- Tao Qian is a Chinese name; the family name is Tao.
For the faction, see Tao Qian (faction).
Tao Qian is a unique legendary Strategist hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He leads his own faction, Tao Qian, in 182 and 190.
Description[]
Tao Qian is a diligent and sincere governor with an eye for those who have the true interests of the people at heart. Having thwarted an invasion from Cao Cao with help from Liu Bei, the two began a friendship that would influence Liu Bei's own style of governance.
General Information[]
Attributes[]
Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Expertise: 53
- -7% construction cost (administered commandery)
- +11 melee evasion
- Resolve: 47
- +10% general's health
- +1k population growth (administered commandery)
- Cunning: 111
- +47% ammunition (own retinue)
- +11 military supplies (own army)
- Instinct: 48
- +6% melee damage
- -2% recruitment cost (this army)
- Authority: 81
- +3 satisfaction (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +3 unit morale (own retinue)
Background[]
Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Benevolent Arbiter
- +10 expertise
- +20 cunning
- +30 authority
- +1 resilience
- +2 available administrator positions (if leader, heir, or prime minister)
- +2 available assignments (if leader, heir, or prime minister)
- +50% income from family estates (if faction leader)
- +5% replenishment for garrisons (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
Values Diplomacy, Commends Trustworthiness.
Unit Statistics[]
- Morale: 40
- Melee Toughness: 11
- Ranged Toughness: 13
- Melee Power: 5
- Hit Points: 9k
- Melee Charge Bonus: 26
- Melee Attack Rate: 15
- Base Melee Damage: 683
- Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 161
- Base Melee Evasion: 11%
- Base Armour: 15%
- Speed: 109
Traits[]
Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Pacifist
- +4 cunning
- -4 instinct
- +1 mustering turns (armies in administered commandery)
- +5% income from all sources (administered commandery)
- Values Kindness, Values Diplomacy, Opposes War
- Philanthropic
- +2 resolve
- +6 authority
- +2 public order (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- Values Charity, Opposes Intimidation, Loathes Greed
- Distinguished
- +6 instinct
- +2 authority
- Increases ambition to gain independence as administrator
- Admires Attractiveness, Admires Refinement
Skills[]
Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Composure
- +8 cunning
- Enables: Fire Arrows (own retinue)
- Enables: Night Battles (this army)
- Wisdom of the River
- +4 cunning
- +4 authority
- Ability: Wisdom of the River
- 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)
- Wisdom of the River (Active Debuff)
- Can use if:
- Not on Elephant
- -100% Melee Evasion
- -100% Armour
- Range: 50m
- Duration: 30s
- Cooldown: 120s
- Can use if:
Ancillaries[]
Main Article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Noble's Sword
- Base Melee Damage: 643
- Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 161
- Melee Attack Rate: 30
- +9 authority
- +5 satisfaction
- Tao Qian's Armour
- Base Armour: 15
- +15 cunning
- +6 instinct
- +12% speed
- Black Horse
- Speed: 97
- Mass: 1.5k
- +2 cunning
Guanxi[]
Main Article: Guanxi
- Family
- Friends
- Acquaintices
- Negative Acquaintices
Gallery[]
Biography[]
Born in Danyang commandery in 132 AD, Tao Qian grew up as the son of a minor official. His father died while Qian was still young, leaving his family without much means to make their ends. Tao Qian subsequently became the gang leader of a local group of hooligans until he was noticed by Gan Gong, a local nobleman. The latter was impressed by Qian's wit and offered his daughter's hand in marriage in exchange for Tao's service.
Now married, Tao Qian set upon a path to maturity. He spent many days with his nose buried in all matters of tomes and books, eventually becoming quite the scholar, though he was still quick to anger. Nonetheless, he was deemed Filial & Incorrupt and subsequently recruited to be an Imperial Secretary, also gaining control over Lujiang. Despite occasionally ruffling feathers at court, Qian was recognized for his skill and was appointed as the Inspector of Yu province. He was ultimately recalled to deal with Yellow Turbans in Liang province but was recalled once more and made the Inspector of Xu province in the east.
Tao Qian defeated any and all Yellow Turbans in Xu province, then publicly pledged to turn it into a safe haven from the chaos that had gripped China after the collapse of the Han dynasty. This brought many refugees to Xu. Some of the more talented ones were recruited by Qian and integrated into his administration or military, though the man had no intentions to expand beyond his present territory. Interestingly, he did partake in a minor rebellion against Dong Zhuo and Li Jue in 191, sending a couple thousand troops and trying to form a second coalition, though none would join him. By 193, Li Jue had either forgotten about the move or didn't care, as he made Tao Qian the official governor of Xu.
Yet, despite the promotion, in 193 Tao Qian's streamlined administration had all but collapsed, as the number of refugees flowing into the safe haven of Xu became unmanageable. Meanwhile, many of Qian's bureaucrats turned corrupt, exploiting the chaos in Xu for their own benefit. Finally, to make matters worse, the powerful warlord Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was killed in a highway robbery in the territory of Tao Qian. The events around the death of Coa Song remain a mystery to this day, but Qian claimed innocence, stating that the attack had been carried out by a rogue officer.
Either Tao Qian was lying, and he had killed Cao Song on purpose and stolen his wealth, or he was telling the truth but could no longer control his own subordinates. Either way, Cao Cao had made up his mind, and the entirety of his military might came raining down on Xu province. Cao Cao's war against Tao Qian became one of the bloodiest sub-conflicts of the period, as Cao Cao was out for revenge. His troops slaughtered anyone they encountered, and civilians died in the hundreds of thousands. The death toll was significantly inflated due to the number of refugees that had flocked to Xu in earlier years.
Tao Qian's realm collapsed, and the governor was forced to flee. Eventually, he joined up with Liu Bei, and they tried to defend the eastern edges of Xu province. However, Cao Cao's invasion would come to an abrupt stop, as the warlord was forced to turn around to deal with the rebellion of Lü Bu in his home province. Liu Bei managed to reclaim a good portion of Xu, but Tao Qian would never be able to regain his power, dying shortly after to illness.
| 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 |