- 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.
On the battlefield, Cao Cao's unique skill, Imperious Presence, reduces the cooldown of activated abilities for nearby allies by 5 seconds every 5 seconds, effectively halving the cooldown of all activated abilities for allies.
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]
Other Languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| French | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| German | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Italian | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Spanish | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Portuguese | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Polish | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Czech | Cchao Cchao - Meng-te |
| Turkish | Cao Cao - Mengde |
| Chinese (Simplified)
|
曹操 (孟德) Cáo Cāo (Mèngdé)
|
| Chinese (Traditional)
|
曹操 (孟德) Cáo Cāo (Mèngdé)
|
| Korean | 조조 (맹덕) Jo-jo (Maeng-dok)
|
| Russian | Цао Цао - Мэндэ Tsao Tsao - Mende
|
Trivia[]
- The Puppet Master is a title that given by The Creative Assembly to Cao Cao after his playstyle.
- During battles, some characters may compare Cao Cao to a dairy farmer which is a pun on his name. "Cao" maybe similar to the word "Cow". The insults traded are a reference to the Monkey Island video games from the 1990's.
Gallery[]
Reference[]
| Total War THREE KINGDOMS playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Sentinel | Bao Xin・Bian Zhang・Bu Ci・Cai He・Cai Yang・Cai Yuan・Chang Huijie・Chang Wenning・Chang Xia・Chen Dan・Chen Heng・Cheng PuS・Chu Gong・Congqian・Cui Jun・Deng Ningqin・Dong Chong・Fan Qi・Feng Peiyan・Gao Gan・Gongsun Du・Gongsun Xu・Gu Yanyan・Gui Duo・Guo ShengS・Han Anyue・Han SuiS・He JinS・Hu Mao・Hua Lanli・Huang Li・Huang She・Huang Xin・Huang ZhongS・Huangfu Shang・Huangfu SongS・Jia Long・Jia Mo・Jia Xiao・Jian Yong・Ju Lu・Lady Lu・Lao Zhumeng・Li Xian・Liang Sui・Liang Xing・Ling Zheng・Ling Zhenyan・Liu Pingmin・Liu Qi・Liu Shang・Liu YaoS・Lu Yu・Luo Luban・Lü Meng・Mao Ren・Mi Fang・Miao Anzhu・Miao Wanwan・Mu Shen・Nie Tingping・Pei Minshu・Princess Pei・Qi Sheng・Qian Yanjuan・Qu Pan・Qu Zhenlan・Qu Zhushu・Ren Lixiu・Rong Lanrui・Shi Chao・Shi Wei・Shi Yi (Shie Xie's Brother・Shisun Cen・Sima Cui・Sima Fu・Sima Gan・Sima Hong・Sima Mao・Sima Xu・Sima Yan・Sima You・Sima YueS・Sima Yujie・Song Jian・Su Ting・Sui Gu・Sun JianS・Sun Shao・Taishi CiS・Tao Shang・Tian