DYNASTY WARRIORS 5: EMPIRES TIPS & TRICKS
All created officer attire
Create a basic created officer and complete the Yellow Turban campaign. Use the easy difficulty setting to finish faster. For the best officer you can create, choose Lu Bu's motion. It has great combinations and is from the best officer in the game.
Getting good tactics cards
Juggernaut and Wood Ox can be obtained by putting Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying together in the same province.
Getting Items
Once in a while, during your consult phase, a merchant will appear. I give him 500 golds and he gives me a random item.
Freebies
(Randomly) If you use the policies pertaining to Southern Trade or Nanman Trade, they will give you money AND an item.
Shadow Horse
Get the most northwest land (should be owned by Ma Teng). Develop it until you cannot do so anymore. After you are done developing, go to "Assign" and do "Western Trade". Repeat this until you get the Shadow Horse.