao.
- For the faction, see Cao Cao
Cao Cao is a unique legendary Commander hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He leads his own faction, Cao Cao, in 182, 190, 194, and 200.
Description[]
Meet Cao Cao. Cunning and merciless, this strategic mastermind favours the divide and conquer approach, expertly manipulating others to do his bidding.
Cao Cao is the choice of corrupters, conjurors, and puppeteers. Those players who prefer to employ sly methods, pulling strings in the shadows and manipulating others to ensure the future of Wei Kingdom.
Overview[]
Cao Cao’s diplomatic arsenal will help to keep surrounding factions off his back. His manipulation ability can also be used to make people friendlier with him. In some situations, this can mean the difference between being declared war at, or not – or it can mean that Cao Cao is able to form a powerful alliance that can protect his back.
Cao Cao's unique abilities can be taken even further. With Cao Cao's faction, the player can instigate a proxy war between two warlords. In desperate times when swift action is needed, rather than making two factions like each other less and hoping they might go to war – player can directly trigger it without anyone knowing it was Cao Cao's doing. Because of this, the player can conceivably win the game without ever being involved in any major conflicts. By systematically driving factions against each other, by manipulating others into attacking him and calling his allies to defend him, and by later confederating or vassalising the fractured remnants of once-great factions, Cao Cao can grow in territory and power without fighting a single battle.
General Information[]
Attributes[]
- Main article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
 Expertise |
 Resolve |
 Cunning |
 Instinct |
 Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 34 | 96 | 45 | 158 |
| -5% construction cost (administered commandery) +8 melee evasion +3% general's health +1k population growth (administered commandery) +38% ammunition (own retinue) +9 military supplies (own army) +5% melee damage -1% recruitment cost (this army) +10 satisfaction (faction-wide) +8 unit morale (own retinue) | ||||
Background[]
- Main article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Strategic Mastermind
- +40 cunning
- +15 instinct
- +25 authority
- +1 resilience
- +50% income from family estates
- -25% redeployment cost
- -15% recruitment cost for cavalry (faction-wide)
- +2 available spies & pawns positions
Commends Perceptiveness, Admires Intelligence.
Unit Statistics[]
- Morale: 60
- Melee Toughness: 26
- Ranged Toughness: 38
- Melee Power: 27
- Hit Points: 18k
- Melee Charge Bonus: 116
- Melee Attack Rate: 30
- Base Melee Damage: 1.1k
- Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 1k
- Base Melee Evasion: 8%
- Base Armour: 55%
- Ranged Block Chance: 30%
- Speed: 118
Traits[]
- Main article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Ambitious
- +8 authority
- +50% desire for higher office
- +5% income from all sources (administered commandery)
- Increases ambition to gain independence as administrator
Admires Power, Wary of Ambition
Dutiful
- +8 authority
- -50% desire for higher office
- +10 satisfaction
Focuses on Duty.
Suspicious
- +6 cunning
- +2 instinct
- +10 undercover network cost for enemy spies
Wary of Ambition, Wary of Power, Disregards Trustworthiness.
Skills[]
- Main article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Mobility
- +8 authority
- +2 morale when attacking (when commanding)
- +25% battle running speed (own retinue)
Unyielding Earth
- +4 resolve
- +4 authority
- Ability: Unyielding Earth
Clarity
- +8 authority
- -25% building upkeep (administered commandery)
- +50% campaign line-of-sight
Dignity
- +8 instinct
- Enables: Disciplined (own retinue)
- +5 faction support (faction-wide)
Abilities[]
- Main article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Immune to Terror
- The unit is immune to scare and terror effects
- Unyielding Earth (Active Buff)
- Can use if:
- Not on Elephant
- +1900% Charge Resistance
- +100% Melee Evasion
- Unbreakable
- Range: 75m
- Duration: 30s
- Cooldown: 120s
- Can use if:
Ancillaries[]
- Main article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Trust of God
- Base Melee Damage: 1k
- Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 1k
- Melee Attack Rate: 30
- -15 instinct
- +24 authority
- Enables: Immune to Fear & Terror
Cao Cao's Armour
- Base Armour: 55
- +18 authority
- +30% ranged block chance
- +12% speed
Shadow Runner
- Speed: 105
- Mass: 2k
- +10 cunning
- +5 authority
- +25% chance of evading capture post-battle
- +5% chance of avoiding ambush (own army)
Guanxi[]
Cao Cao's relationship
- Main article: Guanxi
Family
- Cao Song (father)
- Lady Bian (wife)
- Cao Ang (son)
- Cao Pi (son)
- Cao Zhang (son)
- Cao Zhi (son)
- Cao Xiong (son)
- Cao Ren (cousin)
- Xiahou Dun (cousin)
- Xiahou Yuan (cousin)
Friends
Acquaintances
Negative Acquaintances
Rivals
Nemeses
Biography[]
- Main article: Timeline (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Cao Cao was born in 155CE in Qiao county, Han Empire. His father Cao Song was a foster son of Cao Teng, one of the favoured eunuchs of Emperor Huan. It is said that Cao Song’s original family name was Xiahou. This makes Cao Cao related to two of his most trusted generals, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan. His family was closely intertwined with politics, and Cao Cao studied hard, maturing into a powerfully cunning and shrewd statesman in his own right.
