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Don't forget the Decollate spell...

Lets them detach their head, with the body remaining ambulatory.

So it could be a headless and handless body, running around accompanied by an eye familiar, an eye ooze, two flying ears, two hand familiars, and a tumor. Plus it sometimes peels its skin off too.

(Well, we'd have to bend the rules a bit to make all that work together, but it would certainly make for an interesting NPC or BBEG.)

If you're going to dip 1 level into Bloodrager, consider swapping your 1st level Bloodline ability for a Bloodline Familiar (from "Familiar Folio"). This grants a familiar with an additional ability, based on your Bloodline.

For a Paladin, the Celestial bloodline seems like a natural fit, and has a useful Bloodline Familiar ability. You'll be giving up the 1st level Bloodline ability Angelic Attacks, but it's just an extra 1d6 damage against evil outsiders and the ability to overcome DR/Good, which is less useful to a Paladin who can do the same with things like a Holy Bonded Weapon, Smite Evil, or the 1st level Paladin spell Weapons Against Evil. Most importantly, Angelic Attacks only applies while raging, which with only one level of Bloodrager would be just a few rounds per day.

If you swap that out for a Celestial Bloodline Familiar, your familiar is around even when you're not raging, and a Celestial Bloodline Familiar has the added bonus of granting you Fast Healing 1 for CHA mod rounds at a time, usable 3+CHA Mod times per day. With a 20 CHA, that's 40 total HP of healing per day. It's only 1 HP per round, but it's useful for healing between battles without expending other resources.

This Fast Healing is in addition to the familiar's normal bonus, so the familiar can also boost your weakest save, or grant +1 to natural armor, or grant +4 to initiative, or grant +3 to a useful skill.

Next, you can also apply the Protector Familiar Archetype from the same Familiar Folio book. This allows your Familiar to provide you with a a +2 Aid Another bonus to your AC.

Then, if you have a feat to spare, taking the Boon Companion feat would put the Celestial Protector Familiar up to Level 5, which with a Protector allows for the familiar to also soak half your damage at will. This effectively grants you 50% more hit points (since you can share damage, and your familiar has half as many HP as you do).

Granted, the familiar wouldn't be able to progress past Level 5 for Natural Armor, Intelligence, or familiar abilities, but 5th level is enough for Speak with Master and the aforementioned Protector abilities (AC bonus and damage sharing). And the familiar would continue to gain BAB, HP, saves, and skills as the Paladin continues to level, since those attributes are not based on Bloodrager class level.

Basically, you're giving up Angelic Attacks' ~3.5 extra damage against evil outsiders for a few rounds per day, but gaining 40+ HP of Fast Healing, +2 AC, an additional bonus to save/AC/initiative/skill equivalent to a feat, and a pet/scout. That's a heck of a good deal.

Then spending the feat on Boon Companion grants you effectively 150% HP, which is well worth the feat.

Is a dip into Empyreal Sorcerer worthwhile for a Zen Archer/Qinggong Monk? If so, how many levels? When would you recommend taking the dip?

I've been pondering this, and believe the most benefit comes from just one level of Sorcerer, taken at either 4th or 5th, which would get you over the "hump" for Zen Archery's WIS to Attack rolls.

One level of Sorcerer would allow for four cantrips and two 1st level spells known. Most likely something like Gravity Bow and Mage Armor, so the Monk can self-buff.

Gravity Bow - Zen Archers tend to lag behind in pure damage output compared to some of the other archer types, but jumping from 1d8 up to 2d6 damage will help with that. Only lasts for 10 rounds, but that should be sufficient for most fights.

Mage Armor - Saves the need for Bracers of Armor, allowing the use of Bracers of Archery instead. Lasts for an hour. Stacks with Qinggong Monk's Barkskin ability at 4th Monk level for even higher AC self-buffing.

The Magical Knack trait could be included to bump up these durations to 30 rounds/3 hours. Pages of Spell Knowledge and Runes of Power can be used to add additional 1st level spells known, or additional spells per day, if desired.

This one level dip would also open up the ability for the Monk to use scrolls and wands, granting access to other useful arcane utility spells like Expeditious Retreat, Shield, Spider Climb, Monkey Fish, Endure Elements, Infernal Healing, Invisiblity, Owl's Wisdom, etc.

