D&D 5E Sharpshooter with Seeking Arrow - Can you do it?
WayOfTheFourElements
Hero
I see no issue. You take a -5, but it doesn't affect you because you need not make an attack roll. Furthermore, the Arcane Archer archetype is a bit on the underpowered side this sounds like a good way to close the gap between it and other options.
I would rule No. You aren't making an attack roll, and thus no effects that come from making an attack roll can be applied. It's the same reason why spells that are defended by saving throws cannot roll critical hits but ranged spell attack rolls can. That's my basic thought on the game rules portion of the question.
By the fluff part of the Seeking Arrow ability... the Fighter isn't actually aiming his bow and firing (which is what normally allow him to choose to take a more difficult shot at an important body part for the extra +10 damage.) Instead, he just fires randomly and the arrow flies on its own towards the enemy... going around corners, flying through cover... to reach the target, and the target has to dodge the arrow to take less damage (via a Dexterity saving throw.) If you aren't aiming your arrow at a deadlier spot on the body, there's no way to get extra damage from it.
And finally... there's just "What does common sense tell us?" And common sense tells us that by your reasoning a person can just add 10 point of damage to every attack they make with Seeking Arrow with absolutely no penalty if they have that feat. And we then ask "Do we really think that's what the game intended to have happen?" And most likely most of us would respond "No. The game would not expect someone to gain 10 free points of damage on an attack with a single feat without penalty."
If you want to give that player 10 free damage on two Arcane Arrow shots just because... you're more than welcome to obviously. But to me this is one of those "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" situations, and besides which, my first paragraph went over how the rules themselves really don't support the idea either.
By the fluff part of the Seeking Arrow ability... the Fighter isn't actually aiming his bow and firing (which is what normally allow him to choose to take a more difficult shot at an important body part for the extra +10 damage.) Instead, he just fires randomly and the arrow flies on its own towards the enemy... going around corners, flying through cover... to reach the target, and the target has to dodge the arrow to take less damage (via a Dexterity saving throw.) If you aren't aiming your arrow at a deadlier spot on the body, there's no way to get extra damage from it.
And finally... there's just "What does common sense tell us?" And common sense tells us that by your reasoning a person can just add 10 point of damage to every attack they make with Seeking Arrow with absolutely no penalty if they have that feat. And we then ask "Do we really think that's what the game intended to have happen?" And most likely most of us would respond "No. The game would not expect someone to gain 10 free points of damage on an attack with a single feat without penalty."
If you want to give that player 10 free damage on two Arcane Arrow shots just because... you're more than welcome to obviously. But to me this is one of those "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" situations, and besides which, my first paragraph went over how the rules themselves really don't support the idea either.
CapnZapp
Legend
Of course the RAI is probably no, but by RAW I don't see how I can argue against it.
Other similarly themed abilities make it clear it is not an attack, and instead an action that causes a saving throw. If any such language had been used here, the answer would clearly be "no".
But that's simply not the case. Every other arcane shot relies on making a regular attack, and the only way Seeking is different is by saying "you don't make an attack roll for the attack". That is, it remains an attack.
This is probably a bug they will need to errata. The game relies on attacks being things you make attack rolls for. As this very example attests, since, yes, it means you gain all the benefits of Sharpshooter (+10 damage) with none of the drawbacks (-5 to hit).
I expect somebody to ask this of Crawford (not Mearls) on Twitter presently.
Other similarly themed abilities make it clear it is not an attack, and instead an action that causes a saving throw. If any such language had been used here, the answer would clearly be "no".
But that's simply not the case. Every other arcane shot relies on making a regular attack, and the only way Seeking is different is by saying "you don't make an attack roll for the attack". That is, it remains an attack.
This is probably a bug they will need to errata. The game relies on attacks being things you make attack rolls for. As this very example attests, since, yes, it means you gain all the benefits of Sharpshooter (+10 damage) with none of the drawbacks (-5 to hit).
I expect somebody to ask this of Crawford (not Mearls) on Twitter presently.
Lucas Blackstone
Explorer
From a rules standpoint I guess it would work since Sharpshooter doesn't state you need to make an attack roll, just apply a penalty to it. Your choice to use Sharpshooter is made before you make the attack. If that attack hits, add 10 damage to the attack's damage. When you make the attack, you use the Seeker arrow ability. This removes the attack roll. But the attack still hits and therefore deals 10 more damage.
From a flavor standpoint it makes little sense. But flavor or logic and the rules do not always walk hand in hand. I mean as far as I can tell by the rules you can Sharpshooter targets you can't see. This makes little sense to me also but is a legal use to my knowledge.
From a flavor standpoint it makes little sense. But flavor or logic and the rules do not always walk hand in hand. I mean as far as I can tell by the rules you can Sharpshooter targets you can't see. This makes little sense to me also but is a legal use to my knowledge.
Sage Genesis
First Post
Sharpshooter says it applies "when you make an attack", which is defined in the combat chapter of the PHB. It says quite clearly:
"If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack."
Seeking Arrow doesn't involve an attack roll. It is not an attack. Sharpshooter cannot apply to it.
(PS: Note that Seeking Arrow does use the Attack action but that does not make it an attack. Just like bonus actions are neither a bonus nor an action, 5e's attempts at natural language lead to some interesting situations.)
"If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack."
Seeking Arrow doesn't involve an attack roll. It is not an attack. Sharpshooter cannot apply to it.
(PS: Note that Seeking Arrow does use the Attack action but that does not make it an attack. Just like bonus actions are neither a bonus nor an action, 5e's attempts at natural language lead to some interesting situations.)
