Ranged Slayer-am I making a mistake?

[2ndGenerationCleric]

So after a slight change within the ranks of our party, I'm finally able to play a character that's not a healer. After deciding I want to be ranged dps and social, and my GM living the idea of a hobgoblin in the party, I figured if in gonna be bad, I'll be bad in style. So I went with some intimidate stuff and some archery to come up with this:

Hobgoblin Sniper(slayer)
Str 14
Dex 20
Con 15
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 14
Feats/Talents
F1 Point-Blank
T2 Weapon Training (weapon focus)
F3 Precise Shot
T4 Ranger Feat (Rapid Shot)
F5 Dazzling Display
T6 Ranger Feat (Point-Blank Master)
F7 Manyshot
T8 Combat Trick (Deadly Aim)
F9 Shatter Defenses

I figure I go early in the round, maybe taking reactionary, using my first turn to get the intimidate (move into position, study target, dazzling display) and then murdering him on my next turn since he's considered flat-footed to my attacks (ranged sneak attack!) And if it's immune to mind effecting, I just shoot till it dies.

But then I looked around and found some cool intimidate stuff... all for melee. And I start wondering if I should go that route. But I love ranged characters. But the party kinda has 2 (well, they stay in the back and buff/heal) and 3 hitters (rogue, battle Oracle, bloodrager). Not sure if I'm better close or far. Could do close too but switch hitting is something I'm afraid I'll split too hard on.

So I end up confused. I'm looking for advice/feedback. Any suggestions?

[SmiloDan]

You love ranged characters. So play a ranged character. :-)

You can still do some Intimidate stuff, you just won't have your Ph.D. in horribleness.

[lemeres]

Only things I can say is a bit of rearranging. But I can understand why you made your decisions (since using the first ranger feat for rapid shot, but making sure it comes up after you get precise shot).

So overall, I am not seeing anything objectively bad with this character.

Anyway, you already have enough beatsticks. So little reason why you should feel obligated to not do ranged. It may be a weak spot for your party, since it seems that your other back party members are casters (so I am going to assume any rnaged stuff they have comes from blasts, which might face resistance or saves).

[Lucy_Valentine]

You have a concept you like. You have melee people in your party. You'd need at least two feats to join in the melee party and you don't want to spend them. So I think don't. What you have looks solid, and with awesome stats (presumably rolled).

You could get Precise Shot as your L2 talent slot (using ranger archery if that's not obvious). I think that would be better, because shooting into melee is going to happen. I would actually leave Weapon Training until L4, after Rapid Shot.

[Ascalaphus]

How badly do you want Point Blank Master? The other option for L6 Combat Style is Improved Precise Shot, which will be useful very often.

[2ndGenerationCleric]

Well the order didn't matter much, add I'm starting at level 9.that's also 25 point buy with my 2 +1s from level 4 and 8 as well as a headband for wisdom and a belt for Dex.

And I want it badly. We usually fight large creatures. Not provoking would be nice. Same for if someone gets in my face. Rarely does my dm worry about soft cover.

[Dwarftr]

Well if you wanna stay mostly ranged, but se able to melee with your bow, look at empty quiver style. lets you use you bow as a hvy mace....

Source Weapon Master's Handbook pg. 14
You can fight in melee with your bow, crossbow, or firearm.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus with the chosen weapon.

Benefit: While using this style, you can make melee attacks with the chosen weapon as if it were a heavy mace (or a light mace for melee attack made with a hand crossbow or one-handed firearm), though you don’t automatically threaten the area around you as if you were wielding a melee weapon. You can switch between melee and ranged attacks with this weapon without penalty, even during the same round. In addition, you ignore the elf prerequisite for the Stabbing Shot featAPG. If you have the Stabbing Shot feat, you can use it with a crossbow or firearm, substituting a loaded bolt or firearm ammunition for an arrow.

Special: In addition to the chosen weapon, a character with this feat and the weapon training (bows, crossbows, or firearms) class feature can use Empty Quiver Style with any bow, crossbow, or firearm, respectively.

[Cleru]

Enemies are already flat-footed if you can go first. Why would you needs to intimidate them?

[Deadmanwalking]

Ranged Slayer is fine. I'm not sure how well Shatter Defenses will synch up, to be honest, but it'll still be very solid. And, as noted, you don't need to bother with Shatter Defenses if you win Initiative, you'll just get Sneak Attack automatically.

One of the secrets of being a Slayer is that Sneak Attack is nice when you get it, but in no way essential to the class's functionality. You'll be fine. Just remember to grab Clustered Shots in there (maybe at 11th).

[2ndGenerationCleric]

Ooo,I hadn't thought about going first. Might be less feat intensive,which would free up some for snap and Clustered Shot... interesting

[Imbicatus]

Besides, Ranged Feint is now a thing thanks to Ultimate Intrigue, and will enabled ranged sneak attacks.

[2ndGenerationCleric]

Something I'd also seen. But my current GM isn't using that book. Too new. Just recently convinced him to let us use Occult Adventures.

[2ndGenerationCleric]

Think I'd be better off with snapshot and improved initiative in place of my 2 intimidate feats?

[2ndGenerationCleric]

Well I'm mostly Torn on if I should go with Shatter Defenses and dazzling display vs snap shot and Clustered Shots. Our improved initiative and snap shot