Celestial/Empyreal Bloodline allows for Wisdom to be used for all Sorcerer class features and effects to Sorcerer class. And with the option for a Celestial Bloodline Familiar in Familiar Folio, you can swap out your weak Heavenly Fire 1st level bloodline power for a Celestial bloodline familiar that grants you Fast Healing 1 for WIS mod rounds at a time, usuable 3+WIS Mod times per day. Plus the familiar's normal bonus.

Then, going with a protector Familiar archetype and taking Boon Companion as the 5th level feat seems like a heck of a useful ability for a monk. That would put the familiar at Level 5, which with a Protector allows for the familiar to grant +2 to AC (1st level ability) and soak half your HP damage at will (5th level ability).

Granted, the familiar wouldn't be able to progress past Level 5 for Natural Armor, Intelligence, or familiar abilities, but that's enough for Speak with Master and the aforementioned Protector abilities, and the familiar would continue to gain BAB, HP, saves, and skills as the Monk continues to level.

It would also open up the ability to take levels in Arcane Archer at a later time, if so desired. Likely sometime after reaching at least 10th level (Monk9/Sorc1).

In summary:

With a 20 Wisdom, a Zen Archer Monk with one level of Empyreal Sorcerer would basically end up with two 1st level arcane spells castable 5 times per day to boost AC and damage, four cantrips, 1.5x hitpoints (effectively), +2 AC, Fast Healing for a total of 40 HP per day, +2 to Will saves, +2 to Heal and Knowledge Religion, dual rolls or Aid Anothers on various skills, and a scout/pet.

In exchange, the Monk would end up 1 level behind on gaining class abilities, and would be -1 BAB, -1 HP, -1 Fortitude save and -1 Reflex save, compared to a Monk without a dip. The free effective feat from the Familiar's bonus could cancel out the feat spent on Boon Companion. (Depending on the bonus... I'm thinking Greensting Scorpion for Improved Initiative.)

That, to me, seems like a worthwhile trade. What are your thoughts?

I'm working up a new character. Any suggestions for improvement?

This character will be an Ifrit Paladin/Life Oracle of Ragathiel. I envision him as a holy warrior who struggles to overcome his Evil Outsider (half-Efreeti) heritage, much like his patron demigod Ragathiel. He was abandoned in the wild as a child when his human mother was slain by his Efreeti father, and rescued by good-aligned Fey who cared for him and brought him to the doorstep of a local Paladin order. He was raised and trained by these Paladins, and now has taken an oath himself to heal and defend the weak and defeat Evil Outsiders. The Fey who cared for him as a baby continue to track his progress, with a few sprites/pixies accompanying him and playing good-natured (in their minds) pranks on him to ensure that he doesn't get too serious, stuffy, or boring.

Race: Ifrit
-Fire in the Blood Alternate Racial Trait: Fast Healing 2 when subjected to fire damage
-Efreeti Magic Alternate Racial Trait: Enlarge/Reduce Person (including Ifrits) 1/day
-Wildfire Heart Alternate Racial Trait: +4 to Initiative
-Darkvision 60'
-Outsider (Native)

Stats:
STR 16
DEX 14 (Includes +2 Racial)
CON 14
INT 7
WIS 8 (Includes -2 Racial)
CHA 17 (Includes +2 Racial)

Blessed Touch Faith Trait: +1 HP healed with Lay On Hands, Channel, and Cure spells
Magical Lineage Magic Trait: +2 Caster Level (Oracle)

Level 1: Paladin 1 - Oathbound (Oath Against Fiends) and Hospitaler archetypes
Level 2: Pal2
Level 3: Pal2/Oracle 1 - Life Oracle, Life Link Revelation, Pranked Curse
Level 4: Pal3/Ora1 - +1 to CHA
Level 5: Pal4/Ora1
Level 6: Pal4/Ora2
Level 7: Pal4/Ora3 - Channel Revelation
Level 8: Pal4/Ora4 - +1 to CON
Level 9: Pal5/Ora4 - Agathion Divine Bond for CHA bonus to healing for a few mins/day
Level 10+ (if needed) will be all Paladin.

Feats:
1st - Fey Foundling
3rd - Power Attack
5th - Greater Mercy
7th - Vital Strike
9th - Furious Focus

Favored Class: Paladin for +1 HP at levels 1-2, 4-5, and 9+.

1 skill point for Paladin levels and 2 skill points for Oracle Levels will go primarily into Diplomacy and Sense Motive.