Fen・Wang Guo・Wang Kuang・Wang Yu・Wu Gong・Xia Diao・Xia Zhao・Xie Yingxiu・Xing Junya・Xu HuangS・Xue Li・Yan BaihuS・Yan Junya・Yan Xing・Yan Yuanshao・Yang Bo・Yang Hong・Yang Zhong・Yi Yuean・Yijian Liting・Yin Li・Yu JinS・Yu Wanhui・Yue JinS・Yue Jiong・Zang Hong・Ze Yue・Zhang Chao・Zhang HeS・Zhang Hu・Zhang Jinglan・Zhang LiaoS・Zhang Ya・Zhao YunS・Zheng Ningzhen・Zhou Shen・Zhousheng Min・Zhu Zhi・Zou Jing・Zuo Yu・Zuozi Zhulan |
| Champion | Bian Bing・Cai Zhong・Cao Ang・Chen Jiu・Cheng Wu・Cheng Yi・Dian WeiS・Ding Yuan・Dong Hong・Dong Shuo・Fan Yuanshao・Fu Xie・Gao Jue・Ge Ju・Geng Bi・Gu Zhen・Guan YuS・Guo Si・Han Chong・Han Fu・Han Hao・Han Tong・Hou Cheng・Huang Zu・Huangfu Yu・Jin Hu・Jin Mao・Li Damu・Liao Yan・Liu Dan・Liu Shen・Liu Yong・Lu Bao・Lu Kang・Lu Qian・Lu Xie・Luo Jun・Lü Boshe・Pang De・Pang Xu・Pu Shi・Pu Xu・Qu Gong・Quan Rou・Que Chang・Shen Pei・Shi Xin・Sima AiS・Sima Chang・Sima LiangS・Sima Pi・Sima Yao・Sun ZhangS・Tang Wen・Tao Ying・Tian Ben・Wang Bao・Wei Huang・Wei Jie・Wei Teng・Wei YanS・Wen ChouS・Xiahou DunS・Xianyu Xin・Xin Ping・Xing Zhang・Xu ChuS・Xu Rong・Xuan Fan・Xun Shuang・Xun Wenggui・Yan YuS・Yan Yun・Yang Feng・Yin Can・Yu Bin・Yu Pi・Yu Yan・Zang Ba・Zao Zhan・Zao Zhi・Ze Bu・Zhang GongS・Zhang Lu・Zhang YanS・Zheng Dan・Zheng JiangS・Zheng Yan・Zuo Cen |
| Strategist | Bao Dan・Bi LanS・Bian Rang・Cai Yong・Chen Deng・Chen GongS・Chen Gui・Chen Yu・Cheng Baojuan・Cheng Qiu・Cheng Yu・Cui Yan・DiaochanS・Du Cha・Fa Pingjin・Fa ZhengS・Fan Zhou・Fu Gan・Gai Ji・Gan Changren・Gao Dai・Gao Ruo・Gao WangS・Gao You・Gongsun Hong・Guan Chun・Guan Jing・Guo JiaS・Guo Tu・Han Rong・Hua Jinting・Hua Xin・Huan Dian・Huang Wan・Huang Yan・Humu Juanjie・Jia Cong・Jia XuS・Jiu Dan・Ju Ruo・Ju Shou・Kong RongS・Kong Zhou・Kuai Liang・Kuai Yue・Lady Feng・Lady Gan・Lady Liu・Lady Liu Yanglan・Lady Shi・Lady ZhenS・Li RuS・Li Xiu・Li Ying・Liang Mao・Liu Dai・Liu He・Liu Hong・Liu Mao・Liu Min・Liu YanS・Lou Juanshu・Lu Ji・Lu Su・Lu Zheng・Lu ZhiS・Lu Zhi・Luo Fangbao・Lü Fan・Ma Midi・Mao Jie・Mi Zhu・Nai Jingjuan・Pan Lin・Pang Ji・Qiang Lianshi・Qiao Xuan・Que Xuan・Ruan Shen・Sang Mengan・Shang Ju・Sheng Xian・Shi Lingyun・Shi XieS・Shi Yi・Shi Zhi・Sima Chi・Sima Di・Sima Jian・Sima Qian・Sima Shi・Sima Yang・Sima YingS・Sima Zan・Song Jinting・Su Neng・Sun Qian・Sun Xiu・Tao QianS・Ti Ying・Tian Chou・Tian Feng・Tong Yurui・Wang Baolan・Wang Dang・Wang Fangyue・Wang Lei・Wang Song・Wang Wenping・Wei Guan・Wei Jinshu・Wei You・Wen Yuejin・Xia YunS・Xiang Xun・Xiao QiaoS・Xin Fangyue・Xu Jing・Xu Shao・Xu ShuS・Xu Yan・Xu You・Xun YouS・Xun YuS・Yan Pu・Yan Xiang・Yan Yuanshao・Yang Chou・Yin Zhuwen・Yong Huili・Yu Fan・Yuan Yi・Zhai Miao・Zhang Cheng・Zhang HongS・Zhang Hua・Zhang Ji・Zhang Miao・Zhang Min・Zhang Shanmin・Zhang Song・Zhang Wen・Zhang Yun・Zhang ZhaoS・Zhao Wei・Zhao ZhongS・Zheng Tai・Zheng Xuan・Zhou Bi・Zhou Huan・Zhou YuS・Zhu Fu・Zhu Gui・Zhuge Jin・Zuozi Li |
