using a global variable before and within a function in python

I am making a text style adventure game and don’t have too much knowledge with python. I am trying to use my (enemyHealth) which has a random integer assigned to it. I’ve set this variable to be global and I want to use it within my function. But before the function is created I want to print out the variable outside of the function. I am wanting these to be the same value and am unsure what I am supposed to do. The function I am referring to is my (attack_function()).

Heres’s a section of my code.

    #enemy
enemyEasy = ["goblin archer", "thieves", "ghouls", "goblin swordsman"]
encounter = random.choice(enemyEasy)
global enemyHealth
enemyHealth = random.randint(9, 13)

#attack functions
attackLow = ("attack")
pursuadeDown = ("pursuade")
fleeDown = ("flee")
options = ["Attack", "Pursuade", "Flee"]

#conditions for correct grammar
if (encounter == enemyEasy[1]) or (encounter == enemyEasy[2]):
    print ("\nYou walk down a path isolated when you are approached by a group of figures in the distance")
    time.sleep(2)
    print ("\nThe figures is a group of " + encounter + "!")
    time.sleep(2)

else:
    print ("\nYou walk down a path isolated when you are approached by a figure in the distance")
    time.sleep(2)
    print ("\nThe figure is a " + encounter + "!")
    time.sleep(2)

#first encounter
print ("\nEnemy Health:", enemyHealth)
time.sleep(1)
print("\nWhat do you do?: ")
print (options)
action = input()

#attack function
def attack_function():
    while (enemyHealth > 0):
    
        if (enemyHealth > 0):
        
            #miss function
            missChance = random.randint(1,8)
        
            if (missChance > 6):
                print ("You attack the enemy and miss\n")
                time.sleep(3)

            else:
                #random user damage from 1 - 6
                userDamage = random.randint(1, 6)
                print ("You attack the", encounter, "and did", userDamage, "damage!")
                enemyHealth = (enemyHealth - userDamage)
                print ("Enemy Health:", enemyHealth, "\n")
                time.sleep(2)
            
                if (enemyHealth > 0):
                    missChance = random.randint(1,8)
                
                    if (missChance > 6):               
                        print("The enemy attacks you and misses\n")
                        time.sleep(3)

                    else:
                        #random enemy damage from 3 - 4
                        enemyDamage = random.randint(3, 4)
                        print ("The enemy attacked you and did", enemyDamage, "damage!")
                        health = (health - enemyDamage)
                        print ("Health:", health, "\n")
                        time.sleep(3)

                else:
                    #XP System
                    xpGain = random.randint(2, 4)
                    XP = (XP + xpGain)

                    #enemy defeat
                    print ("\nYou defeated the enemy!")
                    print ("You gained", xpGain, "XP!")
                    if (XP == 10):
                        level = (level + 1)
                        print("you are now level 2")
                        userDamage = (random.randint(1, 6) + 3)

                    print ("XP:",XP)
                    break
            
#if action is to attack use attack function
if (action == options[0]) or (action == attackLow):
    attack_function()

>Solution :

Might I suggest using classes?

import random

class Enemy:
    def __init__(self) -> None:
        self.type = random.choice(["goblin archer", "thieves", "ghouls", "goblin swordsman"])
        self.health = random.randint(9, 13)

You can then replace your first 4 lines (everything under #enemy) with:

enemy = Enemy()

This assumes you’ve either imported Enemy from another file or put the Enemy class at the very top. You can then access, update, etc., the health with enemy.health

Edit: as an FYI, you should not need to use the global keyword here, as long as you define enemy in the top-most scope (outside all your functions).

Edit:
self refers to the object. You only use self in the __init__ function and then use whatever variable name you want outside of that. For your case:

import random

class Enemy:
    def __init__(self) -> None:
        self.type = random.choice(["goblin archer", "thieves", "ghouls", "goblin swordsman"])
        self.health = random.randint(9, 13)
enemy = Enemy()
#attack functions
attackLow = ("attack")
pursuadeDown = ("pursuade")
fleeDown = ("flee")
options = ["Attack", "Pursuade", "Flee"]```