The Pranked curse seems to mesh really well with the backstory regarding the Fey Foundling feat, and will allow for some interesting roleplaying opportunities when I'm distracted or embarrassed by my pixie friends. The -4 to Initiative hurts, but is offset by the +4 to Initiative from his Wildfire Heart racial trait, and he'll still have +2 to Initiative from DEX. The 25% miss chance when retrieving stored gear is less troublesome, since it doesn't apply to drawing weapons or wands, and I won't be relying on scrolls, potions, or alchemical items in combat very often. But when it does come into play, it'll allow me to roleplay it as his scatterbrained pixies companions trying (and failing miserably) to help him locate the items, and merely serving to distract him in the process. The curse also grants access to a couple extremely useful spells that aren't on the Oracle or Paladin lists, like Faerie Fire and Glitterdust.

By Oracle 4, I'll have the following spells:

0 Level: Guidance, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mending, Grasp, Create Water, Ghost Sound* (Pranked Curse Bonus)

1st Level 7/day: Recharge Innate Magic, Protection from Evil, Divine Favor, Cure Light Wounds* (Oracle Bonus), Detect Undead* (Life Mystery Bonus), Faerie Fire* (Pranked Curse Bonus)

2nd Level 4/day: Bear's Endurance, Cure Moderate Wounds* (Oracle Bonus), Lesser Restoration* (Life Mystery Bonus), Glitterdust* (Pranked Curse Bonus), Minor Image* (Pranked Curse Bonus)

Spells known and Spells Per Day can be improved with further CHA boosting items, Pages of Spell Knowledge, and Runestones of Power.

I'll also have a small handful of 1st level Paladin spells, starting at Paladin 4, useful for things like Bless Weapon, Hero's Defiance, and Resist Energy* (Oath against Fiends bonus spell - equivalent to a domain spell).

I will rely heavily on a Divine Favor wand for the first many levels, using it before almost every fight for an easy +1 to Attack and Damage. Eventually, once I hit Oracle 4, my caster level combined with Magical Knack trait will grant me +2 to Attack and Damage when I cast the spell myself.

During fights, I will do the typical Oradin thing, with Life Link and Lay on Hands. I'll focus on two-handed melee combat with a Greatsword or Earthbreaker. I can Vital Strike as a swift action for double base damage on turns when I'm not using my swift action for LoH. Smite Evil 1/day helps with lone big baddies.

In large/tough fights, I can Enlarge myself to gain 10' reach and bump up to 3d6 base damage. I'll roleplay that as tapping into both my Efreeti heritage and Ragathiel's righteous rage, growing into a devoutly angry Large-sized version of myself with reddish skin, fiery orange hair, and angelic glow, then dishing out some divine wrath. (Like a saintly red/orange Incredible Hulk.)

By Level 7, with Enlarge Person combined with Divine Favor, Vital Strike, and Power Attack, I can be doing something like 6d6+13 damage per round on normal hits, not counting STR-improving items, weapon enchantments, and Smite Evil bonuses.

In between-fights, I can "recharge" two of my abilities, which allows me to be useful for more than just one fight per day. The Recharge Innate Magic spell allows me to expend 1st Level Oracle spells to regain uses of the Enlarge/Reduce racial spell-like ability on a 1:1 basis. And a Meditation Crystal Channel Foci allows me to expend my weak Hospitaler Channel Energy charges (1d6+3 self and 1d6+1 other) to regain powerful Lay on Hands charges (3d6+7 self or 3d6+1 other) on a 1:1 basis. This practically doubles the number of LoH charges I get each day, provided I have a few minutes between fights to meditate.

I'll also have the separate Life Oracle Channel Energy pool (2d6+5 self and 2d6+1 other) for additional group healing in/out of combat, but I don't believe those can be used with a Meditation Crystal Channel Foci for regain LoH charges, since an Oracle doesn't necessarily draw their power from a deity and don't use a Divine Focus or holy symbol. I could be wrong about that, though.

Thoughts? Anywhere that you see any obvious improvements or interesting opportunities?

I'm creating a new Level 1 Pathfinder character, and have decided to go with a Ranged Inquisitor. I'm planning for a Sacred Huntsmaster of Pharasma. Sort of an ultra orthodox ranger/hunter, focusing on Parasma's role in the "circle of life" in nature, as well as a zealous investigator of necromancy and destroyer of undead. In addition to the ranged combat, he will also excel as a Knowledge monkey and Face.

