IMO the best post mod 9 DDO archer is a Rgr 20 w/imroved Crit ranged.
Maybe an arcane archer build, but you could even build for Tempest and be almost as good.

that's the real beauty of Rangers: you can be good at mele and ranged at the same time.

I have a Ftr archer build and he is great. But he's a one trick pony, and he's a master at a gimped style of combat.

He does in fact put out some decent DPS. Manyshot and Improved crit Ranged are the only feats you need. The others have only a slight impact, although they do add up nicely when you get anough of them. But I doubt they will ever add up to the 25% speed increased promised to lvl 20 Rgrs in mod 9.

I've had fun with my archer. And I've had fun proving people wrong about them.
But the best I can expect from a realy srtrong group is a distant third in the kill count.
Unless the quest is ranged friendly, and unless I have some really good arrows/bows for the mobs. (like Grtr Gogblinoid bane bow and Goblinoid Bane arrows)

Slayer arrows rock! But you can't get enough of them.

But to restate, IMO better to make a Ranger....anyway you want. Just ad Improved Crit Ranged and know when to use it.