Ranged Initiator?

[Qwertystop]

I know there's the Bloodstorm Blade for throwing, and a couple of homebrew maneuvers specifically for ranged weapons (Falling Star is the only name that comes to mind but I'm sure there's more), but what options are there for an initiator using ranged (non-throwing) weapons without going into homebrew?

[Gildedragon]

ranged aneak attacks and hiding via shadow hand

[Firechanter]

You can basically be a Warbow and use your maneuver slots for Boosts and Counters rather than Strikes.

Pretty much any Counter will work on a Ranged build -- except maybe Wall of Blades, though even that might work, and being able to say No to enemy spellcasters is always golden.

The Dancing/Raging Mongoose Boosts work with Ranged as well, so extra attacks for you. Many other Boosts will also work.

Time Stands Still is kinda the whole point of such a build.

You can also be an Elf and be an Eternal Blade, or should I say Eternal Bow? This not only allows you to churn out an absurd amount of arrows on your turn, it's also an excellent method to interrupt an enemy spellcaster, yeah even better than that: interrupt a Celerity-using enemy spellcaster and pepper his broken ass with 24 arrows as an Immediate Action. Only works on level 20, though.

P.S.:
As for Bow proficiencies, you have a bunch of options:
- be an Elf
- Multiclass into anything that gets them, such as Barbarian, Ranger, Crusader...
- buy Lesser Bracers of Archery for 5000GP
- Exotic Weapon Proficiency, which you can swap between Greatbow and anything else.

[Red Fel]

You can also be an Elf and be an Eternal Blade, or should I say Eternal Bow? This not only allows you to churn out an absurd amount of arrows on your turn, it's also an excellent method to interrupt an enemy spellcaster, yeah even better than that: interrupt a Celerity-using enemy spellcaster and pepper his broken ass with 24 arrows as an Immediate Action. Only works on level 20, though.

This, so much. I've seen some of the Eternal Blade archer builds. Couple Time Stands Still with Island in Time to shower the enemy in arrowheads and death.

Also, it's dangerous to go alone. Take this (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a).

Hank's Energy Bow makes archery closer to what it should be - effective. It's a force weapon, it requires no ammunition, and it allows you to Power Attack with a ranged weapon.

[nolongerchaos]

I'd been curious about this a while back and bookmarked this:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=12450184&postcount=3

It's a mini guide to ranged crusaders, and also has links to ranged swordsages and warblades in the same post, should be worth a glance.

[Qwertystop]

Thanks for all the tips.