Knowing when to retreat is the highest skill in Darkest Dungeon. A good retreat saves the roster; a bad one wastes the run.
Why this matters
Most wipes happen one fight after the party should have left. Retreating early converts losses into loot.
Step-by-step
- Retreat when any hero drops below a third health.
- Retreat when stress passes 150 on anyone.
- Retreat when torches run out in a dark region.
- Retreat when provisions are gone mid-dungeon.
- Retreat when a key hero is afflicted or dying.
- Keep fights short to make retreat always available.
- Treat retreat as the default, not the failure.
Tips
- Low health plus high stress equals leave
- No provisions means no safety net
- A short successful run beats a long dead one
- Retreat before the fight, not during
Common mistakes
- Fighting on with a nearly dead hero
- Running out of torches and provisions
- Believing the next room will be easier
- Retreating so early you waste the trip
Practical notes
Retreat when a key hero is at deaths door or stress is critical. A lost run beats a lost hero. Use the retreat path you scouted on entry. A planned exit saves more than a panic flee. Retreat the moment a hero hits deaths door. A lost run is cheaper than a lost hero.
Use the retreat path you scouted on entry so the escape is clean, and retreat before the fight turns, not after a hero dies.