Total War: Three Kingdoms continues to excite players especially with its gameplay. If you're new to the game, you probably want to know how to win a battle or even complete a campaign. However, we're going to start a bit slow and give you some background before we go into those topics. For today, let's take a look at character attributes and classes and how they impact your game.
ATTRIBUTES
Let's start with attributes. In Total War: Three Kingdoms, these are the properties of the hero that are impacted by their background and traits. Each attribute is represented by a Wu XIng element that comes with a corresponding buff. What is a Wu XIng element you ask? That's a different discussion for another time.
In the game, there are five attributes to consider. These are:
- Authority
- Authority, as the word implies, is the ability of the hero to lead others, whether on the battlefield or off it. Most faction leaders become more effective when they have higher authority since it increases the satisfaction of the other characters. It also gives a morale bonus on their retinue, which is an advantage especially when defending against a large force.
- Cunning
- Cunning involves the wise use of planning and strategy. Characters that have high cunning are able to support longer campaigns in enemy territory as well as when they are besieging enemy settlements. This is because it improves the military supplies and the ammunition levels for ranged units.
- Expertise
- Expertise is the ability of your character to understand craftsmanship and industry. Characters that are high in this attribute are good at building infrastructure since they allow for lower construction costs. It also gives them better evasion in battle as well as better defensive capabilities.
- Instinct
- Instinct relates to the capacity of your character as a military commander. The advantage of having this attribute is that it reduces the recruitment costs of the army. It also allows for lower melee damage, rather helpful in certain combat situations.
- Resolve
- Having high resolve means that your character is great at boosting the population growth. This is good especially when focusing on peasantry income. It also helps increase the health of the character.
CLASSES
Now let's move on to Classes. Like Attributes, there are a total of five classes. Each class comes with its own strengths and roles in both battle and campaign.
Champions
Champions are good when it comes to one-on-one fights. Because of this, the key attribute of the Champion is Resolve since it increases the health. Thus when assigned to be an administration, the Champion is able to improve the population growth.
As a fighter, the skills tree of the Champion are mainly resolve-based skills. The reason is that the Champion needs to improve melee damage output while also being able to get a strong splash attack. Champions work really well when placed in a group with polearm infantry.
Commanders
While good at inspiring troops, Commanders are not good at dueling and melee fights. This means that the key attribute of the Commander is Authority as they can improve moral particularly when under this command aura. When a Commander holds a ministerial post, the attribute results in improving the factionwide character satisfaction. In terms of troops, Commanders work well with melee cavalry.
Sentinels
Sentinels are defensive characters and are excellent at holding the line and locking down enemy generals. Sentinels therefore have Expertise as their key attribute. When assigned to be administrators, Sentinels help lower constructions costs. However, it is their melee evasion chance when in battle that makes them tough to beat.
With expertise-based skills, Sentinels not only can improve their melee evasion, but even the ranged block chance and melee damage capabilities. As defensive units, Sentinels work really well with melee infantry and polearm.
Strategists
It goes without saying that Strategists focus on Cunning. This particular attribute ensures that the army of this class has better ammunition levels along with better military supplies. They can get debuff abilities in their skills tree which allows them to unlock formations for their army and impair the efficiency of the enemy.
As added advantage, Strategists are the only characters in the game that can recruit artillery. The problem is that Strategists cannot duel and if forced are pretty fragile in combat. To make the most of Strategists, it is good to place them with ranged units.
Vanguard
With Instinct being their key attribute, they help lower the recruitment cost while improving the melee damage for their army. Instinct-based skills include giving a debuff to enemy moral, improving melee damage and getting a strong splash-damage attack.
Vanguards are good at punching through enemy lines so it is best if they are grouped with melee and polearm cavalry.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In choosing what class to use, take the gameplay you want into consideration. If you want to fight it out then go for either Champion or Commander. Being a Vanguard is also good. If you're the defensive type then go for Sentinel. Also keep in mind the other benefit of the attribute, especially if you character becomes an administrator.
So are you ready to play now?
