Playtime
Playtime just wants someone to play with. Unfortunately, that someone is you, and her game of jump rope stops you in your tracks while Baldi is somewhere in the school. She can’t end a run on her own, but a game at the wrong moment can. Here is how her jump rope works, how to get it over with quickly and how to avoid her altogether.
How she behaves
Playtime wanders the halls with her own little jingle, which is the easiest way to know she is near. When she sees you, and she isn’t on cooldown, she runs at you and starts a game of jump rope. From that moment you can’t walk away until the game ends one way or another.
Two rules decide when she can catch you:
- She has to see you. Since version 0.10 she can only start jump rope if she can see you, so breaking her line of sight before she reaches you works.
- She has to keep seeing you. Since version 0.4, the game ends if she loses sight of you, for example when another character or an item pushes one of you away.
The jump rope game
During the game the rope swings in front of you, and you jump with the jump key at the right moment. You need a number of clean jumps in a row. A missed jump resets the count, and you start again.
| What happens | Result |
|---|---|
| You finish the jumps | She is happy, lets you go and won’t catch you again for a while |
| You miss a jump | The count restarts, and since version 0.10 the miss makes a sound Baldi can hear |
| Someone pushes her away | The game ends once she loses sight of you |
| You cut the rope | She is sad, runs off and won’t play with you for a while |
Every missed jump is a sound Baldi can follow. A sloppy game of jump rope is exactly how a harmless character turns into a lost life. Take your time with each jump instead of mashing the key.
Ways out of the game
| Method | How it works | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Play it out | Make all the jumps | Time |
| Safety Scissors | Cut the rope and end the game at once | One item |
| BSODA | Push her away, even during the game | One item, and a rule break in the halls |
| Other characters | The Principal of the Thing or 1st Prize can interrupt the game | Luck |
Safety Scissors are the cleanest option. They also work on Beans’ gum, and since version 0.4 one pair can cut several effects at once, such as the rope and the gum together.
Avoiding her
- Listen for her jingle. It tells you she is in a nearby hallway before you see her.
- Break her line of sight. Turn a corner or step into a room. She needs to see you to start the game.
- Use the Faculty Nametag. While it is active, she treats you as faculty and leaves you alone.
- Plan around her cooldown. After a game or a cut rope she won’t catch you for a while, so it is safe to pass her for a short time.
When she is actually dangerous
On her own, Playtime only costs you a few seconds. She becomes dangerous in three situations:
- Baldi is close. You can’t run while she holds you, so a game near Baldi can end in a catch. Use an item instead of playing.
- Mrs. Pomp is waiting. A game of jump rope on the way to Mrs. Pomp’s class can make you late.
- The timer is low. A long game late in a level brings you closer to the after-hours rules.
If you have no item and Baldi is nearby, focus on clean jumps. A quick, perfect game is quieter and shorter than a messy one.
Playtime and other characters
Playtime is one of the characters that can turn up on your route when Mrs. Pomp sends you to her class, and the Principal of the Thing can walk right into her game and break it up. 1st Prize can do the same by pushing one of you away. None of this is reliable enough to plan around, but it explains why some games end suddenly.
Plus and Classic
Playtime was already in Baldi’s Basics Classic, where she also catches you for jump rope and can be stopped with Safety Scissors. In Plus her game is more connected to the rest of the school: missed jumps make noise for Baldi, she needs to see you to start and to keep playing, and the levels are new every run, so you can’t learn her route by heart.
FAQ
Can Playtime end my run?
No. She only holds you for a game. The danger is Baldi hearing missed jumps or catching up while you can’t move.
Do I need Safety Scissors for her?
No. You can always finish the game by jumping. Scissors save time, which matters most when Baldi is close.
Why did my game end on its own?
She lost sight of you, usually because another character or a BSODA pushed one of you away.
Playtime is one of thirteen characters in the school. Meet the rest in the Characters section, and see the item ranking for the best counters.
