Prison Architect

Prison Architect

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Escape Mode Tips and Tricks
By Lavaduder
Easy rep points escape methods and so forth.
   
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Gaining Rep
Rep points are the "EXP" of escape mode, they are used for various things. But how does one get rep? Simple, be the biggest jerk of the prison.

0. Starting fights and Mischief
When ever you decide to reek havoc, you'll instantly get one rep point. However if you want to keep that rep point (I'll explain that later) You'll need to do something else.

1. Destroying objects
This is where you start. You can't afford to kill or hurt anyone, since you'll be brought up in security, and blow your chances of starting a gang.

The best place to start is in the showers, shower heads are destroyed in one hit, and if there's a whole line of them, you can easily rack up 5-20 rep. (Even more if a guard has problems catching you. The highest I have gotten Is 75 rep)

Once you've got the deadly rep, You can destroy almost everything in one hit. In this case metal detectors, prison and staff Doors, and generators become your highest priority. As you'll be able to by-pass security easier with these objects gone.

2. Injuring staff & Fellow inmates
This is a much more serious matter. A lot of prisons have harser restrictions when attacking staff, And simply punching one will not gain you rep. You'll need to have have them seriously injured(unconscious) for you to gain any rep.

It's Recommended that you use tools/weapons or have the strong/deadly perks before attacking a staff memeber. Guards respond quickly, and people tend to move when being attacked.

The kitchen is typically where you'll want to be when attempting assault. There's plenty of bodies to bash, Cooks don't run around the entire prison, It's often poorly guarded, and it's easy to obtain tools to make violence more accessible.

Canteens are notorious for causeing riots. All of prisoners gather there, and are hungry. Unlike staff, inmates do fight back. But if you start punching a lot of your inmates. Guards will intervene, and the inmates will fight back. While the guard is stopping the riled up prisoner. keep punching the inmate, if the guard goes after you or you successfully hurt the inmate. Rile another prisoner. This can get chotic so be careful.

3. Murder
This will get you the most points. However you have to have a decient gang, and character if you want to attempt this. Most prisons will send you to solitary, and up your security level. Make sure you are ready for this. Sometimes this isn't needed.

Murdering staff isn't hard, You'll need the deadly trait if you want to do it fast though. infirmaries and kitchens are the best place to do this. Since they are normally in one place. Just make sure you can kill fast when attacking an infirmary.

Aim for the doctor! If someone is knocked out and a doctor is there. He will be healed. If you kill the doctor no recovery will happen and will get more rep.

If you have a memeber that wasn't caught up in any action and there was some "unfinished business". You can pick up where you left off. If the individual is unconscious, you can just keep punching till the eventual kick the bucket phase. However if the individual is conscious and/or guarded, You may want to reprepared, and if a doctor is present. Forget it. It's not worth finishing right there.

protective custody prisoners are prized prey. if you see one in the wild, see to it that he loses his heart.

Guards and Dogs give out more points than staff or prisoners. But are harder to kill. You'll want to be armed or have the deadly perk before taking them on. If the guards have tazers You'll need the tough perk to survive the shock. Dogs are fast, and can not be disarmed with the skilled fighter perk. best to only engage when your fighting as a gang.

Armed Guards are not to be triffled with, If you don't have a gang. They will end your game without a problem. Make sure you have the tough perk along with the skilled fighter/deadly perk, before you even plan on insulting this guy's shoelaces. Tough perk prevents you from dying instantly to a shotgun. While the skilled fighter and deadly perks will make it easier to obtain their treasure. THE SHOT GUN!

Snipers. Do not engage. They are protected by their tower and have a powerful weapon. If you got a shotgun you have a chance, but It's not worth the effort.
Managing Gang
1. Skip punishments.
You'll always need one rep point on hand to skip punishments. Remember to preserve at least one rep. Otherwise you (and your gang) will spend time in a cell from an hour to an entire day. However since you always get a rep from starting fights, It's not that much of a hassle.

