• "Gentle Persuasion" can only be used when the attack actually causes damage. If the attack is Escaped, or the damage is otherwise nullified (such as by Eight Trigrams or Black Shield), you cannot activate the ability.

• If the target only has one card, they discard as many as they have. The damage is still prevented entirely.

• If the target has no cards, they are forced to take the damage.

• You choose whether to activate "Gentle Persuasion" after the attack resolves and is confirmed to deal damage.

• "Gentle Persuasion" is the same effect as the Ice Sword.

• "Strategy" does not require the two cards to share a suit or type—they can be any two cards from your hand.

• The tool card you create with "Strategy" is considered used and discarded as normal after it resolves.

• You cannot use "Strategy" to create a delay tool like Lightning, Capture, or Starvation.

• "Strategy" allows Yang Hu to adapt his cards to a variety of situations, crafting critical tools like Break, Duel, Barbarians, or Steal even without drawing them naturally.

• "Gentle Persuasion" replaces raw damage with immediate hand disruption. Against fragile or hand-dependent characters, this can be more devastating than health loss.

• His control options make him strong against characters who rely on defense or reactions, such as Zhen Ji or Guo Jia.

• If Yang Hu has access to strong draw engines or protection from attack, he becomes a toolbox character with major influence over flow and tempo.

• His main ability turns damage into discard, which may reduce his lethality in games where quick eliminations are crucial.

• Yang Hu depends on having a healthy hand size. If he is starved for cards, his influence declines rapidly.

• Despite being flexible, "Strategy" can only be used once per turn. He can’t consistently create overwhelming pressure unless other cards or characters support his hand flow.

• Hand Control Synergy:
  Characters who punish low hand sizes like Zhang Liao or Gan Ning, or Zhang He benefit when Yang Hu uses "Gentle Persuasion", reducing enemy options and weakening their synergy.

• Draw and Discard Cycle Allies:
  Characters like Liu Bei, Guo Jia, or Xun Yu can help Yang Hu maintain hand advantage, allowing him to consistently activate "Strategy" and shape the board.

• Damage Takers:
  Characters that prefer to take damage like Xiao Qiao or Xiahou Dun are vulnerable to the Yang Hu. If they decide to get hit by an attack, Yang Hu can  discard their cards instead of dealing damage, preventing their ability and out of two cards.

• Tool Card Specialists:
  Yang Hu functions well with characters who benefit from tool use such as Cao Cao or Zhu Rong, since he can help enable or recycle key tools.

King

• • Moderate. Yang Hu's control style can be powerful for maintaining table order, but he may struggle to finish off rebels quickly unless allies help apply pressure.

Loyalist

• • Excellent. With the right hand size, Yang Hu acts as a highly adaptable support who can protect his King, disrupt rebels, and provide critical tool cards on demand.

Rebel

• • Good. His flexibility allows him to apply pressure while dismantling the King's defenses, but the lack of direct burst might require cooperation with other Rebels to succeed.

Spy

• • Strong. Yang Hu's ability to control outcomes through discard and custom tool use makes him an unpredictable threat who can quietly shift the balance as needed.

Yang Hu is a control-focused strategist whose kit thrives on card manipulation and measured aggression. "Gentle Persuasion" offers the option to replace damage with targeted disruption, while "Strategy" gives him one of the most flexible toolkits in the game. His success depends on managing his hand size and anticipating key moments to strike or support. Players who enjoy flexible, tempo-controlling characters will find Yang Hu a rewarding and impactful addition to any team composition.

Yang Hu was a prominent general and statesman during the late Three Kingdoms and early Jin dynasty. Serving under the Jin emperor Sima Yan, Yang Hu was best known for his pacifist and diplomatic approach to unifying China, particularly in the campaign against Eastern Wu. Unlike most generals of his time, Yang Hu emphasized leniency, benevolence, and psychological strategy. He famously advocated for kindness toward the people of Wu, believing that moral leadership and humane policies would win their trust and ease their eventual surrender.

His ability "Gentle Persuasion" directly reflects his historical strategy—subduing enemies not through bloodshed, but by encouraging defection, disarmament, and goodwill. "Strategy" aligns with his subtle but effective role in shaping campaigns through quiet influence and tactical support rather than brute force. Yang Hu’s legacy as a stabilizing figure and peacemaker after decades of civil war makes him a rare example of a general remembered more for his wisdom and mercy than for battlefield exploits.