| Vanguard | Bai Jin・Bao Luan・Bao Xiangru・Bu Jun・Cai Mao・Cao DingS・Chen Chao・Cheng Fu・Chenggong Fang・Chenggong Ying・Chunyu Qiong・Cui Lie・Da Jing・Deng Sheng・Deng Sheng・Dong Cheng・Dong ZhuoS・Du Ji・Duan GuiS・Empress HeS・Fan Chou・Fan Yan・Feng Zixiu・Fu Chun・Gan NingS・Gao ShunS・Gongsha Zhi・Gongsun ZanS・Guanqiu Kan・Han Dang・Han Xin・Hao Meng・Hua Rang・Huang GaiS・Huanglong・Huanglong Luo・Ji LingS・Jia Mi・Jiang Qin・Jin Yu・Ju Jun・Lai Qian・Li JueS・Li Kan・Li Li・Li SongS・Li Yan・Liang Qing・Lin Jun・Liu Bian・Liu Feng・Liu Qi・Liu Xun・Lou Gui・Lu Jing・Lu Yun・Lü BuS・Lü Gong・Ma ChaoS・Ma Han・Ma TengS・Ma Tie・Ma Wan・Ma Xiu・Niu Fu・Ren Qi・Shao Damu・Shi Wei・Shi Wu・Shisun Rui・Sima Ji・Sima Mo・Sima Rui・Sima Tai・Sima WeiS・Sima Wei・Sima YongS・Su Fei・Sun CeS・Sun RenS・Tang Si・Ti Yu・Tian Yu・Wan Buyi・Wang Jing・Wang Rui・Wu Jing・Xia Zhi・Xiahou YuanS・Xianyu Fu・Xie Cun・Xu Gong・Yan Gang・Yan Jian・Yan LiangS・Yang Biao・Yang Ren・Yang Yi・Ying Shao・Ying Xun・Yu Du・Ze Rong・Zhang Fang・Zhang FeiS・Zhang Xiu・Zhang Yang・Zhang Yu・Zhao Qian・Zhou TaiS・Zhou Xin・Zhou Yu・Zhu Jun・Zong Yi・Zong Yuan |
| Commander | Bi Jieyan・Bu Yin・Cai Xun・Cang Qinting・Cao CaoS・Cao De・Cao Huan・Cao PiS・Cao RenS・Cao Song・Chai Chang・Chen Ji・Da QiaoS・Deng Yuan・Diao Yi・Dong He・Dong Min・Dong Peishan・Dou Juanyue・Fan Liyan・Fan Min・Feng Fang・Geng Wu・Gongsun Gong・Gongsun Kang・Gongsun Shu・Gu Ruilan・Guan Xu・Han KuiS・Han Lian・He Lun・Huan Shuwan・Jiao Fan・Jin Xuan・Jing Hong・Ju Xin・Jue Jiejie・Kang Qinmeng・Kuang Yingzhu・Lady BianS・Lady Cai・Lady Cheng・Lady Ding・Lady Liu・Lady MiS・Lady Wu・Lady Yan・Lang Jingxiu・Li Chang・Li Han・Lian Zhi・Liang Shi・Ling Pingjing・Ling Yu・Liu BeiS・Liu BiaoS・Liu ChongS・Liu Cong・Liu Fan・Liu HongS・Liu Huimin・Liu XieS・Liu Yu・Liu ZhangS・Lu Jun・Lu Jun・Lu Lianshi・Pei Wei・Qian Ji・Qiao Mao・Que Jian・Rao He・Rui Juanwan・Shan Yu・Sheng Qinqijn・Shi Chen・Shi Hui・Shi Mengzhu・Sima Dan・Sima Fu・Sima Hun・Sima JiongS・Sima Ju・Sima LunS・Sima Rui・Sima Song・Sima Yu・Sima Zhi・Song DianS・Song Wei・Song Zhou・Su Ming・Sun Hua・Sun QuanS・Tian Kai・Wang Hong・Wang LongS・Wang Xiu・Wang Yun・Wei Di・Wei Ding・Wu Qiong・Xi Jiao・Xi Kan・Xi Yangting・Xianyu Ji・Xu Zhao・Yan Ruian・Yan Yueshang・Yang Ang・Yang Song・Yang Xiang・Yang Zhuo・Yin Yi・Yin Yinglan・Ying Feng・You Jue・Yu Minxiang・Yuan Anyang・Yuan Huan・Yuan ShangS・Yuan ShaoS・Yuan ShuS・Yuan TanSYuan Xi・Yuan Xiangshan・Yuan Yao・Zhang Fang・Zhang RangS・Zhang Yanyan・Zhao Wen・Zhou Ang・Zhou Bo・Zhousheng Han |
