The layout controls the exit
Caves, ships, towers, and lifts can remove the clean backward step. Read the exit before pulling the first mob.
What the layout changes
Pulls stack before the first one is solved.
The retreat line turns into somebody else's patrol route.
Patrols can enter from outside the camera view.
Respawns return while the fight still feels recent.
Do not push into a cleared cave
A cave can look clear while its respawn timer is close. Going deeper can put the returning mobs between you and the exit.
Stairs, decks, and shafts
A staircase, doorway, or lift can close the exit as completely as an elite. Treat each as part of the pull.
Use lifts carefully
Wait for a platform or lift and stay focused while it moves. Do not auto-run or read another screen during the ride.
Pull for one exit
With one exit, pull for the possibility of a second pack arriving behind you. Keep the route back open.