How to play Miao Ying in Total War: Warhammer 3 – All quests and unique abilities

Miao Ying is the eldest daughter of the Celestial Dragon Emperor and sibling to Grand Cathay’s other Legendary Lord, Zhao Ming. Miao starts near the Great Bastion and must defend the Cathay lands to the West and the rebel Cathay factions to her East.

Miao Ying has a handful of unique faction and battle mechanics. Here are her unique traits.

Faction Effects

• Corruption -2
• Leadership +10% when fighting against Daemons of Chaos
• Ammunition +20% for missile units

Lord Effects

• Upkeep -50% for missile infantry units (Lord’s army)
• Harmony +3 Yin

Miao shares the same units as Zhao and only differs in her skill and research tree. Miao Ying’s most potent ability is her shapeshift. Miao Ying can turn into a dragon and revert to her human form at will. Each form allows for unique abilities and spells, but not all spells can be used in her dragon form.

Here are her skill tree and base stats.

Miao Ying has good spells but lacks her brother’s melee attack and defense. Miao Ying starts right alongside the Great Bastion. This fortified wall is under constant siege from Chaos forces. As a result, the Great Bastion generates a continuous threat. Once the threat reaches its peak, Chaos armies will spawn, and the Great Bastion.

Miao Ying benefits from a defensive playstyle more than any faction in Warhammer III. Keep a decent army on each of the three gates to secure her homeland and capital. With her territory secured, the best build to focus on with Miao Ying is her spells. With the ability to heal and raise defenses, she can keep her army alive despite the frailty of ranged units.

Miao Ying’s best army composition should be ranged focus, as her innate Lord effects benefit went units the most. Back them up with terracotta sentinels as Cathay lacks strong melee units otherwise.

Miao Ying is an excellent Lord in Total War: Warhammer III. Her dragon form is powerful, but her human conditions healing spells are invaluable to a long battle. Knowing when to use each form is key to a Grand Cathay victory.