Disable Device

You are skilled at disarming traps, security systems, and opening locks. In addition, this skill lets you sabotage simple mechanical devices, such as vehicles, computers, and doors.

**Common Uses**

**Disarm Trap, Security Device, or Mechanical Device**

A character can attempt to disable a security device such as an electric fence, motion sensor, or security camera. You must be able to reach the device, and if the device is monitored a person attempting to interact with it will most likely be noticed. When disarming a trap, security device, or other mechanism, the Disable Device check is made secretly, so that you don’t necessarily know whether you’ve succeeded.

The DC depends on how tricky the device is. Disabling (or rigging or jamming) a fairly simple device has a DC of 10; more intricate and complex devices have higher DCs. If attempting to perform any of these actions without leaving a trace, the DC is increased by +10 and takes at least 10 minutes. This cannot be done without an E-pick or electrical tool kit.

If the check succeeds, you disable the device. If it fails by 4 or less, you have failed but can try again. If you fail by 5 or more, something goes wrong. If the device is a trap, you spring it. If you’re attempting some sort of sabotage, you think the device is disabled, but it still works normally. If the device has a mechanical lock you require a lockpick set and if it has electrical locks you need an electrical tool kit or an E-pick.

**Special** A character who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more can study a trap or security system, figure out how it works, and bypass it (along with her companions) without disarming it.

**Retry?** You can retry checks made to disable traps if you miss the check by 4 or less, though you must be aware that you fail in order to try again.

**Sabotage Mechanical Item**

You also can rig simple devices such as saddles, vehicles, or security devices to work normally for a while and then fail or fall apart some time later (usually after 1d4 rounds or minutes of use)

**Open a Lock**

The DC to open a lock depends on the lock’s quality.

**Modifiers**: If you do not have a lockpick set or electrical tool kit, these DCs increase by 10.

**Retry?** Yes. You can retry checks made to open locks.

**Action**

The amount of time needed to make a Disable Device check depends on the task:

* **Simple Device**: Disabling a simple device takes 1 round and is a full-round action.
* **Complex/Intricate Device**: An intricate or complex device requires 1d4 or 2d4 rounds. Attempting to open a lock is a full-round action.

**Special:** A character can take 10 when making a Disable Device check. A character can take 20 to open a lock or to disable a security device, unless the character is trying to prevent his or her tampering from being noticed. Possessing the proper tools gives a character the best chance of succeeding on a Disable Device check. Opening a locked car calls for a car opening kit. Disabling a security device requires either a mechanical tool kit or an electronic toll kit, depending on the nature of the device. If the character does not have the appropriate tools, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the check.

A lock release gun can open a mechanical lock instantly if the DC is 20 or less without a Disable Device check.

**Explosives**

Setting a simple explosive to detonate at a specific location doesn’t require a check, however connecting and setting up a detonator does. Placing an explosive for maximum effect against a structure calls for a check, as does disarming an explosive device.

* **Arm Explosive**: If you possess a detonator, you can arm an explosive weapon as a trap. Connecting a detonator to an explosive requires a successful DC 10 Disable Device check. Failure means that the attempt fails, but you can attempt to arm the explosive again. Failure by 5 or more means the explosive is triggered as the detonator is installed. You can attempt to make an explosive difficult to disarm. To do so, choose a target disarm DC of 15 or higher, with a DC increment of 5. This becomes your target DC to set the explosive as well as the DC to disarm the explosive.
* **Place Explosive Device**: You carefully place the explosive device against a fixed structure to maximize the damage dealt by exploiting weaknesses in the object’s structural integrity. The GM makes the check so as to not alert the player to how they have done. On a result of 15 or higher the explosive deals double damage to the structure it’s placed against. On a result of 25 or higher it deals triple damage. In all cases the damage dealt to surrounding objects or creatures is still the normal amount.
* **Disarm Explosive**: Disarming an explosive requires the character to succeed at a Disable Device check as if disarming a trap. The DC is usually 10, unless the person who set the explosive successfully did so with a higher disarm DC. A failure to disarm an explosive by 5 or more immediately triggers the explosive.

**Special**: A character can take 10 when using Disable Device to arm or disarm explosives, but cannot take 20. A character without a demolitions kit takes a -4 penalty on demolitions checks.

Making explosives requires the craft (chemical) skill.

**Time**: Arming an explosive device takes 1 minute or more, depending on the scope of the job. Disarming an explosive is treated as if the explosive were a complex trap, and takes 2d4 rounds to attempt.

**Disable Device Unchained**

A character who reaches 5, 10, 15, or 20 ranks in a skill that possesses the Signature Skill feat for that skill gains additional bonuses.

With sufficient ranks in Disable Device, you earn the following.

**5 Ranks**: Reduce the time required to disarm a trap, security device, set an explosive, or open a lock by taking a –5 penalty on your Disable Device check for each step by which you reduce the time required: 2d4 rounds, 1d4 rounds, 1 round, a standard action, a move action, a swift action.

**10 Ranks**: You can disarm objects at a –10 penalty even if you lack the tools or the usual capability to do so. If you fail the check, you can still trigger the trap or security system, and you can’t use this ability to bypass it.

**15 Ranks**: When attacked by a trap or setting a security system off, you can attempt a Disable Device check as an immediate action opposed by the trap or security system’s attack roll or its save DC (Such as in the case of an automated turret). If you succeed, you take half damage (or no damage if you exceed the DC by at least 10).

**20 Ranks**: You halve the penalties for performing a quick disarm as described in the 5 Ranks entry. If you accept a –20 penalty while using the ability unlocked at 15 ranks, all nearby allies gain the benefit, and you disable the trap or security device as an immediate action before it can trigger if you exceed the DC by at least 10.