If my next attack roll is subject to a condition like 'disadvantage' can I avoid that by deciding to use an arcane shot after the attack roll?

Question

If my 'next attack roll' is subject to a condition like disadvantage does avoiding the attack roll 'use up' that condition?

An example rules text, snipped from Vicious Mockery:

[...] the target [...] must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or [...] have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.

The rules for Arcane Shot, from the Arcane Archer say:

Once per turn when you fire an arrow from a shortbow or longbow as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Arcane Shot options to that arrow. You decide to use the option when the arrow hits a creature, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll.

While Making an Attack says lists this order:

1. Choose a target. [...]

2. Determine modifiers. The DM determines whether the target has cover and whether you have advantage or disadvantage against the target. In addition, spells, special abilities, and other effects can apply penalties or bonuses to your attack roll.

3. Resolve the attack. You make the attack roll. [...]

So, allowing for the obvious fact the DM can overrule this, is this sequence of events possible

1. choose my target,
2. be told/determine I have disadvantage,
3. resolve the attack rolling disadvantage
4. decide to use an Arcane Shot (such as Seeking Arrow or Piercing Arrow) that 'doesn't involve an attack roll', either before you find out if hits (if given the option by the DM), after another effect alters your attack (such as the spell Bane), or on a miss, and thus avoid disadvantage on future attacks this round?

The choice is made as part of the attack action, before the arrow has 'hit' as the Arcane Shot choice 'doesn't involve an attack roll'.

Or have I missed something? Does Arcane Shot saying 'when the arrow hits a creature' imply after resolving the attack it's too late?

Answer 1

You must decide to use Piercing Arrow before you make an attack roll.

Arcane Shot says:

Once per turn when you fire an arrow from a shortbow or longbow as part of the Attack action, you can apply one of your Arcane Shot options to that arrow. You decide to use the option when the arrow hits a creature, unless the option doesn’t involve an attack roll.

If the option involves an attack roll, you decide to use it when your attack hits. So if the shot doesn't involve an attack roll, when do you decide to use it? The only other "time" mentioned in the feature description:

when you fire an arrow from a shortbow or longbow as part of the Attack action

Piercing Arrow states:

When you use this option, you don’t make an attack roll for the attack.

You take the attack action, select your target and release your arrow. This is "when you fire an arrow", and this is the time you either make an attack roll, or you choose to use Piercing Arrow. You cannot do both. You either make an attack roll or you use piercing shot, because piercing shot says "don’t make an attack roll".

To put it another way, the only times you are told you can choose to use an Arcane shot are "when you fire an arrow" and "when the arrow hits". If the arrow misses, it is not "when the arrow hits", and "when you fire an arrow" has already passed.

Answer 2

Not exactly.

If the effect is written like Vicious Mockery, you haven't met the conditions it's watching for (next attack roll) so while using arcane shot to guarantee a hit without a roll will work, if you make another attack after it that turn, that second attack will still be subject to that disadvantage.

I don't think 5e has anything that references the next attack being made with disadvantage without specifically saying the next attack roll, but if it did this wording would let you avoid the disadvantage by making an attack without needing to roll.

"Attacking¹" without attack rolls is a common way to avoid dealing with disadvantage, mostly those are spells with save DCs instead (moving the dice roll off the attacker and onto the defender) but it doesn't actually 'use up' the disadvantage.

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Based on my reading of arcane shot and the options it has, once you make the attack roll it is too late to use the arcane shot options that pre-empt an attack roll. Those options specifically say you don't make the roll, and my understanding of arcane shot is that you choose the option to apply when the arrow hits for options that don't bypass the roll or at the start of the attack action for those that do bypass the roll. Once you have rolled the attack it is too late to apply seeking arrow.

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1. Most of the time it will be spells that don't need an attack roll, these are not considered attacks by the rules of D&D 5E, which use the general rule that an action is an attack if it makes an attack roll (or is specifically called one by the game). For the purposes of this question I do believe the arcane archer options without attack rolls are still attacks since they specify they are options used as part of an attack with your bow.

Answer 3

If the option "doesn't involve an attack roll" then you haven't made an attack roll. Yes, it really is that simple...