This article is about the mechanic. For other uses, see Escape (disambiguation). |
Escape is a core mechanic in combat. It allows the party to withdraw from combat.
Overview[]
Escape is normally a player-exclusive ability. Escaping will return the user and the party back to the overworld. While in combat, the skill can be used while the player turn is active, but there is only a chance of success; if the odds fail, the turn will be used up, giving the enemy opportunity to attack again. The success rate for escape is decided either by the Agility stat, Luck stat or both. On principle, low-level encounters can be escaped easily.
Forced battles, such as mid-bosses and bosses cannot be escaped from.
There are skills and items, such as Trafuri, that allow the party to escape instantly.
Difficulty options may change the escape rate, whereas a higher difficulty reduced the chances of a successful escape. In some cases, high difficulties may lock the ability to escape entirely, only allowing one to do so via skills and items.
Enemies can flee the fight as well, but this is usually due to player-influenced means, such as negotiation and certain ailments.
Game specific changes[]
Shin Megami Tensei / Shin Megami Tensei II / Shin Megami Tensei: if...[]
In a 3-D dungeon, successfully escaping a battle will push the protagonist one tile backwards. If they are backed up against a wall, the party will be unable to escape, costing a turn.
Persona 3 / Persona 4[]
In Persona 4, a party member can use their turn to attempt an escape. If not successful immediately, the Navigator will offer a choice for the party to escape at the end of the next party member's turn. No further escape can be made until this prompt is declined. Escape is guaranteed to succeed if the party has started the battle with a turn advantage.
Shadows, if inflicted with the Fear ailment, may try to escape the battle.
Golden Shadows, if they are not defeated after a few turns, will escape the fight.
Persona 5 / Royal[]
In Persona 5, a party member can use their turn to attempt an escape. If unsuccessful, the attempt is rechecked in each combatant's turn, including after a Baton Pass, and the party will automatically escape if the recheck succeeds. Hifumi Togo's Confidant ability, Touryou, guarantees escapes to always succeed. If the party is ambushed, they are surrounded by enemies and will not be able to escape until they turn the situation around and get a Hold Up at least once. Hifumi's Confidant ability, Kakoi Kuzushi, lifts this restriction. If the protagonist is the only member in the party, no Hold Ups can be initiated, although the "Escape" option will become available once he Downs all enemies.
Enemies can escape as well. In Palaces, when a normal battle lasts for too long, the enemies will spend a turn "panicking," and if they are not taken down or inflicted with an ailment by their next, they will escape with "Emergency Escape" and increase the Security Level. However, this can be obstructed with the help of Thieves Guild, which will instantly Down them.
Treasure Demons will always escape on their third turn. Both Shadows and Party members (other than the protagonist himself) inflicted with Fear also have a chance to flee from the battle. A Shadow in Fear immediately flees when they are negotiated with during a Hold Up. Shadows will retreat after the protagonist successfully asks them for money or items.
Persona 5 Strikers[]
Escaping has been simplified in Strikers: during enemy encounters, the controlled party member must simply run towards the blue Keep Out barriers at the boundary of the battle for a few seconds, then the party automatically escapes the battle, but at the cost of raising the Security Level. The time needed to escape is longer on Hard and Merciless compared to Easy and Normal.
The party cannot escape under these circumstances:
- Certain regular encounters lack blue Keep Out barriers;
- Non-regular encounters, such as scripted fights, mini-boss and boss battles;
- The difficulty is set to Hard or Merciless and the security level reaches or exceeds 70% (on Hard) or 30% (on Merciless);
Gallery[]