Absolutely most Optimized for DPR level 20 character in that class (single-class only).

[Scott Wilhelm]

I haven't run a character like this myself, but I have seen that a very solid choice for a single class archer is the Zen Archer Monk Archetype. They get to apply their Monk Unarmed Strike Damage and Flurry of Blows to their Arrows, and other cool Monk stuff, too.

I really like the idea of Grenadier Alchemists who can combine Bombs and Alchemal Weapons to their Arrows, also applying Feats like Deadly Aim and Spells like True Strike, or take Fast Bombs and throw volleys of Bombs that just do more and more damage as they gain levels.

[Sphynx]

I was looking at Evolved Companion, and wondering if you couldn't do something similarly dangerous with an animal companion class (or summoner class). Just many natural attacks all piled onto a single companion. It was an idea I had for my current Cavalier project, but might be better in a different class...

[Scott Wilhelm]

I should probably recuse myself from most discussions about how to use Animal Companions.

In my career of playing, I have come to see hirelings, cohorts, familiars, and animal companions as just something for the GM to kill when he wants to hurt the party, but doesn't want to actually kill a PC.

"You keep killing my animals!"
"Scott, why do you think I keep giving them to you?"

I have long ago given up the practice. I was recently in a campaign where the party druid was forced to put down 5 animal companions in consecutive sessions, each one possessed by demons. I begged for him and the GM to let the Druid just take a Domain!

In most cases where the PC had an animal companion that survived, it didn't pull its own weight: the PC held it in reserve, wasting Magic Fang spells that should have been cast on the party Monk.

Synthesist Summoners seem very powerful, although not PFS legal.

I know a neat trick to play with Alchemist Tumor Familiars, if you would like to hear it.

On the thread I just linked to, I suggested a sort of backward use for an animal companion.

[avr]

Buffs
It's not in any way guaranteed, but a not uncommon adventuring day is ~3 fights against mooks and one against a Big Bad, which you can identify one way or another when it happens if not in advance.

I'm mentioning this as an explanation of why I'm dividing the buffs up this way. Especially at lower levels a warpriest won't have enough spells prepared/fervor points/rounds of sacred weapon to be at peak performance every fight.

As an archer you won't often have buff rounds before the fight - part of your advantage is being able to shoot orc fools while your meatshields are still lumbering up or waiting for the enemy (q.v. the battle of Helm's Deep, Legolas vs. Gimli's kill count competition.) I haven't assumed such except for long term buffs, noted separately; past level 1 all the in-combat buffs listed are swift actions. Occasionally you'll need to use Air Blessing or something as a standard action, but it's not part of the routine.

early levels, 1-6:

L1: probably nothing, maybe a blessing or Divine Favor if you expect an enemy on the other side of a door.
L2: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Fervored Magic Weapon, Mooks: nothing
L3: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Fervored Magic Weapon, Mooks: nothing
L4: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy
L5: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy
L6: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon 3) Fervored Aid, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy, Spell storing: Blindness

mid-levels, 7-12:

L7: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L8: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor, 3)Fervored Paragon Surge (hammer the gap or clustered shots, most often) Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L9: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3)Fervored Paragon Surge (hammer the gap or clustered shots, most often) Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L10: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3)Fervored Paragon Surge (hammer the gap or clustered shots, most often) Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L11: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L12: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Favor 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse

late levels, 13-18:

L13: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Fervored Caustic Blood, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L14: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Fervored Caustic Blood, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L15: BBEG: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Fervored Caustic Blood, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Quickened minor air blessing, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Spell storing: Bestow Curse
L16: BBEG and mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Fervored Caustic Blood, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Eaglesoul, Heroes' Feast
L17: as L16
L18: as L16

endgame, 19-20:

L19: as L16
L20: BBEG 1)Aspect of War 2) Fervored Divine Power 3) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor, Mooks: 1)Fervored Divine Power 2) Sacred Weapon & Fervored Sacred Armor 3) Fervored Caustic Blood, Long-term: Resist Energy, Magic Vestment, Eaglesoul, Heroes' Feast

Obviously in some situations you're going to be throwing out an Invisibility Purge or Air Blessing or Heal instead, this is the default. I haven't listed more than 3 buffs/combat.

[avr]

So with abilities, feats, items and buffs we have something to work with. I'm not sure how you want to calculate DPR though. If I were doing so I might compare the attack values for each of the first 3 rounds to the median stats listed here for a CR+2 monster for the BBEG-level buffs, and a CR-1 monster for the mook-level buffs, assume something reactive like caustic blood or spell storing triggers on one round in the 3-round sequence then average the results. If there's something simpler you'd like to suggest I'd gladly hear it.

[Blakmane]

Scott Wilhelm wrote:

I should probably recuse myself from most discussions about how to use Animal Companions.

In my career of playing, I have come to see hirelings, cohorts, familiars, and animal companions as just something for the GM to kill when he wants to hurt the party, but doesn't want to actually kill a PC.

I'm sorry you had to deal with such awful GMs.

If it helps, that isn't always the case. I've been in several games where the animal companion has contributed substantially to the function of the party and was probably the most beloved party member generally.