The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to Media Finder and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at the Trope Launch Pad.
DAN004
Since: Aug, 2010
2015-03-21 15:42:35
- Mega Man Battle Network 5: Normally, the battle stage are made of 3x6 squares, divided to your half and enemy's half. In Liberation Missions, the battlefield will be different depending on how much Dark Panels around you while you're liberating a panel: 12 yours + 6 enemy's, 9 yours + 9 enemy's, 6 yours + 12 enemy's, and 6 enemy's + 6 yours + 6 enemy's (it means that you're surrounded).
NativeJovian
Since: Mar, 2014
2015-03-25 21:19:54
Bumping this question. Anyone know of any existing tropes for this, or should I take it to YKTTW?
Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.

Is there a trope for RPG battles with different starting conditions? Usually some variation on "normal battle", "player advantage", and "enemy advantage" is typical. In games with Pre-existing Encounters on the overworld, the player might be able to influence which they get (eg, approaching an enemy from behind allows you to ambush them, but being attacked from behind lets them ambush you), but it may also be determined by stats (eg, players get an advantage if their speed or Character Level is much higher than the enemy) or it could be just random.
Some examples: Final Fantasy VII had "preemptive attack" (player advantage) and "back attack" (enemy advantage) that let one side or the other get a free attack round. Earthbound gave the player an advantage if they approached the Pre-existing Encounters from behind, while enemies got an advantage if they hit the player character in the back, resulting in a free round similar to FFVII. Persona 3 and Persona 4 use the same mechanic as Earthbound, but also have the Pre-existing Encounters flee from the player rather than pursuing them if they outlevel the enemy enough, and if they do fight, enemies will be more vulnerable to high-level player attacks.