I still like them, even in their weakened state.
Here are two builds that I put together. Maybe they will serve to inspire you:
Dayer Rann, Master Archer (all about accuracy and damage output)
Deacon Rann, Trick Archer (all about being versatile; think Hawkeye)
I'm thinking in my next game I am going to play a fighter, but be an archer since everyone else is melee. I've been trolling around the Internet for help on build ideas and I came across the idea of using the Snap Shot chain. Of course, Improved Snap Shot has been weakened for balance purposes, so my question is this: is it still a worthwhile chain of feats for what amounts to a defensive ability (assuming enemies come at me the right way) or should I use those feats for something else?
Might be entertaining with combat patrol
Empty Quiver Style has you threaten in melee, and with with Focused weapon, you basically smack with your bow as offensively as you shoot an arrow. It's not as loopy as snap shot chain with combat patrol, but every round you'll be able to dish out good damage.
Just as well, in a melee heavy party, Ranged Trip and Ace Trip will work wonders. Why be the only one hitting a flying enemy when you can knock them out of the sky for everyone to pummel?
Empty Quiver Style has you threaten in melee, and with with Focused weapon, you basically smack with your bow as offensively as you shoot an arrow. It's not as loopy as snap shot chain with combat patrol, but every round you'll be able to dish out good damage.
Just as well, in a melee heavy party, Ranged Trip and Ace Trip will work wonders. Why be the only one hitting a flying enemy when you can knock them out of the sky for everyone to pummel?
What is focused weapon?
It's an advanced weapon training option that lets you get war priest weapon scaling with a weapon that you have chosen with your weapon training class feature
With Empty Quiver Style and Empty Quiver Flexibility, if you have (say) a +3 flaming longbow, is it still +3 and/or flaming when you use it as a melee weapon?
The feats does say you get to add all the normal bonuses and minus you would normally take with the bow, now while I worded that badly it basically lets you rapid shot many shot with the mace use deadly aim with the mace so I would say yes you definitely get to use it as a +3 flaming mace
It's kinda the same issue with Spear Dancing Style. Most reasonable GMs would allow the enchantments and bonuses to apply, since it takes several feats to even work in the first place. Just as well if it isn't allowed, it makes the style that much worse, and harder to justify over stacking damage or going snap shot.
"Free action combined with a regular move" =/= "free action combined with a regular move action". You have to actually move to get the free draw.
I see this debate often, of people trying many feats to give ranged weapons Threatende areas/Attacks of Opportunity. Generally, the suggestions are for poor trees they take up feats and result in not actually using the weapon with relevant attributes so its much weaker than actually shooting your bow.
Weapon Focus(Longbow), Weapon Specialization(Longbow), and Point Blank Master(Longbow) are three feats you want if you want to get close in. Point Blank Master doesnt give you Attacks of Opportunity, but it does allow you to make full-attacks in at close range. Take Snap Shot once and now you have a threatened area.
If you want to actually increase your effectiveness you start with Point Blank Shot(bad but required). Rapid Shot and Many Shot give more attacks and are especially useful early on as damage multipliers. Precise Shot and Improved Precise Shot are for accuracy.
Alternatively you can forgo a Composite Longbow and instead go for Guns. Advanced Firearms like the Pepperbox Rifle are much more accurate as they use Touch AC so ignore most AC sources. Composite Bows can do some more damage with a strength bonus, but youre largely going to be AC Focused anyways.
One Build Idea is to take a Gunslinger up to level 5 for Firearm Training(one gun of your choice) to get your dexterity bonus to damage rolls. After than pick an Avenger Vigilante and get combat feats.
Honestly, I like ranged characters, but that is ALOT of feats to attack well. A two-handed weapon like a greatsword is so much simple and immediately effective. Its like the makers of Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder dont want you to make a complete ranged attacker or something.
I like dips into Zen Archer Monks to save up feats for other stuff.
First, find out whether your GM is using the "shoot into melee" and "shooting through creatures/cover" rule. If so, then you want to get Precise Shot as soon as possible, before Rapid Shot and Deadly Aim. Consider taking the the Deadeye Bowman trait to ignore soft cover from 1 ally (it might not fit your character). Once you have these basics covered, it's really hard to go wrong with an archer.
You can wear a cestus to threaten in melee and take AoOs. Depending on your GM, you might have to explicitly say, "And I take one hand off of my bow as a free action" at the end of every turn (so you can take AoOs).
Darkvision is awesome for archers. Deep Sight kicks your darkvision out to 120 feet, which is pretty nice when your first range increment is 110 feet.
I've never had much use for anything that increases the range increment or decreases the range penalties on a composite longbow, but that's going to depend on the game. If there are a lot of flyers or ship-to-ship combat, or something, it could be worthwhile.
Weapon blanches are your friend, as are durable arrows.
Check this thread out for more info: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rdc0?Fighter-Archer-Build-Help-Please#1