2. Recruitment
Depending on how you play will tell you, who you, want to recruit, if you want to play aggressive members that can kill and destroy are the only thing you need to worry about. But if you plan on digging tunnels, you'll need inmates that can reach into areas you can't.

The required rep always doubles when your adding another gang member. for the first one it will be 1 rep. for the second it will be 2 rep. for three 4 rep, and etc. However if a member is dead or has escaped. They will still be counted, so it's best to remove them from the gang. They will still be there at the score tally though.

Inmates with already obtained perks will cost more rep. If they have a perk that meets your needs and have the rep. Sure why not. Though those with blank slates will be prefered. As you can decide what they have.

Security levels also effect gang status. A type of security level is required for different zones. A mixed gang of different security levels can bypass a lot of stuff. Smuggling weapons and tools, and even different scheduals to increase the time you have to dig the tunnel.

3.Reputations/perks
You can outfit your gang with Reputations, or as I have been calling them this guide, perks.
These perks will cost 1 rep, and 5 rep for mastering them

Strong: The gang member will hit harder with each punch. This makes fights easier, and you don't have to rely on the luck driven deadly perk

Tough: The gang member will be harder to kill, Shotguns will no longer instantly kill them and Tazers have a chance of being overcomed. The member will also outlast guards in fights. So this is recommended for agressive players wanting to escape by riots.

Deadly: The best trait in the game. Destroy stuff in one punch. Though it has an RNG element to it. However it does come in handy fighting multiple guards/prisoners. It also helps when trying to get weapons and keys from staff/guards.

Quick: Great for tunnel makers and for getting from point A to point B. You get a stamina bar and the ability to run while holding shift. Your walking speed also increases. So it's harder for guards to catch you.

Instigator: Not useful till you want to cause a riot. This prompts inmates to fight whenever you start one. They don't have to be a gang member either. Rallying up prisoners to fight is a late game skill that you will not be needing once you've used it.

Skilled Fighter: This knocks weapons from guards and armed prisoners. This riles on luck though. so Deadly is a better option, but don't exclude it from your list of choices. It at least increases your chances of getting a gun from an armed guard.

4. Tools and Weapons

Lighters can't dig or hit people. but they do major do damage. They are found in offices, and shops. If the prison has a bad sprinkler system, you can unleash your inner-pyromaniac, and see how much damage can be done. Just don't get to close to the flames

Shanks are the easiest digging tool to aquire. They are not made of metal, and are found in the workshop. If you are trying to escape by tunnel this item is of high importance.

Baton is obtained by disarming a guard. It's a little better hitting with your fist, but not by a lot, don't bother preserving this weapon, instead only pick it up if it's the only option.

Knife is located in the kitchen and is metal, It does a lot of damage and is better than the guard's baton. It's not a bad digging tool either. So it's great for both play types.

Power Drill Is the most broken item in the game. It's metal and located in the workshop. Instead of having a higher damage output, it attacks faster. It's a nice weapon to have with the deadly perks, as you have many chances to RNG your foes, and get a kill. It's also useful for digging tunnel for it's speed is unmatched.

Guns are the highest tier weapon you can obtain. They do a lot of damage, and can be fired in rapid succession. But they are costly. Not only do they have limited ammunition. But can't be sneaked past metal detectors, and are locked behind the armory. The best way to achive a firearm is to kill an armed guard. But that is risky if you are starting out. Best to only get a weapon for late game, and escaping.
Escaping!
I highly recommend that you have at least 4 members before you attempt to escape.

1. Riot

This is the most violent and absured way to escape, but I love it! Have your gang meet in the canteen, yard or showers (What ever place has the most prisoners in it.) And start punching inmates. If armed guards appear, you'll need to surrender or kill them. It will take a while before your riot is in full sway, infact if may take multiple skip punishments and regroup before it gets out of hand. By then you'll have another problem on your hands, Riot police. They are harder to kill than the average guard, but not by a lot.

