Retainers are recruitable named characters in Huaxia: Warring States. The Early Access roster numbers around eighty figures, drawn from the historical and legendary record of the late Warring States era. Retainers function as combat companions on the personal layer, as named generals and advisors on the strategic layer, and as marriage partners and household members in the long-term clan loop.
Inspired, Not Biographical
The named retainers borrow heavily from real historical figures, but their stats, personalities, recruitment requirements, and storylines are creative interpretations. The game folds in mythological elements, alternate-history what-ifs, and fictional framings that do not map cleanly onto the historical record. Treat retainer pages as in-world characters with shared names rather than as biographies.
Recruitment Loop
Most retainers will not join you on first meeting. They have their own goals, allegiances, and conditions that you must satisfy. The game offers several social verbs to move recruitment forward.
Verb | Effect |
|---|---|
Study with | Approach a learned candidate as a student; raises affinity through shared learning |
Gift | Offer money, goods, weapons, or rare items aligned with the candidate's interests |
Persuade | Use eloquence checks to argue for your cause; gated by traits and schooling |
Bribe | Direct payment for compliance; lowers ethical-school standing if witnessed |
Roles a Retainer Can Fill
Role | Where It Matters |
|---|---|
Combat companion | Stands beside you in personal melee; covers ranged, defensive, or technical roles you have not specced into |
Field general | Leads detachments on the strategic layer; their stats determine pre-battle bonuses, retreat penalties, and unique tactical orders |
Advisor | Provides counsel in homestead, county, and clan management; sometimes unlocks unique policies |
Diplomat | Conducts diplomacy with rival factions; eloquent retainers are decisive in alliance negotiations |
Partner | Marriage and children are part of the long-term clan loop, and some retainers are eligible marriage partners who become part of the household over the long term |
Affinities and Schools
Many retainers are aligned with one or more schools of thought. A Confucian-leaning retainer values rite, hierarchy, and study; a Mohist retainer values frugality, defensive war, and craft. Aligning your own school choices with your retainer's preferences increases their affinity and unlocks unique events. Recruiting a retainer aligned with a school you oppose is possible but slower and requires sustained social investment.
Combat Pairings
On the personal layer, pair retainers whose elemental and trigram affinities cover gaps in yours. A water-element melee retainer balances a fire-element character; a yin-leaning patient retainer balances a yang-leaning aggressive one. The same applies on the strategic layer: cavalry-specialist retainers excel in open terrain, defensive-specialist retainers excel in siege defense.
Loss and Permadeath
Retainers can be lost in battle, can leave you over conflicting choices, or can die in story events. Several have permanent or semi-permanent loss triggers; once they are gone, they are gone. Save before high-risk story decisions involving named retainers if you want to avoid an irreversible parting.
Notes for Early Access
The retainer list grows and shifts between updates: existing retainers get rebalanced; new ones are introduced; rare ones are sometimes restructured. Articles for individual retainers will be created as their roles stabilize. Until then, the canonical roster lives in-game on the recruitment screen at the time of writing.
See also: Combat System, Hundred Schools of Thought, Character Creation, Factions.