History Main / CowardlyMooks

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'': New to the game are the Skedaddlers, chipmunk-like enemies that flee when danger is near, some of them even carrying an item to deny enemies of the Koopa Troop from obtaining them.

** The [[PsychicPowers Psychic]]-type Abra naturally only knows the move "Teleport", meaning it will always flee from battle the moment its turn comes.

* Air Screamers in the original ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' have a infuriating tendency to fly off into the fog and despawn when close to death if the player is unable to shoot them down fast enough. This not only wastes perfectly good ammunition but also enables the little bastard to respawn again in the same area with refilled health, whereas killing the monster removes it from play altogether.

** ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'': The green mages of the third world will panic whenever Spyro manages to get through their traps. The fifth world also has cowardly, harmless fools that you have to hit in order to activate certain platforms.
** The first game and ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'' has egg thieves that you have to chase down in order to retrieve dragon eggs.

* Air Screamers in the original ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' have a infuriating tendency to fly off into the fog and despawn when close to death if the player is unable to shoot them down fast enough. This not only wastes perfectly good ammunition but also enables the same little bastard to respawn in the same area soon after with refilled health, whereas killing the monster removes it from play altogether.

* Air Screamers in the original ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' have a infuriating tendency to fly off and despawn when close to death if the player is unable to shoot them down fast enough. This not only wastes perfectly good ammunition but also enables the same annoying little bastard to respawn soon after with refilled health, whereas killing the monster removes it from play altogether.

* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'': The Fallen Survivors in 'The Passing' campaign qualify as this since, unlike the rest of the common infected, they will typically flee from the players when attacked instead of rushing towards them.

** If their leader is killed first, Grunts will usually panic and be easy to kill. However, sometimes this might backfire and instead [[TakingYouWithMe the Grunts go suicidal.]]

These enemies often drop valuable items or items that you need to progress, encouraging you to go after them. In the latter case, this puts them in a prime position to be considered very annoying enemies, especially if they're good at running away and you can't easily trap them. Smarter examples will try to lure you into a trap or a room filled with more powerful enemies. Generally those guys won't put up too much of a fight when cornered, which is why they're often found in the early game. But there are [[CorneredRattlesnake exceptions]], and sometimes they're even surprisingly powerful when forced to fight. This can make for VideoGameCrueltyPunishment, at least if you didn't [[BlamedForBeingRailroaded have to chase them to progress]].

* ''VideoGame/Final Fight'' has J and Two-P. Evasion mooks that are fast and move in to punch you the moment the player(s) turns their back or are distracted by other flunkies from Mad Gear.

[[folder:Action-Adventure]]
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': When Link comes too close to a Spiny Beetle or removes the grass, bush or rock it's using cover, it will run around in a panic and only settle down after a while if Link isn't close by -- if they do bump into and damage him, it's only through sheer chance as they flee randomly around the area.
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A type of {{Mook|s}} commonly found in video games. This is essentially the enemy equivalent of the CowardlyBoss: guys that know very well that they don't stand a chance against you, so they decide to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere run away for their lives]] the moment you defeat enough of their allies, beat them up a little, knock off whatever armor they thought could protect them, or just get too close for their liking. Unlike a CowardlyBoss though, they're less likely to stop in their tracks to give you a chance to beat them down, but [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential you're still free to try it if you're not feeling merciful enough]].

These enemies often drop valuable items or items that you need to progress, encouraging you to go after them. In the latter case, this puts them in a prime position to be consider very annoying enemies, especially if they're good at running away and you can't easily trap them. Smarter examples will try to lure you into a trap or a room filled with more powerful enemies. Generally those guys won't put up too much of a fight when cornered, which is why they're often found in the early game. But there are [[CorneredRattlesnake exceptions]], and sometimes they're even surprisingly powerful when forced to fight. This can make for VideoGameCrueltyPunishment, at least if you didn't [[BlamedForBeingRailroaded have to chase them to progress]].

More reasonable examples often carry items that you need to progress, encouraging you to go after them. Smarter examples will try to lure you into a trap or a room filled with more powerful enemies. Regardless, do not expect those guys to put up too much of a fight when cornered, which is why they're often found in the early game.

* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' There are many cases where the (human) mooks make a run for it as you advance through the stages -- or if you, say, destroy large machines or a boss.

[[caption-width-right:350:There goes the bravest man on the team.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:There goes the bravest man in the team.]]

* Boos in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' do not fight back. Instead, if Luigi fails to catch them, they will flee to the nearest room. And if Luigi takes too long to follow them to the next room, he will have to search for them in the furniture again.