| Healer | Chenggong Min・Han Xian・Han Zhong・He YiS・Hua Zixiu・Liang Boning・Liu Pi・Ma Xiang・Tang Zhou・Wang Du・Wu Ba・Zhang JueS・Zhao Hong |
| Veteran | Bo Cai・Gong DuS・Guan Hai・Liang Zhongning・Liao Hua・Pei Yuanshao・Wei Desheng・Yao Feng・Zhang BaoS・Zhang Kai・Zhang LiangS・Zhang Mancheng・Zhao Bo |
| Scholar | Bu Si・Gongxu Yan・Gui Yuan・Guo Da・He ManS・Huang ShaoS・Ma Yuanyi・Peng Shen・Sima Ju・Taishi Yin・Wang Rao・Wu Huan・Xu He・Zhao Zhi |
| Nanman | A Jia Ju・A Lu She Su・A Lu Su Nu・A Lu Su Nu・A Nuo Qu Ju・A Nuo Qu Ju・A Nuo Wu Liang・A Nuo Zhi Bang・A Su Er Xia・A Su Zi Ri・A Xi Mu Xia・A Xi Zhi Yu・A Yu Bo Jia・Ahuinan・Ba Ba・Cai・Chou Changwu・Chou Leigong・Chou Zhao・Cuan Shangshang・Cuan Yuan・Dailai Dongzhu・Di Pei・Dong Ao・Dong Fu・Dong Zhufang・Dongtuna・DuosiS・Gao Wangzhi・Huo Qiong・Huo Wan・Jia Bang Rou・Jia Huan She Beng・Jia Huan Su Nu・Jia Ju Hao・Jia Su Ce Li・Jia Su Ce Li・Jia Su Shi Bin・Jiao Shushu・Jin Huan Nan・Jinhuansanjie・Lady ZhurongS・Lei Yu・Li Bao・Li Jing・Long Pingxiu・Lu Shi・Lu Yun・Luo Beng・Luo Beng・Luo Bo・Luo Cai・Luo Go Bin Xia・Luo Gu Bin Xia・Luo Gu Bin Xia・Luo Gu Er Xia・Luo Gu Pi Yong・Luo Gu Pi Yong・Luo Gu Su Nu・Luo Gu Xian She・Luo Jilong・Luo Ju・Luo Ju・Luo Shang・Lü Chen・Lü Juanping・Lü Quan・Lü Xu・Mangyachang・Mao Jingmeng・Mao Ling・Meng HuoS・Meng Jie・Meng Tu・Meng You・Mengli・MuluS・Nuo Ba Er Le・Nuo Ba Su Bo・Nuo Beng・Nuo Ge Nu・Nuo Go Shi Jia・Nuo Gu Er She・Nuo Gu Luo Cai・Nuo Gu Shi Jia・Nuo Gu Shi Jia・Nuo Guo Bo Luo・Nuo Guo Ce Li・Nuo Guo Hao Beng・Nuo Guo Jia Li・Nuo Guo Ri Ju・Nuo Jia Bang・Pang Anfang・Pang Dao・ShamokeS・She Bo・She Ju・She Luo・She Ri Nuo・Su Beng・Su Beng Ce Li・Su Le・Su Li・Tu An・Wang Li・Wang Peili・Wei Jinshang・Wu Beng Ju・Wu Bin She・Wu Bo Xian・Wu Bo Xian・Wu Ce Li Beng・Wu Ce Li Beng・Wu Dan Beng・Wu Hao・Wu Ju・Wu Nu・Wu Qu Ju Beng・Wu She Nu・Wu Xian Beng・Wu Xian Nu・Wu Zhu Hao・Wu Zhu Nu・WutuguS・Xi Ni・Xian Bo・Xian Le・Xian Nan・Xian Shi・Xian Su・Xie He・Xie Lei・Yang Feng・Yao Chen・Yin Shuying・Yin Zhenyu・Yin Zhubao・Yong Yan・Yong Yumin・Yu Bo Luo・Yu Bo Xian・Yu Luo・Yu Pi Yong Jia・Yu She・Yu She Jia・Yu Wu Bo Luo・Yu Wu Bo Xian・Yu Wu Su Bo・Yu Xian Nuo・Zhao Fu・Zhou Dian・Zhou Yuan・Zhu Mei・Zhu Nu |