Cao Cao has seen emperors fall and tyrants rise, he has witnessed power grasped by the undeserving, and it is this world of chaos through which he plots a path to order. Regarded as a strategic genius, Cao Cao pursues victory at any cost, and ensures that the ends always justify the means. Though some call him ruthless, he is nevertheless mindful and considerate, maintaining agricultural garrisons to protect both his supplies and his people during troubled times.
Ingenious and merciless, he’s known as the Puppet Master and has no qualms in controlling others to fulfill his aspirations. He is a leader who dedicates himself to his ambitions and possesses a unique mindset. Caring little for status or hidebound tradition, he judges men solely on their achievements and skill, and his companions respect him for this reason. Gainsaying his reputation for ruthlessness, he looks out for his followers and treats them with generosity. Despite their rivalry, Cao Cao and Liu Bei are very similar in this regard; they are both supported and trusted by the people.[1]
Trivia[]
- The Puppet Master is a title that given by The Creative Assembly to Cao Cao after his playstyle.
Gallery[]
Reference[]
| Total War THREE KINGDOMS playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Sentinel | Bao Xin・Cai He・Cai Yang・Cao Ren・Chang Diao・Chang Xia・Chen Heng・Chen Qian・Chen Wu・Chen Xiu・Cheng Pu・Congqian・Cui Jun・Deng Ai・Ding Feng・Gan Li・Gao Gan・Gongsun Du・Gongsun Xu・Guo Xian・Hou Yin・Han SuiS・Huang She・Huang YueyingF・Huang ZhongS・Huangfu Song・Jia Long・Jian Yong・Li Dian・Liang Xing・Liu Shang・Liu Yao・Lu Meng・Lu Zhi・Ma Mao・Qu Ying・Song Jian・Sui Gu・Sun JianS・Sun Shao・Taishi CiS・Tao Shang・Tian Fen・Wang Kuang・Wang Su・Wang Yu・Xia Zhao・Xiaoqiao・Xu HuangS・Xue Li・Yan Xing・Yang Bo・Yang Hong・Yang Zhong・Yin Li・Yu Jin・Yuan Shang・Yue JinS・Zang Hong・Zhang Hu・Zhang LiaoS・Zhang Ya・Zhao YunS・Zheng Bao・Zhu Zhi |
| Champion | Cai Zhong・Cao Ang・Cao Hong・Cao Shuang・Cao Xi・Cao Zhang・Chang Xi・Chen Jiu・Chen Lan・Cheng Yi・Dong Feng・Dian WeiS・Gao Ding・Gao Sheng・Guan Xing・Guan YuS・Han Fu・Han Hao・Hong Ming・Huan Lin・Huan Zhi・Huang Gai・Huang Zu・Huo Nu・Ji Ben・Jiang Gong・Li Damu・Li Huan・Li Yu・Ling Tong・Liu Shao・Lu Kang・Pang De・Qu Gong・Quan Rou・Sen Pei・Song Yang・Tao Ying・Tuoba Liwei・Wang Xi・Wei Huang・Wei Jie・Wen Chou・Xiahou DunS・Xianyu Yin・Xin Ping・Xu ChuS・Xu Rong・Xuan Fan・Yang Feng・You Tu・Yu Qin・Zang Ba・Zao Zhi・Zhang Fang・Zhang Fu・Zhang Guang・Zhang Lu・Zhang YanS・Zhao Du・Zheng Yan・Zheng JiangSF・Zou Lin・Zuozi Hangba |
