To unlock Gan Ning in Dynasty Warriors 3 Remastered, play the Battle of Hefei on the Wei side in Musou Mode, let the battle’s events play out until Gan Ning launches his surprise attack on Cao Cao’s camp, then defeat him yourself. He joins the select screen after the results, on any difficulty, and the same kill drops the Power Scroll.
The catch is timing. Gan Ning only appears late in a chain of scripted events, and players who rush the stage, or whose bodyguards land the final blow, finish the battle without him. Below is the full chain, what goes wrong, and how to get his fourth weapon once he is yours. Koei Tecmo has not published unlock conditions for DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered, so the steps follow the 2001 original, and the same chain unlocks him in the remaster. Every other guide is on our Dynasty Warriors hub.
The Unlock Condition
- Stage: Battle of Hefei (written He Fei in the original’s English release). Do not confuse it with the Siege of Hefei Castle, a different stage.
- Side: Wei, defending against Sun Quan’s invasion.
- Mode: Musou Mode. That was the rule in the original, and Koei Tecmo’s description of the remaster’s Musou Mode is where it says new officers unlock by meeting special conditions in battle. Musou Mode is the safe choice.
- Difficulty: Any. Easy is the least stressful way to do it.
- Requirement: Defeat Gan Ning after his surprise attack event, with your own officer landing the final blow.
Gan Ning is a Wu officer on Koei Tecmo’s official character list, so once unlocked he plays the Wu Musou Mode story.
Step-by-Step: How to Unlock Gan Ning
- Start the Battle of Hefei as a Wei officer in Musou Mode. The stage turns up in Wei officers’ stories.
- Leave Taishi Ci to Zhang Liao. Early on, Zhang Liao and Taishi Ci meet and Zhang Liao kills him. Do not defeat Taishi Ci yourself, because his death at Zhang Liao’s hands is what starts the chain.
- Stay near Zhang Liao in the center of the map. After Taishi Ci falls, the Wu army falls back and Zhang Liao withdraws. Staying close keeps you in position for the events that follow, so do not wander off. Do not let anyone defeat Zhang Liao either.
- Wait for Zhang Liao’s ambush. A little later, Zhang Liao returns and attacks Sun Quan (or Sun Jian, if he is leading Wu in your run) south of the river.
- Wait for Gan Ning’s surprise attack. A while after that ambush, Gan Ning launches his surprise attack. In the original, his force appears in the valley just south of Cao Cao’s camp and pushes north toward Cao Cao.
- Defeat Gan Ning yourself. Ride to him quickly, since his force heads straight for Cao Cao, and make sure your officer lands the last hit. He drops the Power Scroll, a red item that stops you losing weapon deadlocks.
- Win the battle. Gan Ning appears on the officer select screen after the results.
In short: wait for Zhang Liao to show up again, let Gan Ning start his ambush, then defeat him for both the officer and the Power Scroll. Do not rush to defeat officers; let the events play out.
Why Gan Ning Did Not Unlock
These are the most common reasons the unlock fails:
- You killed him too early. Defeating him before the surprise attack event does not count. If Gan Ning is on the field before the cutscene, leave him.
- Someone else got the kill. The unlock asks for your own officer to land the final blow, so keep allies and bodyguards from finishing him.
- You skipped the chain. Defeating Taishi Ci or Zhang Liao yourself early breaks the sequence that leads to Gan Ning.
- You played the wrong stage or side. It has to be the Battle of Hefei on the Wei side, not the Wu side and not the Siege of Hefei Castle.
- You used Free Mode. Try it again in Musou Mode.
If the chain is moving slowly, patience works better than pushing the front line, since defeating the wrong officer early breaks it.
Gan Ning’s Fourth Weapon: Sea Master
The second thing players search for once he is unlocked is his fourth weapon. In the original, Gan Ning’s fourth weapon is Sea Master, and it comes from the same map from the other side:
- Stage: Battle of Hefei, Wu side (Sun Quan’s forces).
- Difficulty: Hard or higher, playing as Gan Ning, as with every fourth weapon in the remaster.
- Condition: Wait for Taishi Ci’s death event, which happens early when he meets Zhang Liao. Do not defeat Zhang Liao before it.
- Pickup: A supply team then appears at the northwest entry point and heads for the southwest one. Catch it and defeat its captain.
Koei Tecmo has not published fourth weapon conditions, but the remaster keeps the original’s Sea Master method. Our elements guide explains how Weapon Fusion lets you move a weapon’s element onto another weapon.
Tips Most Players Miss
- One map, two red items. The Power Scroll comes from Gan Ning on the Wei side, and the Buckler comes from Zhang Liao on the Wu side of the same stage. Our item guide lists the rest.
- The Wu side unlocks two more officers. Zhang Liao and Sun Quan both come from the Wu side of the Battle of Hefei, so plan a Wu run after this one. Our character unlock guide has the full roster.
- He counts for the Wu achievements. “Wu Story Conquered” on Steam asks you to clear Musou Mode with every Wu officer, so Gan Ning is required for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you unlock Gan Ning in Dynasty Warriors 3 Remastered? At the Battle of Hefei on the Wei side. Let Zhang Liao defeat Taishi Ci, wait for Zhang Liao’s ambush on Sun Quan and Gan Ning’s surprise attack, then defeat Gan Ning yourself.
Does difficulty matter for unlocking Gan Ning? No. The unlock works on any difficulty. Only his fourth weapon needs Hard or higher.
Can you unlock Gan Ning in Free Mode? Use Musou Mode to be sure. It had to be Musou Mode in the original, and Koei Tecmo describes officer unlocks as part of the remaster’s Musou Mode.
Why didn’t Gan Ning unlock after I beat him? Usually because the surprise attack event had not played yet, or because someone else landed the final blow, including your own bodyguards.
What item does Gan Ning drop at Hefei? The Power Scroll, which means you never lose a weapon deadlock.
Is Gan Ning good? That comes down to taste. Like every officer, he gets much stronger with his fourth weapon, Sea Master, and Weapon Fusion lets you move a strong element onto the weapon you use.