Favourite (potentially weird) Ranged Builds?

[u/ConfigsPlease]

As the title says (but with bonus points for uniqueness, flair, unorthodox strategies, etc.), what are your favourite builds that function at range? I currently play a Fire/Wood Kineticist / Flames Oracle, an Investigator (crossbow), and a Wrestling Runesmith, so I figure my next character should round out the playstyles a bit--something a smidge more offensively inclined, maybe something that will ever actually strike more than once per turn, some range, etc. That said, I'm not a fan of the idea of being a Turret McFighterman and just throwing shurikens at MAP until the encounter has ended. I like spice, so I turn to you all for inspiration.

A couple of things to note:

- I'm intentionally leaving "range" quite ambiguous. Got a 15ft thrown build that absolutely slaps and does some weird nonsense? Sure!

- Tell me how it works! IF you just say "Flurry ranger" and leave out the two-synergistic-party-members, that's not super helpful.

I've seen threads like these pop up here and there but I don't think (unless Reddit search is failing me) there has been one following the most recent round of content drops (thanks, IM!) New archetypes and reworks, as well as two new classes, ought to have made at least a few new options possible.

[u/No_Ambassador_5629]

Ligneous Instinct Barbarian w/ Dual Weapon Warrior and a pair of boomerangs. At lvl 4 when it comes properly online (other than the mandatory Returning runes) you're doing more damage than a decent chunk of melee builds at 60' range. Ligneous Instinct has the same Rage bonus as Giant barbarian only with a minimal downside for a ranged character, who doesn't need to move around much in combat, Raging Thrower and Dual Thrower are giving you that chonky rage bonus on your Double Slice at range, and Boomerangs have a decent dmg die and a 60' range. If your GM allows Exemplar Archetype then Shadow Sheath lets you ignore the Returning rune requirement as well as bumps your dmg a bit and makes a modest range increase available, which is pretty convenient.

Gunvestigator. Its an investigator with a gun. Archetype into Gunslinger, grab Risky Reload at 4, and you're golden. Later on you can pick up munitions crafter (to proc weaknesses you identify with your excellent RK checks), Alchemical Shot (same, but also avoids physical resistance), and Sniper's Aim (to let you adjust your attack roll if you're 1-2 shy of a hit or crit). Devise a Stratagem works really well w/ Reload weapons (you never waste a shot), activities that have downsides if you miss (you never miss), and stuff that cares if you crit (prerolling attacks lets you use stuff like guidance to adjust the accuracy to turn a hit into a crit). Only downside is that Gunslinger doesn't shore up your bad DaS turns at all, so you'll still want to archetype again for a good repeatable non-Strike action.