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Taishi Ci is a Chinese name; the family name is Taishi.

Taishi Ci is a unique legendary Sentinel hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He can be recruited via event by Kong Rong shortly after the 190 start. In 194, he is a member of Liu Yao. He joins Sun Ce in 200.


Description[]

A skilled archer and honest above all else, Taishi Ci always honours his word. Loyal to the end, he will do all that he can to serve his masters well, even if that means endangering his own life. There is no man more trustworthy than the virtuous Taishi Ci.


General Information[]

Attributes[]

Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Expertise: 119
    • -26% construction cost (administered commandery)
    • +39 melee evasion
  • Resolve: 64
    • +20% general's health
    • +2k population growth (administered commandery)
  • Cunning: 98
    • +39% ammunition (own retinue)
    • +9 military supplies (own army)
  • Instinct: 42
    • +5% melee damage
    • -1% recruitment cost (this army)
  • Authority: 49
    • +2 unit morale (own retinue)


Background[]

Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

of Exceptional Dexterity

  • +30 expertise
  • +10 resolve
  • +20 cunning
  • +1 resilience

Commends Physical Ability.


Unit Statistics[]

  • Morale: 45
  • Melee Toughness: 30
  • Ranged Toughness: 30
  • Melee Power: 5
  • Ranged Power: 35


  • Hit Points: 18k
  • Melee Charge Bonus: 113
  • Melee Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Melee Damage: 338
  • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 80
  • Base Melee Evasion: 39%
  • Base Armour: 38%
  • Ranged Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Ranged Damage: 1.1k
  • Armour-Piercing Ranged Damage: 600
  • Range: 250
  • Ammunition: 10
  • Speed: 109


Traits[]

Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Defiant

  • +2 expertise
  • +6 resolve
  • +5% attrition to hostile forces (enemy armies in administered commandery)
  • +4 morale when defending (own army)

Supports War, Resents Discipline, Wary of Power.


Honourable

  • +8 resolve
  • -50% desire for higher office
  • -10% chance of capturing enemy officers post-battle
  • Decreases ambition to gain independence as administrator

Commends Honour, Opposes Criminality, Opposes Cruelty.


Intimidating

  • +12 instinct
  • Enables: Immune to Scaring

Respects Decisiveness.


Skills[]

Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Stability
    • +8 authority
    • Unlocks assignment: Counteract Corruption
    • +5 public order (administered commandery)
  • Hail of Arrows
    • +4 expertise
    • +4 cunning
    • Unlocks unit: Archers
    • Ability: Hail of Arrows
  • Diligence
    • +8 expertise
    • +5 melee evasion for melee infantry (own retinue)
  • Scholarship
    • +8 cunning
    • +10% character experience (this army)
    • +40% income from commerce, silk and spice (administered commandery)
  • Intuition
    • +8 expertise
    • +25% chance of evading capture post-battle
    • +15% income from industry (administered commandery)


Abilities[]

Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Immune to Scare
    • Immune to scare effects.
  • Hail of Arrows (Missile Attack)
    • Can use if:
      • Not engaged in a pending or active duel
      • Not on Elephant
    • Base Range Damage (10x): 1.5k
    • -25% Charge Speed
    • -33% Ranged Attack Rate
    • -33% Melee Attack Rate
    • -500 Melee Charge Bonus
    • Requires Enemy Target
    • Cooldown: 60s


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
  • Taishi Ci's Armour
    • Base Armour: 38
    • +15 expertise
    • +6 cunning
    • +12% speed
  • Grey Horse
    • Speed: 97
    • Mass: 1.5k
    • +2 expertise
  • Breath & Wind
    • Ranged Attack Rate: 30
    • Base Ranged Damage: 1.1k
    • Armour-Piercing Ranged Damage: 600
    • Range: 250
    • +15 cunning
    • Enables: Mounted Fire while Moving
    • Enables: Fire Backwards


Guanxi[]

Main Article: Guanxi


Biography[]

Taishi Ci was one of the most skilled archers that ever came out of China, respected and feared across the region at the time. Tales spread far and wide of him, landing impossible shots like it was nothing while still being a magnificent fighter in close combat with his spear. Yet, the story of Taishi Ci starts with a son doing what his mother tells him to.

Taishi Ci's mother had owed a lot to Kong Rong, and now his holdings stood under siege by Yellow Turbans. And so, she sent his son to go aid the governor. When he reached the city where Rong and his armies were trapped, he killed well over a dozen Yellow Turbans before being let in. Yet, despite being grateful for his assistance, Kong Rong didn't need his services in the city. Instead, he gave the archer a message for Liu Bei to request aid.

He successfully convinced Liu Bei to send aid, joining his forces temporarily. Together with Liu Bei's troops, the Yellow Turbans were driven off in a crushing defeat. After assisting both Kong Rong and Liu Bei in aiding Tao Qian with Yellow Turban problems of his own, Ci considered his mother's request fulfilled and traveled south to join his acquaintance, the warlord Liu Yao.

Before long, however, Sun Ce invaded Liu Yao's territory. Taishi Ci volunteered for an officer position but was denied. After a string of defeats, Ci saw an opportunity, recklessly charging past Sun Ce's army and circling around. Here, he challenged Sun Ce to a duel. Despite a long and drawn-out fight, neither managed to defeat the other and as reinforcements from both sides arrived, the duel ended.

The day after, Liu Yao's army stood utterly defeated, and Taishi Ci was captured and brought before Sun Ce. Ce was impressed by his captive's skill in combat and personally released him, marking the beginning of a friendship between the two. Taishi Ci later convinced many of Liu Yao's soldiers who were still fighting a futile war to join Sun Ce's armies instead.

Taishi Ci's service under Sun Ce mainly consisted of defending against raids conducted by Liu Biao, which he did with extreme efficiency. When Sun Ce died in 200, Sun Quan continued to rely on Taishi Ci's protection against Biao.

He died in 206. It is often believed that he died from injuries sustained in an ambush, but this was made up in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. What truly happened is unknown, but he simply died from natural causes in a bed. Most likely, he contracted a disease.


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