Disable Device
Full rules text, use cases, and edge-case handling for this skill.
Description
Disable Device covers picking locks, disarming traps, and sabotaging mechanical devices. It represents your understanding of how mechanisms work and your dexterity in manipulating small parts without triggering them — or deliberately triggering them at the right moment.
Check
The time required and the DC depend on the task. You need thieves' tools to pick locks or disarm complex traps; improvised tools impose a –2 penalty.
| Task | DC | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Simple lock (padlock) | 20 | 1 round |
| Average lock | 25 | 1 round |
| Good lock | 30 | 1 round |
| Amazing lock | 40 | 1 round |
| Simple trap (tripwire) | 20 | 2 rounds |
| Difficult trap | 20–25 | 2d4 rounds |
| Wicked trap | 25–30 | 2d4 rounds |
| Diabolical trap | 30+ | 2d4 rounds |
| Sabotage a simple device (loosen saddle cinch) | 10 | 1 round |
| Sabotage a complex device (jam a catapult) | 25 | 2d4 rounds |
Traps: If you beat the DC by 10 or more when disarming a trap, you may leave the trap in place but render it harmless, retrieve the trap mechanism (if small enough), or arm the trap yourself.
Failure: Failing by 4 or less means you make no progress. Failing by 5 or more triggers the trap (if one is present) or jams the lock (requiring a new check at DC 10 higher to unjam it).
Action
Disabling or picking a device is not an action — it takes the amount of time noted in the table above (1 round minimum, up to 2d4 rounds for complex traps). This is distinct from most skills that use a standard or move action.
Try Again
Yes, but if you fail by 5 or more, further attempts on that device are at a cumulative –5 penalty unless you reset or repair the mechanism first. A triggered trap generally cannot be re-attempted until reset by someone else.
Special
- Armor Check Penalty: Applies to all Disable Device checks.
- Thieves' tools: Required for locks and mechanical traps. Masterwork thieves' tools grant +2 on Disable Device checks. Improvised tools impose –2.
- Rogue: Disable Device is a class skill and may be used to disarm magical traps once the rogue reaches 4th level (Trapfinding class feature). Without Trapfinding, magical traps cannot be disarmed with this skill.
- Deft Hands (feat): +2 bonus on Disable Device and Sleight of Hand checks; increases to +4 at 10 or more ranks.
- Trapfinding: Required to find and disarm magical traps. Without it, only mechanical traps can be disarmed.
- Perception synergy: Finding a trap (Perception DC) is separate from disarming it. Both checks may be needed before the trap is neutralized.