Got an idea for a ranged Sunder build, just don't know what direction to take it.
So far, I have a Half-Orc with the Gatecrasher alternative racial feature for a +2 on Sunder attempts. And Weapon Familiarity for access to the Orc HornBow.
We start with 3 levels of Fighter, with the Archer archetype to get access to the Sunder combat maneuver with a bow.
Level 4, dip into Ranger, with the Toxophilite archetype to get Arrow-Splitter, which gives full damage to objects, and a little accuracy bonus for tiny targets.
I don't really know where to go from here. I was thinking about possibly dipping into Primal Hunter Barbarian for Exceptional Pull and Focused Rage. Arsenal Chaplain Warpriest for Weapon Training? Stay in Ranger?
Something that has bonus feats built into the class would be beneficial, since we are adding 3 Sunder feats to an archery build. I don't want to dedicate the entire build to one trick, and would like to have a relatively coherent and practical character, overall. I wasn't really planning on going the switch hitter route, but it is possible since Power Attack is required for the Sunder feats.
The idea is to target Familiars, holy symbols, rods/wands, spellbooks, and Ioune Stones... then weapons, shields, and armor. I know Sunder builds have a habit of destroying valuable loot, but I think that judicious target selection will make this a welcome addition to the team.
If your half-orc was also a shaman's apprentice, you might go into horizon walker. No bonus feats but full BAB and some useful abilities.
Exceptional pull is rendered redundant by a 1K weapon special quality. No. Savage tech barbarian or unchained barbarian or medium (champion spirit) is better.
For feats slayer or more fighter might be best. If you want to do a switch hitter then arrow champion swashbuckler says hi.
Does Exceptional Pull bypass the +5 cap for a Composite Bow? I know about the Adaptive weapon quality... but a virtual +7 could be nice. That's probably disallowed under Paizo's cardinal rule that martials can't have nice things. Nevermind that it takes a 20 Strength on an archer to pull off.
I hadn't thought about Horizon Walker, I will give that a gander. I had briefly considered Sanguine Angel for the Furious Huntress Tyrant's Discipline... using Strength for aiming the bow is neat... but all the shield stuff turned me off of it.
So far, Arsenal Chaplain Warpriest is looking most promising. Weapon Training at level 9... BAB +7, +9/+4/+5 saves. A class with a good Will save really helps the late level viability/survivability, I think. The 3rd level bonus feat would occur at level 7, which is BAB +6, and could be used to pick up Great Sunder... finishing that aspect of the build.
With the levels in Fighter and Warpriest, you have three bonus feats by level 9... which perfectly makes up for the additional Sunder crap. Doesn't really do anything extra for the archery aspect, but the classes offer some support through class features. Should be able to afford the Gloves of Dueling by the time you get Weapon Training. Wands and Blessings and Spells should provide all the help you need, otherwise.
Take 2 more levels with fighter. 4th level allows you to pick up weapon specialization for an extra +2 damage, this also allows you access to point blank master. 5th level gives you expert archer for another +1 to hit and damage with bows.
After that I would probably go back to ranger. Rangers get full BAB and two good saves so that is a solid basis to build from. It will also get you bonus archery feats so you combat ability progresses. Rangers also get a lot of class abilities including spells this helps preventing you from being a one trick pony, especially out of combat.
AS a 4th level ranger you have very limited spells and the duration is next to nothing. Extra levels here not only give you more uses of gravity bow, it also means they spell lasts longer.
Does Exceptional Pull bypass the +5 cap for a Composite Bow?
There is no +5 cap for composite bows, and also no reason to buy a composite bow when you can buy adaptive. Adaptive means you don't worry about your strength bonus changing (either increasing or decreasing) because adaptive will always change it to be whatever you need and you wont need to spend a feat on such a thing.
Also, your post made it sound like you think Exceptional Pull grants you an damage bonus, but that is not what it does. It increases the strength rating of a bow. So if you have a composite +3 (strength) bow and you had exceptional pull it would increase the strength rating to +5. If you have 20 strength you will deal +5 damage from strength. If however you had only 16 strength, but that same bow as before you would still only deal +3 damage (but take no penalty to attack rolls because Exceptional Pull removes that).
It's a feat that does practically nothing compared to the low price of 1000 gold to get adaptive.
I was under the impression that Composite Bows were capped at +5, for some reason. Huh... I don't know where I got that from.
A composite bow is required to get any STR bonus on a bow. A straight bow does not add any damage to a bow no matter what your STR is. The Adaptive enchantment can only be put on a composite bow, but you can have a +0 bonus.
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I think the limited Str bonuses dates to D&D 3.x, and never explicitly even there. IIRC short composite bows were limited to +2 Str.
There's no reason not to use a long composite bow as the base rather than a longbow, the price difference is insignificant on a magic item and you get a marginally longer range increment.