Mirror Image AC

[Stephen Ede]

Figments normally have an AC of 10 + size modifier.

Mirror image says -
Whenever you are attacked or are the target of a spell that requires an attack roll, there is a possibility that the attack targets one of your images instead. If the attack is a hit, roll randomly to see whether the selected target is real or a figment. If it is a figment, the figment is destroyed. If the attack misses by 5 or less, one of your figments is destroyed by the near miss.

I'm unsure exactly how this functions -

a) I make an attack. My random roll tagets a Figment - it's destroyed if I meet the Figments AC.
My next attack targets the character but I miss his AC by 3 so destroy a figment instead.

b) I make an attack. My random roll targets a figment. My attack rool is 3 less than the Characters AC so I destroy the Figment.
My next attack targets the Character, I roll 1 under his AC and miss doing no damage.

Which is correct, a) or v)?

Thanks

[Klorox]

Since you roll randomly to see if it was one of the mirror images or you that was hit after the attack hits it ensues that the AC to be hit is your own.

[Snowlilly]

You roll to hit the character.

If you hit, you check to see if it was an image. If an image was hit, destroy it.

If you miss by less than 5, no additional roll, you destroy an image.

[DM Livgin]

What they said. A near miss destroys a figment for free. In this case the specific wording of the spell overrules the general wording of figments.