am i correct in my understanding that ANYONE can find both magic and mechanical traps and disable mechanical traps, but only characters with trapfinding can disable magic traps
Yep.
Actually, anyone can disable a magic trap with a DC lower than 20 also.
I apparently made that last part up. Its largely irrelevant since a magic trap with a DC less than 20 is basically nonexistent.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/disable-device
"Restriction: Rogues (and other characters with the trapfinding class feature) can disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the spell level of the magic used to create it."
Yes, with a few exceptions. There are a few spell magic traps which state that it takes a person with Trapfinding to find them with Perception.
However, some believe that this is an oversight rather than intentional. Check with your GM on those spells.
- Gauss
am i correct in my understanding that ANYONE can find both magic and mechanical traps and disable mechanical traps, but only characters with trapfinding can disable magic traps
Anyone can find a magic or mechanical trap. Only someone with disable device can disable magical traps with the disable device skill. Anyone may still use other means of disabling magical traps (including dispel magic depending on the trap).
With the exception of a few spells that can only be detected by someone with trapfinding.
ok, thanks
All can disable magic trap too.
"Look, magic trap! What it do?" <Boom!> "Heh. Good thing me regenerate."