Cao Cao Talent Tree Build – Pairings, Equipment & Skills

Cao Cao is a legendary cavalry and peacekeeping commander in Rise of Kingdoms. If you’ve just unlocked him and are unsure how to build his talents, upgrade his skills, or find the best pairings, this guide has everything you need to know.

Cao Cao Talent Tree Builds

Below, you’ll find three different builds for Cao Cao: one for PVP, one for mobility, and one for peacekeeping. The build you choose will depend on how you plan to use him.

Cao Cao Mobility Build

Although this talent tree is best suited for mobility, it’s actually a well-balanced hybrid across all branches. It’s ideal for quickly hunting down barbarians while still maintaining decent damage output. If you plan to use Cao Cao right away, start by unlocking the Thoroughbreds talent in the Peacekeeping branch. After that, you can collect talents from the Mobility and Cavalry branches in whichever order suits your playstyle.

Cao Cao PVP Build

Using Cao Cao for PVP isn’t recommended beyond KVK 2, but if you do plan to use him, this is the best build. Stick with cavalry units and prioritise the Rallying Cry talent in the cavalry tree to maximize your PVP damage output. Then, invest the remaining points in the mobility tree to boost march speed and help you chase down enemies more effectively.

Cao Cao Peacekeeping Build

If your goal is to use Cao Cao for high damage-dealing peacekeeping, this build is your best option. You won’t have much mobility on the field, but it’s a great choice for dealing raw damage to barbarians and forts. You will want to max out the peacekeeping talent branch first, then invest the remaining into cavalry.

Best Cao Cao Pairings

Here are the best pairings for Cao Cao. There will be peacekeeping and PVP pairings listed, so pick the ones that suit your needs best. 

Genghis Khan (Best Pairing PVP)

Genghis Khan is the best pairing for Cao Cao for damage output. Genghis can be obtained at the end of KVK1, so going into KVK 2 this setup is a perfect cavalry damage dealer.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune (PVP & Peacekeeping)

Minamoto is a pay-to-play commander, but if you’ve unlocked and levelled him up, he’s one of the best pairings for Cao Cao in both peacekeeping and PVP. For peacekeeping specifically, this duo remains one of the top choices for barbarian forts, even in the later stages of the game.

Aethelflaed (Peacekeeping)

Aethelflaed is a more free-to-play-friendly peacekeeping pairing, as her sculptures can be obtained from the Expedition Store. If you don’t have Minamoto, she’s the next best option for hunting barbarians and rallying forts.

Baibars (PVP)

An epic commander pairing for Cao Cao would be Baibars. He has great march speed and cavalry bonus skills, is easy to obtain and is great for PVP in KVK 1 and 2.

Cao Cao Skill Levelling

As with all Rise of Kingdoms builds, maxing out the first active skill should be your top priority, and the same applies to Cao Cao.

He’s effective for peacekeeping at any skill level, but a 5511 setup is ideal for this role. For PVP, you’ll want him at expertise or at least 5155, though getting skills in this way can be difficult.

Best Equipment For Cao Cao 

Below is the recommended equipment setup for Cao Cao, broken down by different stages of the game. While the late-game gear offers the best overall bonuses, the early-game and mobility-focused equipment is ideal for peacekeeping and boosting march speed.

Early-Game or Mobility Equipment

• Windswept War Helm (Helms)
• Windswept Breastplate (Chest)
• Vanguard Halberd (Weapons)
• Vanguard Greaves (Legs)
• Windswept Bracers (Gloves)
• Windswept Boots (Boots)

Mid-Late Game Equipment

• Abyssal Visage (Helms)
• Dark Lords Blessing (Chest)
• Heart of the Saint (Weapons)
• Gladiator (Legs)
• Iset’s Suffering (Gloves)
• Cloud Racers (Boots)

Late-Game Equipment

• Pride of Khan/War Helm of the Hellish Wasteland (Helms)
• Shadow Legions Retribution/Heavy Armor of the Hellish Wasteland(Chest)
• Sacred Dominion/Lance of the Hellish Wasteland (Weapons)
• Ash of the Dawn/Tassets of the Hellish Wasteland (Legs)
• Navar’s Control/Armband of the Hellish Wasteland (Gloves) 
• Mountain Crushers/Boots of the Hellish Wasteland (Boots) 

Accessories

• Lohars Bone Necklace/ Crimson Ring (XP)
• Call of the Loyal (mobility)
• Savage Totem (Peacekeeping)
• Ancient Stratagems (Forts)
• Mora’s Web
• Concealed Dagger
• Pendent of Eternal Night

Cao Cao Best Formation

The best formation for Cao Cao is situational. It depends on what you’re using him for. If you’re fighting barbarians, the Triple Line Formation is a solid choice. It offers increased mobility and works well with armaments that have peacekeeping attributes.

How Do I Obtain Cao Cao?

Cao Cao can be obtained from gold chests right from the start of the game, and with a bit of luck, you might unlock him instantly.

There’s a slight increase in the drop rates for legendary commanders early on, but the base rates remain low: just 0.80566% for a full commander unlock and 3.07422% for a random number of sculptures.

While he’s not ideal for high-end PVP, Cao Cao remains usable in all seasons of the game.

Summary: Is Cao Cao Worth Investing In?

Cao Cao is a fast and mobile commander, great for farming barbarians and rallying forts. He has some PVP use in KVK 1 and 2.

However, he’s not a worthwhile long-term investment. I strongly recommend against using universal legendary commander sculptures on him. He can be obtained from gold chests over time, and his performance in PVP, particularly in KVK 3 and the Season of Conquest, is poor. That said, if you play long enough, you should be able to expertise him through gold keys alone, and he still excels in peacekeeping and mobility roles.