Building a powerful team in Dynasty Warriors: Overlord starts with choosing the right generals. While many characters are usable throughout the game, some stand out thanks to their exceptional damage, crowd control, and long-term scaling. If you’re planning to reroll or simply wondering which heroes deserve your resources, this tier list will help you make smarter decisions.
The rankings below focus on overall performance for beginners, campaign progression, and long-term value. Investing in high-tier generals early can make story stages, farming, and future content significantly easier.
Dynasty Warriors: Overlord Tier List:
S Tier – Best Generals for Long-Term Progress
These are the strongest generals currently available. If you manage to obtain one during your beginner summons, you’re already in an excellent position. Each of these heroes remains useful even after reaching the late game.
Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun is an all-around powerhouse with outstanding mobility and consistent damage output. His balanced skill set allows him to handle bosses while also clearing mobs efficiently. Players looking for a reliable carry throughout the story should prioritize Zhao Yun whenever possible.
Strengths
- High sustained DPS
- Great mobility
- Effective against bosses and regular enemies
- Excellent long-term investment
Xiahou Dun
Known for his iconic eyepatch, Xiahou Dun offers an impressive combination of durability and offense. He survives difficult battles while dealing respectable damage, making him one of the most dependable frontline generals.
Strengths
- High survivability
- Reliable damage
- Beginner-friendly gameplay
- Performs well in extended fights
Taishi Ci
Taishi Ci specializes in dealing powerful burst damage while maintaining good combat speed. His offensive capabilities allow him to eliminate dangerous enemies before they become a threat.
Strengths
- Strong burst attacks
- Fast combat style
- Excellent PvE performance
- Great choice for aggressive players
Sun Ce
Sun Ce remains one of the strongest offensive generals available. His skills provide excellent crowd control and consistent damage, making campaign progression much smoother.
Strengths
- Strong offensive abilities
- Effective against groups
- Great boss damage
- Scales well into later content
A Tier – Excellent Alternatives
These generals are only slightly behind the top-tier options. They perform exceptionally well and can comfortably carry your account if properly upgraded.
Zhuge Liang
One of the best strategists in the game, Zhuge Liang excels at controlling battles through powerful abilities rather than raw physical strength. His utility makes him valuable for many different team compositions.
Highlights
- Strong utility skills
- Excellent battlefield control
- Fits many teams
- Great support damage
Da Qiao
Da Qiao provides useful support capabilities while still contributing meaningful damage. She becomes even stronger when paired with the right teammates.
Highlights
- Team support
- Reliable damage
- Strong synergy with multiple lineups
Ma Chao
Ma Chao focuses on fast attacks and high mobility. He performs well against both groups of enemies and tougher elite opponents.
Highlights
- Fast combat style
- High DPS
- Great mobility
- Good campaign performance
Other Strong A Tier Heroes
Several additional generals also perform well despite not reaching S Tier. They remain excellent options if you don’t pull the absolute best characters immediately.
- Additional Wei, Shu, and Wu faction generals
- Strong offensive warriors
- Reliable support characters
- Situational specialists
B Tier – Good but More Situational
B Tier characters remain perfectly usable, especially early in the game. However, they generally require more investment or better teammates before reaching their full potential.
Examples include:
- Lu Bu
- Various SR generals
- Specialized support heroes
Interestingly, Lu Bu ranks lower than many players might expect. Although famous throughout the Dynasty Warriors series, his performance in Overlord currently falls behind several other premium generals.
Free General Worth Building
Xiao Qiao
One pleasant surprise for beginners is Xiao Qiao. She is obtainable for free early in the game and performs much better than most starter characters.
Her ranged attacks allow players to safely defeat enemies without constantly exposing themselves to danger. This makes campaign progression much easier during the opening chapters.
Reasons to Build Xiao Qiao
- Free early-game character
- Excellent ranged attacks
- Safe playstyle
- Strong beginner carry
- Doesn’t require rare summons
If you fail to obtain an S Tier general, Xiao Qiao can comfortably carry your account until stronger heroes become available.
Should You Reroll?
Yes. Dynasty Warriors: Overlord rewards rerolling because obtaining one powerful general early can save countless resources later.
Your ideal reroll targets include:
- Zhu Rong
- Zhao Yun
- Xiahou Dun
- Taishi Ci
- Sun Ce
Landing any one of these generals gives you a strong foundation for the rest of your journey.
Choosing the right general early can make a huge difference in Dynasty Warriors: Overlord. While many heroes become viable with enough investment, Zhu Rong, Zhao Yun, Xiahou Dun, Taishi Ci, and Sun Ce offer the best overall value for beginners and remain powerful throughout the game’s progression. If rerolling is an option, aiming for one of these elite generals is well worth the time. Otherwise, don’t overlook Xiao Qiao, as her strong ranged attacks and free availability make her one of the best early-game carries until you build a stronger roster.