Escape: Difference between revisions

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This article is about the game mechanic. For the Pokémon Adventures round whose Japanese title translates to "Escape!!", see PS268. For the Escape Orb in the Mystery Dungeon series, see Wonder Orb.

Escaping via Smoke Ball in Generation III.

In the core series Pokémon games, it is possible to escape (Japanese: 逃げる escape) from a battle with a wild Pokémon by selecting Run (Japanese: にげる Run) on the main battle screen. Escape is not guaranteed however; whether the player is successful at running away from the battle is determined by a calculation involving the speed of the combatants. When the escape is successful, the battle ends immediately. When it is not successful, the wild Pokémon will use a move.

It is not possible to escape from in-game Trainer battles. However, in player battles in the Cable or Wireless Clubs, attempting to escape will cause the battle to end immediately. If only one player attempts to escape, the battle counts as a loss against them, but if both players attempt to escape in the same turn, the battle ends in a draw.

Entering a battle with a wild Pokémon and then escaping counts the Pokémon as being seen in the Trainer's Pokédex.

Success conditions

Generation I and II

Under normal circumstances, the chance of escaping is determined by the formula File:Escape Formula.png, where

A is the current Speed of the player's active Pokémon,

B is the opposing Pokémon's Speed divided by 4, mod 256, and

C is the number of times the player has tried to escape during the battle (counting the current attempt). If player's Pokémon attacks, this number is set to 0.

If F is greater than 255, the player escapes automatically. Otherwise, a random number is generated between 0 and 255. If that number is less than F, the player escapes. If not, the escape fails and the player's Pokémon does not make a move that turn. If B is equal to 0, escape is automatically a success.

Generation III and IV

Under normal circumstances, the chance of escaping is determined by the formula File:Escape Formula new.png, where

A is the unmodified Speed of the player's active Pokémon,

B is the opposing Pokémon's unmodified Speed

C is the number of times the player has tried to escape during the battle (counting the current attempt).

The result is mod 256.

A random number is generated between 0 and 255. If that number is less than F, the player escapes. If not, the escape fails and the player's Pokémon does not make a move that turn. If B is 0, it's set to 1.

Other factors

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: In Generation II, if a Pokémon holding a Smoke Ball faints and the player chooses to flee, if the player guaranteed to escape?

Pokémon cannot attempt to flee from Trainer battles or battles during trials. In the Generation II games only, the player cannot attempt to flee from Pokémon encountered as traps in the Team Rocket Hideout, the GS Ball Celebi, the Tin Tower Suicune (in Crystal), and the scripted Red Gyarados.

Several conditions prevent a Pokémon from even attempting to flee.

• A Pokémon with the Ability Shadow Tag prevents opposing Pokémon from attempting to flee. (From Generation IV onward, Pokémon with Shadow Tag are unaffected by Shadow Tag.)
• A Pokémon with the Ability Arena Trap prevents opposing grounded Pokémon from attempting to flee.
• A Pokémon with the Ability Magnet Pull prevents opposing Steel-type Pokémon from attempting to flee.
• A Pokémon affected by a trapping move (including binding moves and Ingrain) is prevented from attempting to flee (from Generation II onward).

Several conditions allow a Pokémon to always successfully flee from a wild battle.

• Using an escape item (Poké Doll, Fluffy Tail, or Poké Toy) causes the player to escape from a wild Pokémon (regardless of trapping moves and Abilities).
• In a wild Single Battle (including an SOS Battle as long as there is currently only a single opponent), using the move Teleport causes the Pokémon to flee, unless a trapping move or Ability prevents escape. From Generation V onward, Ingrain does not prevent Teleport from being successful.
• If the player's Pokémon is holding a Smoke Ball or has the Ability Run Away, its attempts to flee are always successful, unless a trapping move or Ability prevents escape. From Generation III onward, a Pokémon holding a Smoke Ball or that has the Ability Run Away can successfully flee or Teleport even if a trapping move or Ability prevents it.
  • In Generation III and IV, if the player's Pokémon that has Run Away or a Smoke Ball faints, if the player attempts to flee instead of sending out another Pokémon, they will escape without fail.
  • In Generation III only, the Smoke Ball has animation when escaping using it. In Generation II, "Got away safely" redundantly appears after the message informing of escape via Smoke Ball.
  • In Generation V only, a wild Pokémon holding a Smoke Ball cannot successfully Teleport if it is trapped by a trapping move or Ability (although the player's Pokémon can).
• From Generation VI onward, the player's Ghost-type Pokémon can always successfully flee, regardless of trapping moves or Abilities.

In a wild Single Battle (including an SOS Battle as long as there is currently only a single opponent), the moves Whirlwind, Roar, Dragon Tail, and Circle Throw force the target to flee, unless it has the Ability Suction Cups or has been affected by Ingrain. If a wild Pokémon's held Red Card is activated while it has no allies, it forces the player's Pokémon to flee.

In a wild battle, the Abilities Wimp Out and Emergency Exit cause the Pokémon with that Ability to flee if its HP falls below half.

Example (Generation I and II)

The player's Pokémon has a Speed of 25 and the wild Pokémon has a Speed of 100. The player tries to escape, but hasn't attempted to flee anytime earlier in the battle.

First, calculate B: File:Escape Formula Example 1.png

Since B isn't above 255, it is just left as is.

Then, calculate F: File:Escape Formula Example 2.png

Since F isn't above 255, generate a random number between 0 and 255.

The probability of escaping is File:Escape Formula Example 3.png, or approximately 24%. If the player fails to escape, each successive attempt will be 30/256 more likely than the last, or about 11.7%.

Generally speaking, the slower the Trainer's Pokémon and/or the faster the wild Pokémon, the harder it is to escape.

Wild Pokémon

Certain wild Pokémon can escape from battle. Pokémon that are legendary or found in the region's Safari Zone are the only ones who flee.

Roaming Pokémon attempt to flee every turn, and trapping moves can be used to prevent this.

In Safari Zones during a Safari Game, Pokémon can escape from battle. The rate of escape is lowered by throwing Bait^{RBYFRLGDPPtHGSS} (while the catch rate is also lowered) or Pokéblocks^RSE, and the rate of escape is raised by throwing Rocks^RBYFRLG, Mud^DPPtHGSS, or by "going near"^RSE (while the catch rate is also raised).

Generation II

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, however, a few species of wild Pokémon can escape from battle. These Pokémon were intended to be more likely to be caught in a Fast Ball, but due to a programming error, only Magnemite, Grimer, and Tangela are more likely to be caught in a Fast Ball.

Low probability (~10% chance to flee every turn):

• Magnemite
• Grimer
• Tangela
• Mr. Mime
• Eevee *
• Porygon *
• Dratini
• Dragonair
• Togetic *
• Umbreon *
• Unown
• Snubbull
• Heracross

Medium probability (50% chance to flee every turn):

• Cubone
• Articuno *
• Zapdos *
• Moltres *
• Quagsire
• Teddiursa
• Delibird
• Phanpy

Always:

• Raikou
• Entei
• Suicune (except in Crystal)

Generation VII

In Pokémon Sun and Moon, there is a scripted battle against the Ultra Beast Nihilego during the player's first visit to Aether Paradise. This Nihilego, which cannot be caught, is scripted to flee on the fifth turn of battle, ending the battle and continuing the story. If Nihilego is unable to flee on that turn due to being trapped or in the semi-invulnerable turn of Sky Drop, it will not attempt to flee.

In other languages

Language Title French Fuite German Flucht Italian Fuga Korean 도망간다 Domangganda Spanish Huir

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.