It's a 20 point buy. Unknown party members. I don't expect this campaign to get to Level 10+, but it might.

Here's what I've come up with so far, for the first 8 levels:

Human
STR 14
DEX 17
CON 14
INT 12
WIS 14
CHA 7

Savannah Child Trait: +1 to Handle Animal and becomes Class Skill.
Deft Dodger: +1 to Reflex save.

Domain: Conversion Inquisition, which lets me use my WIS modifier in place of CHA for Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate. (I'm thinking the low CHA but high social skills means he's somewhat creepy and off-putting in appearance, yet very well-spoken and emphatic.)

1st: Feat: Spirit’s Gift. Bonus Feat: Point Blank Shot.
2nd: Favored Class Bonus: Extra 0 level spell known.
3rd: Feat: Precise Shot. Teamwork Feat: Coordinated Shot. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 0 level spell known.
4th: +1 DEX. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known.
5th: Feat: Huntsmaster. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known.
6th: Teamwork Feat: Improved Spell Sharing. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known
7th: Feat: Rapid Shot. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 2nd level spell known.
8th: +1 WIS. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 2nd level spell known.

Skills: Smattering of points in the various Knowledge skills, occasionally useful physical skills (climb, acrobatics, swim, etc.), and secondary social skills (Sense Motive, Bluff). Focus on Perception, Survival, Stealth, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Diplomacy.

Will be using Light Armor, Buckler, and a Composite Longbow (+2 DMG from STR). Buckler and Morningstar as backup melee, but I plan to avoid melee when possible.

I'll be going with the Small Cat (Lynx/Bobcat) for my Animal Companion, with a focus on maximizing DEX. That way, no matter what the rest of the party looks like, I have a built-in off-tank with high AC and DR 5/Adamantium thanks to Spirit's Gift. It'll have high mobility for screening, and high to-hit (albeit with relatively low damage) for precision strikes with effects like Trip as well as Shaken and Entangled, once I teach it a few of the alternate Skirmisher tricks.
1st: Weapon Finesse.
2nd: Toughness.
4th: Skip size increase. +2 to DEX and CON. +1 to DEX
5th: Power Attack.
8th: ???? Feat

What are your thoughts on this build? Any suggestions?

I also had the (admittedly sorta crazy) idea of a 1 level dip into Divine Marksman Ranger from the Weapon Master's Handbook. Most likely at Level 2. My Huntsmaster human racial feat will offset the loss of the 1 animal companion level. BAB will be unaffected. HP and Skills won't suffer. I'll be a level behind in caster level, but since I'm focusing mostly on buffs, caster level isn't as imperative. I'll also be a level behind in Teamwork feats, but that's also less important since there's a dearth of decent ranged Teamwork feats. The one level delay in spells per day, Animal Focus, and Bane could hurt more...

I'll be mainly taking it for the free Bullseye Shot feat, for which you don't have to meet the prerequisites. That feat otherwise wouldn't be available until level 7. Granted, it will see less use once I pick up Rapid Shot at level 7, but seems like it would be very useful for levels 2-6, and still occasionally useful against higher AC enemies in levels 7+. With the build being rather feat-starved, this early extra feat could be worth it. In addition, I also like it from a roleplaying standpoint, further emphasizing that I'm a divinely-inspired archer, as well as allowing me to take Undead as a Favored Enemy to further highlight my role as an Undead Hunter for the Church.

If I decide to go that route, the Animal Companion progression would remain the same, but I'm thinking the character progression would likely look like:
1st SH1: Feat: Spirit’s Gift. Bonus Feat: Huntsmaster.
2nd DM1: Free Feat: Bullseye Shot.
3rd SH2: Feat: Point Blank Shot. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 0 level spell known.
4th SH3: +1 DEX. Teamwork Feat: Coordinated Shot. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 0 level spell known.
5th SH4: Feat: Precise Shot. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known.
6th SH5: Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known
7th SH6: Feat: Rapid Shot. Teamwork Feat: Improved Spell Sharing. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 1st level spell known.
8th SH7: +1 WIS. Favored Class Bonus: Extra 2nd level spell known.

Do you think this alternate plan would be a waste for just an extra feat and some RP value, or is potentially it a valid addition?

Thanks for the thoughts and advice!