Armory is the big target for those that want to leave via the front door. Steal any fire arms in the armory and head for the exit. Make sure you have a melee weapon on hand if the entrance is blocked by jail doors. You now have the option to take on snipers, often it's not worth it. But if your entire gang is armed, and it's in your way. Charge the tower.

If you need to dig a tunnel, you'll need to grab tools from the kitchen, forestry, or workshop, and bring them to your cell. from then on it's the tunnel escape route.

Fires can make holes in walls, if the prison doesn't have a good sprinkler system. you can obtain a lighter in offices and shops. Just be careful and make sure you have safe spot from the fire.

2. Tunnel
The sneaky way, and the only way to escape from 5 star prisons.

You'll need a tool, The prison has a various asortment of them shanks are the easiest to smuggle, and the best to dig with. You'll need to hide your tools though you can hide contraband almost anywhere even in prebuilt tunnels, Just right click on any object, and it will be tucked away. At night you can right click on your toliet, instead of hiding contraband you will start a tunnel.

Metal detectors will ruin your day. If you have metal tool it will set off and alert guards to your position. However sometimes they go off for no good reason, and guards will still search you. If one goes off, store your contraband, AND QUICK!

Every tool has durability, after using it for a while the tool will break. So stock up on tools.

Time, You have certain time to dig your tunnel. Gang members with different time sceduals can allow for more digging time, but when lock up happens and a guard goes to check your cell. you'd better be there or your run is done.

Dogs are your worst enemy. They will sniff you out for tools, and find tunnels. If this happen you have to start all over. Toughbreak kiddo.

If you have a riot started, you don't have to worry about guards finding your tunnel, but that is a much more aggressive route, and pushes back your escape even futher, but it's a guarantee escape. Choose carefully.

Perimeter walls are harder to dig through than normal. This is the choke point. it will take several tools before you can acquire freedom.

3. Release
Do your time in prison, don't cause problems, and be good to the guards. Boring...
Closing Remarks
Comments and Critic are appreciated.

If you want to know how to make a good escape prison, check out fat's guide.
How to build a better escape mode prison that isn't absolute cheese!
7 Comments
Artyoshka Jan 24, 2021 @ 4:13am 
You can start a fire as an escape route. The problem is, that the fire might kill you and end your escape. In these cases, end the fight when the fire has done good enough so you can escape.
For the escape route i just listed, you'll need the weapon that can set the objects on fire so you can escape and the drill to fight the cops.

Pretty much works i could say
mister doge Jun 6, 2020 @ 3:46pm 
power drill a dog with a ato clicker and 99999 points
BlueDon7779 Oct 18, 2019 @ 8:04pm 
I riot a lot, get lots of friends, keep rioting as much as possible until I get bored then when I get bored, I run out of the prison and get a high score.
Fatpiglet Apr 24, 2019 @ 2:34pm 
Always the good ole cheesing your way out, since most prisons aren't designed well.

I just made a guide on how to build a better escape mode prison and I linked your guide by the way. Can't design a good escape mode prison if you don't understand escape mode!
aleksntr Jan 26, 2019 @ 4:15am 
I usually just ty to get as many rep points and gang members. Then we just kill almost everyone and run out, usually one or two homies die though but, at the end we escaped and tohose who die i eliminate....
ancu2001 Jan 19, 2019 @ 4:16am 
you can also run for it after the foolish guards open the door but please dont in decent prisons becuase they are bound to have more than one layer
ConfectionaryCanine83 Jan 13, 2019 @ 12:17pm 
My escape mode strat is break stuff until i get more than 1 rep, using siad one rep to skip punishments, get deadly, then punch guards until deadly proc's then go on a rampage of rep, slowly leveling up and building up an army of fully ranked up madmen then just kill enough guards to walk out the door. Snipers? No issue, just use those extra lives some people call gang members and brute force it