The stage walls can be destroyed and characters can be ringed out. Players choose three characters from those that have been unlocked to fight against an opposing team in an arena. This is a Tag-Team mode that is a callback to the original Dynasty Warriors. This new mode allows players to go through a set of unique stages independent from Story Mode using preset teams linked to a particular theme. Stories no longer contain side stages and only consist of eight stages. The Story Mode is expanded to include a story dedicated to Orochi, which is prelude to the events in the first title. A lot of the troop types from the first game have been either removed or simplified such as the heavy infantry for the Samurai Warriors games no longer appearing, archers all sharing the same design from Dynasty Warriors, women samurai or amazoness (led by Zhurong) being replaced by generic women soldiers and other units use less weapons such as the two bladed infantry being changed into regular infantry.Brand new weapon elements, attributes and the like have been added.Graphics for the R1 Type Actions and Musou Attacks have changed.A majority of projectile attacks, such as arrows and cutting wave-based moves now do less hitstun and damage (without any damage-improving elements attached).Any multi-input charge attacks only activate elements on their first and/or last attacks/inputs. Characters and character types have been tweaked, along with most C1 and C2 no longer able to activate elements.The only way a character with the Dynasty Warriors-archetype can perform this technique is through a game glitch, which is achieved by rapidly flicking the left analog stick to the diagonally left-to-right or by jamming. Horse jumping is now an ability limited to Samurai Warriors-type characters.Enemy attack power and endurance have been lowered on higher difficulty levels.They can be used to make unique upgrades for characters' weapons. They can be collected by completing certain missions in select Story stages. The unique items have been removed in favor of Treasures.
Certain team combinations have unique versions of this move.
It can be activated by simultaneously pressing L2 and R2 when the controlling character has their life in the red and a full Musou bar.
Characters can perform a desperation attack with the entire team called a Triple Attack, or a Union Art (合体技, Gattai Waza) in the Japanese scripts.Each assist attack involves the respective team member coming out and performing one of their set attacks before disappearing. will bring out the character left of the player's character icon and will call out the one on the right. When the player is hit, tap L1 with or at the cost of the helper's Musou. Team members can support one another when the character in the field is in trouble.Each character has received a Strategy that activates by meeting a certain objective.Characters can be switched whilst mounted and during combos. It is much easier to switch between characters than before.Defeating five hundred enemies or five generals increases the character's proficiency level (maximum is 50). Proficiency now also unlocks costumes and images in character galleries.