Cao Ren - Dynasty Warriors 5 Xtreme Legends - Chaos Mode

Dynasty Warriors 5 Xtreme Legends
Cao Ren
Chaos Mode

Custom Audio -- Dynasty Warriors 4 -- Interceptor, Dynasty Warriors 4 -- Heavy Gauge

[General Comments]

Um...sooo sorry for the part getting hit with the statues. I got lazy.
Yang Ping Gate is a very good stage for character evaluation. It has plenty of generic and playable officers, archers, multiple officer scenario, a buffed officer (Pang De), and enemy commander.
The disadvantage is that you have to go through the statues to unlock the stairs to each level -- be patient with me at those parts.

[Maximization Setup]

Medium Weapon
Attack
Musou
Fill
Speed
Defense

Ice Orb
Tiger Amulet
Green Scroll
Wind Scroll
True Way of Musou
Ginseng

[Maximization Comments]

Musou filling should come from either his C3 or normal attacks
there is a specific way to attack with his normal attacks to make him safe with Musou filling with normal attacks using a Medium weapon with a Musou bonus on it
a light weapon will make it easier for him to use C3, and easier to Musou fill safely with normal attacks, but the light weapon attacking speed doesn't change his C3 approach (it's strictly a distance attack and a light weapon doesn't make it completely abusable), and since this video shows that he can fill Musou reliably with a Medium weapon with a Musou bonus on it, going with a light weapon seems unnecessary
no practical advantages with a heavy weapon
speed is important for Cao Ren to be able to run away from crowds -- 20 is enough
C3 or C6 should be the charge attacks of choice. In the case of C3 against an officer that is close to Cao Ren, you don't have the option of purposely missing the officer to avoid the last hit. Ice is useful to keep the officer on the ground for full Musou damage, instead of making the officer disoriented. In the case C6 hits an officer, it is more useful to freeze the officer than to hit the officer, again for Musou followup.
Musou filling seems to be marginal in some cases -- equip the Ginseng for better filling potential
There is often no need for a True Musou -- his regular full Musou will defeat playable officers
Use C3 when possible for Musou filling -- this is the safest Musou filling method
for all other cases, use his normal attacks and possibly C6 to fill Musou
SEE NEXT VIDEO FOR MORE ON CONTROLLING CAO REN IN CROWDS
of all normal attacks, his 3rd normal attack has little range, or the least range
To attack safely in crowds with normal attacks
1) move from left to right, from 1st normal to 2nd normal -- to increase range
2) continue left and turn around (CCW) during 3rd normal -- to use the hop distance in this short range attack he covers to back away from the crowd
3) continue going CCW until you turn back to face the crowd again for 4th and 5th normal
4) purposely stop here if safe to do so -- to save Musou or to attack again
5) or proceed to C6
This method of using normal attacks works for a large range of crowds sizes but is limited to massive crowds as they surround him too early for this strategy to work
attack in a straight direction in massive crowds -- it won't take many hits to fill his Musou
very fast and horizontal range in counterattack
Use C1 to dismount officers
C1 is useful for clustering small crowds together -- useful for avoiding situations of loose crowds. Cao Ren may be in trouble if he can't fill Musou in his first 5 normals
JC has limited applications. Useful for "teleporting", as it covers good horizontal distance in a short amount of time. The first officer kill shows this application.
good JA useful for defense

[Tier List Comments]
Cao Ren fits in high tier
unique method of Musou filling makes him difficult to place -- higher chance for wasted Musous in massive crowds
good against mounted officers with C1 dismounting
one Musou will kill generics AND playable officers
fast Musou filler
however his Musou is JUST enough to kill playable officers -- since playables often come in large crowds, there is high chance of wasted Musou hits compared to other characters with the same offensive capabilities
C3 is limited when archers are present
requirement to attack with no threats from behind makes it very limiting when archers are present
non-flinching defense when attacking is an advantage when facing archers, and a small advantage in general
poor against multiple officers -- if officers come in non-massive crowds, Cao Ren is forced to use the above method of Musou filling with normal attacks. If an officer is hit beginning with the 1st normal, hopping backwards with his 3rd normal may take too long and officers may attack. Facing multiple officers increases the chances of getting hit
multiple officers may force Cao Ren to run around to create more clustered crowds to work with