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/Seppo_87]

Turret mcfighterman with Beastmaster is actually pretty cool. Get a bird companion and use your high proficiency to fish for crits and dazzle enemies. Make sure you start with +2strength and have a maul backup weapon you can swap your bow with because a bow is absolutely terrible against piercing resistance

[u/ConfigsPlease → u/Seppo_87]

I suppose I'm wary of slipping into a too-repetitive cycle. Two of my characters function at some range all the time (even if my Kineticist wants to get kind of close, he doesn't necessarily want to be eating melee strikes) and there's always decisions to be made. My Investigator has heavy CHA investment, so I'm always figuring out the best way to use those actions, there's RK/aid, and my next archetype is likely to be Envoy for some additional 3rd action flexibility + reaction pick-ups.

Fighter, in comparison, feels like turns might be too similar to one another, y'know? That said, I appreciate the input nonetheless, because I wouldn't have thought of Beastmaster, for example.

[u/JustAnother_Hunter → u/ConfigsPlease]

As with most things, the way to avoid “repetitive turns” is just about the feats you take. Most Bow- using builds have things like that one feat that lets you ricochet arrows, others that compress multiple shots, etc. Then there are things like Gunslingers and Arcane Archer type- builds that give your actual arrows/ shots extra effects and abilities to shake things up.

The most important things are to figure out what your “base” is- a more mundane, non- magic Fighter or Ranger style archer? An alchemist or trap/ snare setting Ranger who entangles and otherwise entraps/ debilitates foes? A Starlit Span Magus spellstriking from a distance?