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Li Ru is a Chinese name; the family name is Li.

Li Ru is a unique legendary Strategist hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He is a member of Dong Zhuo in 190 and 182.

General Information[]

Attributes[]

Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Expertise: 71
    • -12% construction cost (administered commandery)
    • +19 melee evasion
  • Resolve: 53
    • +13% general's health
    • +2k population growth (administered commandery)
  • Cunning: 112
    • +47% ammunition (own retinue)
    • +11 military supplies (own army)
  • Instinct: 44
    • +5% melee damage
    • -1% recruitment cost (this army)
  • Authority: 46
    • +1 unit morale (own retinue)


Background[]

Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Vicious Shadow

  • +30 expertise
  • +20 cunning
  • +10 authority
  • Unlocks assignment: Counter-espionage
  • +1 resilience
  • +5 undercover network cost for enemy spies (if prime minister, heir or leader)

Respects Caution, Respects Patience, Opposes Intimidation.


Unit Statistics[]

  • Morale: 36
  • Melee Toughness: 26
  • Ranged Toughness: 33
  • Melee Power: 5


  • Hit Points: 18k
  • Melee Charge Bonus: 116
  • Melee Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Melee Damage: 338
  • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 80
  • Base Melee Evasion: 29%
  • Base Armour: 15%
  • Ranged Block Chance: 30%
  • Speed: 97


Traits[]

Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Perceptive

  • +6 cunning
  • +2 instinct
  • +10% chance of capturing enemy officers post-battle
  • +10% campaign line-of-sight

Commends Perceptiveness.


Artful

  • +6 expertise
  • +2 instinct
  • +2 public order (administered commandery)
  • +10 maximum cover when spying

Admires Ambition, Admires Intelligence.


Cowardly

  • +4 cunning
  • -4 authority
  • +25% chance of evading capture post-battle
  • -4 morale
  • Decreases ambition to gain independence as administrator

Respects Caution, Opposes Intimidation, Opposes War.


Skills[]

Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Patience
    • +8 resolve
    • +25% chance of capturing enemy officers post-battle
    • Increases rate of wall and settlement damage during sieges (when commanding)
  • Guile
  • Wisdom of the River
    • +4 cunning
    • +4 authority
    • Ability: Wisdom of the River


Abilities[]

Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Wisdom of the River (Active Debuff)
    • Can use if:
      • Not on Elephant
    • -100% Melee Evasion
    • -100% Armour
    • Range: 50m
    • Duration: 30s
    • Cooldown: 120s


Ancillaries[]

Main Article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Ceremonial Sword
    • Base Melee Damage: 321
    • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 80
    • Melee Attack Rate: 30
    • +6 authority
  • Liu Ru's Armour
    • Base Armour: 15
    • +18 cunning
    • +10% melee evasion
    • +30% ranged block chance
  • Black Horse
    • Speed: 97
    • Mass: 1.5k
    • +2 cunning


Guanxi[]

Main Article: Guanxi


Biography[]

Li Ru plays a large part in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but he was a bit of a footnote in reality. It is unknown when he came into Dong Zhuo's service, but he served as a palace attendant in Luoyang under the Han Empire. When Dong Zhuo became the regent, he had the current child emperor, Shao, deposed. Shao would be replaced with his younger brother, Emperor Xian. Still, Dong Zhuo would fear that Shao would fall into the hands of a hostile warlord, who would uphold his claim to the throne.

To deal with Shao's threat, Dong Zhuo ordered Li Ru to poison the young prince in 190. After Ru had done so, he had earned a promotion. He sided with Li Jue's rebellion when Lü Bu killed Zhuo. Once Jue and Guo Si recaptured Chang'an, overthrowing Wang Yun, Jue petitioned Xian to give Li Ru his title of palace attendant back. Xian refused, reminding his regent of what happened to the last emperor who trusted Li Ru.

Li Ru is never mentioned again, and it is assumed he died sometime during the civil war between Li Jue and Guo Si in later years, if not before then.


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