someone explain disarm to me

[der_kluge]

From the SRD -

The character and an adjacent target make opposed attack rolls with the their respective weapons. If the weapons are different sizes, the opponent with the larger weapon gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category. If the target is using a weapon in two hands, he gets an additional +4 bonus. If the character beats the target, the target is disarmed. If a character attempted the disarm action unarmed, the character now has the weapon. Otherwise, it drops to the ground at the target's feet. If the character fails, then the target may make an attempt to disarm the character as an immediate, free action.

So, someone explain this to me. So, I attack you, and you attack me, and if I roll a 15, and you roll a 14, I disarm you?

Assuming all other things are equal. That seems wrong somehow.

 

[Artoomis]

Your opposed attack rolls include all your bonuses, etc. plus the weapon size bonus, if applicable.

If the attacker gets the higher score, the defender loses his weapon.

If the attacker fails, the defender then gets a free attempt to disarm the attacker.

If the original defender gets the higher score, the original attacker is disarmed. If not, the whole disarm attempt is over with no one disarmed.

 

[Hackenslash]

Cool Explanation Artoomis !!!

Yes I thought that was well explained Artoomis, I was always a little vague with the Disarm rules, as no one in our party ever bothers with disarming. So it's never been explored thoroughly....Good One

 

[der_kluge]

The third entry confuses me. If the original defender gets the higher score, doesn't that imply that the attacker failed? So does the disarm check have to hit the target?

In other words, if the target's AC is 10, and I roll a 14 on a disarm attempt, but the defender rolls a 16, I fail - and he automatically gets a disarm attempt on me?

But I if the target's AC is 10, and I roll an 8 on my disarm attempt, does the attempt just fail?

 

[Kemrain]

No, because you aren't attackng them, you're trying to disarm them. It doesn't follow the same rules for a normal attack roll, though, it does make some sense that if you couldn't hit your opponent in the first place you can't really disarm then. However, to take armor into account there doesn't make sense, because armor doesn't make it harder to hit you, just hurt you. So you'd be attacking their Touch attack AC... See how this gets kinda confusing? You're making a disarm attempt, in place of an attack roll. They are seperate enough that they sue a completely different mechanic, even though you make disarm attempts in place of melee attacks.

Off Topic: Does anyone know of a feat that lets you make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who provoked it with a disarm attempt, and if you hit their attempt is foiled without an opposed roll? It's just a thought I had, don't know if ir would be worth a feat.

- Kemrain the Disarmed