| Strategist | Bao Xun・Bian Rang・Bu LianshiF・Cai YanF・Cai Yong・Cao Chong・Cao Zhi・Chang Lin・Che Zhou・Chen Biao・Chen Di・Chen Gong・Chen Lin・Chen Qun・Chen Zhen・Cheng Xu・Cheng Yu・Cui Lin・Cui Yan・DiaochanF・Ding Yi・Dong Yun・Dong Zhao・Du Qiong・Fa Zheng・Fan Qin・Lady FengF・Feng Shuo・Fu Gan・Fu Jia・Fu Wan・Gao Rou・Gaotang・Gongsun Xiu・Gu Yong・Guan Chun・Guan Jing・Guan Lu・Guan Ning・Guanqiu Dian・Guo Jia・Guo Tu・Han Ji・Han Ran・Han Rong・Han Yin・Handan Chun・Handan Shang・He Yan・He Zeng・Hu Zhao・Hu Zhi・Hu Zong・Hua Biao・Hua Tuo・Hua Xin・Huan Dian・Huan Fan・Huan Jia・Huang Wan・Hungfu Mi・Ji Miao・Ji Mu・Jia Chong・Jia Cong・Jia Xu・Jiang Ji・Jin Yi・Ju Shou・Kan Ze・Kong RongS・Kong Zhou・Kuai Liang・Kuai Yue・Liu Ba・Li Chao・Li Fu・Li Kang・Li Ru・Li Shao・Li Xiu・Liang Mao・Liu Dai・Liu Fu・Liu He・Liu Ji・Liu Yan・Liu Ye・Liu Yi・Liu Zhen・Lu An・Liu Fan・Lu Ji・Lu Kai・Lu Mao・Lu Su・Lu Xing・Lu Xun・Lu Yi・Lu Yu・Lu ZhengF・Ma Liang・Ma Midi・Ma Qiu・Ma Su・Ma Yu・Mao Jie・Mi Heng・Mi Zhu・Miao Xi・Min Chun・Pan Xu・Pang Ji・Pang Tong・Pei Jun・Pei Qian・Peng Yang・Qi Zhou・Qiao Zhou・Qin Mi・Quan Ji・Que Xuan・Ren An・Ren Jun・Ruan Yu・Shan Gu・Shan Tao・Shen You・Sheng Xian・Shi Wei・Shi Xie・Shi Yi・Shi Zhi・Sima Feng・Sima Fu・Sima Lang・Sima YiS・Su Shuo・Su Ze・Sun Qian・Sun Xu・Tao QianS・Teng Yin・Tian Chou・Tian Feng・Tian Jing・Wang Biao・Wang Can・Wang Dang・Wang Fu・Wang Jian・Wang Lan・Wang Lei・Wang Lie・Wang Su・Wang Xiang・Wei Dan・Wei Feng・Wei Shu・Wei You・Wei Zhao・Wei Hui・Wu Fan・Wu Shuo・Wu Zhi・Xiahou Rong・Xiahou Xuan・Xiahou Zuo・Xiahou Lang・Xiao QiaoSF・Xin Xianying・Xing Yong・Xu Gan・Xu Jing・Xu Miao・Xu Shao・Xu Shu・Xu Ta・Xu Xuan・Xu You・Xue Zong・Xun Wei・Xun Yu・Xun Yue・Yan Pu・Yan Xiang・Yan Yu・Yang Chou・Yang Dao・Yang Xi・Yang Xiu・Yao Tai・Yao Zhou・Ying Qu・Ying Yang・Ying Yu・Yu Fan・Yuan Long・Yuan Yi・Yue Dun・Zhang Chao・Zhang Cheng・Zhang Chunhua・Zhang Hong・Zhang Ji・Zhang Miao・Zhang Min・Zhang Quan・Zhang Song・Zhang Wen・Zhang Yun・Zhang Zan・Zhang Zhao・Zhang Zhen・Zhang Zhi・Zhao Ang・Zhao Qi・Zhao Wei・Zhao Yan・Zhao Yi・Zheng Mao・Zheng Mo・Zheng Sui・Zheng Tai・Zheng Xuan・Zhong Yao・Zhongchang Tong・Zhou Huan・Zhou YuS・Zhou Zhi・Zhu En・Zhu Gui・Zhu Han・Zhuge Jin・Zhuge LiangS |
| Vanguard | Bu Ji・Bu Zhi・Cai Mao・Dong Zhuo・Gan Ning・Gongsun ZanS・Liu Qi・Lü BuS・Ma ChaoS・Ma TengS・Shisun Rui・Sun CeS・Sun RenSF・Xiahou Jie・Xiahou YuanS・Yan Liang・Ze Rong・Zhang FeiS・Zhang He・Zhang Yang |
| Commander | Lady BianF・Lady CaiF・Cai Xun・Cao CaoS・Cao JieF・Cao Ren・DaqiaoF・Da QiaoSF・Dong PeishanF・Guan YinpingF・Liu BeiS・Liu BiaoS・Lady LiuF・Liu Yu・Liu ZhangS・Wang Lang・Lady WuF・Sun QuanS・Yuan AnyangF・Yuan ShaoS・Yuan ShuS・Yuan Tan・Yuan Xi |
| Healer (YTR) | Han Xian・He YiS・Liu Pi・Wang Du |
| Veteran (YTR) | Gong DuS・Guan Hai・Liao Hua・Pei YuanshaoS・Zhang KaiS・Zhao Bo |
| Scholar (YTR) | Guo Da・He ManS・Huang ShaoSWang Rao・Xu He |