If I make a ranged attack at a paralyzed creature within 5 feet of me, do I have advantage on the roll?

Question

If I cast guiding bolt at a paralyzed creature while standing within 5 feet of it (so it counts as a critical hit), do I have advantage on the roll?

The rule on "Ranged Attacks in Close Combat" says (PHB, p. 195; emphasis mine):

When you make a ranged attack [...], you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who you can see and who isn't incapacitated.

Therefore, since the creature is incapacitated, I will not have disadvantage on the attack despite being within 5 feet of the enemy.

In fact, I should be rolling with advantage since I'm hitting a paralyzed foe, as stated in the rules for the paralyzed condition (PHB, p. 291; emphasis mine):

• A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the condition) and can’t move or speak.
• The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
• Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

Am I correctly understanding the rules here?

Answer 1

You have advantage.

The rules for ranged attacks in close combat state:

Aiming a ranged attack is more difficult when a foe is next to you. When you make a ranged attack with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn't incapacitated.

Since a paralyzed creature is incapacitated, the above rule does not apply, so your ranged attack will be at advantage, even from 5 feet away (unless there's also a different enemy 5 feet away from you who isn’t incapacitated).

Answer 2

Your understanding of the rules is correct, you have advantage

First off, the target is paralyzed which means, in part, that:

[...] Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. [...]

This applies to any attack rolls, be they melee or ranged or from any distance whatsoever.

Meanwhile the rules on Ranged Attacks in Close Combat state:

[...] When you make a ranged attack with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn't incapacitated.

So if you're making a ranged attack and a hostile creature is within 5 feet of you (regardless of whether or not they are the target) and they are not incapacitated, you have disadvantage.

However, in this case, they are incapacitated because part of the paralyzed condition states:

[...] A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the condition) [...]

Therefore they do not cause disadvantage on the ranged attack, meanwhile the paralyzed condition grants advantage so you have a net result of just having advantage.

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Perhaps of note is what would happen if you had advantage for attacking a paralyzed creature and disadvantage because a non-incapacitated creature was within 5 feet of you. In this case, you would be considered to have neither advantage nor disadvantage because of the rules on Advantage and Disadvantage:

[...] If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage and disadvantage, you are considered to have neither of them, and you roll one d20. [...]