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* The ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' games and its numerous spin-offs often employ this through a MoraleMechanic. Defeating area leaders causes the surrounding troops to instantly lose all their morale and start fleeing from battle. Other entries will have the troops falling backwards onto their butts in fear.

[[folder:CasualVideoGame]]

[[folder:FightingGame]]
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'': In the story mode ''VideoGame/TheSubspaceEmissary'', [[http://supersmashbros.wikia.com/wiki/Poppant Poppants]] are enemies that flee from the player while dropping healing items and trophies. They're difficult to kill because they tend to run off cliffs to avoid the player, but defeating them can reward one with a rare trophy or sticker.

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* ''{{Franchise/Halo}}'':

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* In ''VideoGame/CrashTwinsanity'', Shield Tribesmen will run away the moment you knock off their shields.
* ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' has a [[EverythingsBetterWithPenguins penguin]] enemy that will comically run away at the first sign of Kirby.
* In ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002'', at planet Kerwan, the Mine Layers are robotic enemies that run away from Ratchet and leave deadly mines behind them.
* ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'' trilogy
** The first levels always had TheGoomba be a buffonish enemy that couldn't fight back and posed no threat whatsoever.
** In ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'', the green mages of the third world will panic whenever Spyro manages to get through their traps. The fifth world also has cowardly, harmless fools that you have to hit in order to activate certain platforms.
** The first game and ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'' had egg thieves that you had to chase down in order to retrieve dragon eggs.

** Koopa Troopas in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' will run away from Mario as soon as they spot him.
** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'', flipbugs flee from the player in a panic until they tire out and flip over. On the flipside, they'll actively pursue the player if they're using the Bee Mushroom.
* Some mooks in ''VideoGame/WarioWorld'' will run away, even popping out of existence if not killed.
* The Pippo Monkeys from the ''VideoGame/ApeEscape'' series. Some are aggressive enough to stay and fight back, but even those will likely make a run for it if you let them.

* In ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'', sufficiently damaging an enemy ship's hull may convince its crew to beg for mercy or spin up its FTL drive in order to escape. Enemy {{board|ingParty}}ers with low health will also zip out from your ship the moment their teleporters become functional again.
* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' series:

[[folder:RolePlayingGame]]
* In the later ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' games, the PreexistingEncounters will actively avoid the PlayerParty once it manages to complete whatever dungeon or area they're found in. They'll also run away if the level of the party is high enough.

** Any Pokemon found in the Safari Zone is able to run away eventually, even the more common ones.
** The [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] type Abra naturally only knows the move "Teleport", meaning it will always flee from battle the moment its turn comes.

** In the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series, any enemy Pokemon with the "Run Away" ability will try to escape battle once their HitPoints drop below the halfway point, similar to the above-mentioned "Wimp Out".
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', human enemies such as bandits will sometimes get scared of you and run away if you inflict enough damage.
* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'': Some enemies are prone to fleeing, especially if their more dangerous partners are defeated (like the Rat Funks from the Kero Sewers).
* ''VideoGame/PaperMario64'': During chapter 4, Mario eventually encounters a squad of Shy Guys that will scream their lungs off and retreat once he breaks their barricade (their GirlyScream is also their BattleCry, oddly enough). Some enemies are also prone to running away mid-battle like the Crazee Dayzees from chapter 6.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'', the Tower of Brume features Hollows who carry around {{Explosive Barrel}}s and always back away as long as the player faces them. This can be used tactically to goad them towards stronger enemies and exploding their barrels from a distance.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': The Alexandria soldiers that are fought in a couple of levels will flee from battle when they're low on health.

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* In the winter chapter of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'', a bunch of Hunters will run away from Joel after they realize that he is the guy who killed a dozen of them at the university. They will still fire at you, but will generally try to get away as soon as possible.
* In certain ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' games, the more low-ranked city guards will often retreat if the player character is good enough at showing off their badassery against them. Even some higher-ranked soldiers aren't immune to this, although again, it depends on the game.

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* ''VideoGame/DontStarve'': Mactusk will avoid the player as much as possible, firing away with his blowdart.

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* ''VideoGame/GhostReconWildlands'': Santa Blanca lieutenants will make a run for it once things get loud and will often grab the nearest vehicle to do it. Also, if the Ghosts manage to get close enough, they'll immediately surrender.

[[folder:Wide Open Sandbox]]
* Most enemies in ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' aren't cowardly by default, and will continue to attack you until they're killed. Unless, of course, you spray them with a fire extinguisher. While the extinguisher's high-pressure foam can throw around and even kill [=NPCs=], it also acts as a solid wall that will halt an enemy's charging animation until they finally turn around and run away in fear. Even some armed enemies, such as cops, will retreat or at least fall back to a safe distance when sprayed long enough.
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