Ranged gish spells?

[martixy]

So, I was perusing the Gish handbook around these parts for a build I'm doing and browsing the spells list when it hit me: They're almost exclusively melee-focused spells.

Woe is me, for wraithstrike works for melee attacks only!

So do most other offensive spells.

I know of literally 1 spell that fits here - Arrow Mind.

I suppose Cloud of Knives would be useful, it fits the theme, even if it doesn't interact with the build itself(all parameters set by the spell itself instead of derived from your general ranged attacking abilities).

Can the good, handsome folk around here help me locate some useful spells?

[Saintheart]

Curse of Arrow Attraction.
Find the Gap.
Brilliant Energy Arrow.
Hunter's Eye.
Hunter's Mercy.

[Arkhios]

Not entirely sure of which edition you're looking at, but Flame Arrow comes to mind from the core rules of 3.5/Pathfinder.
You turn ammunition (up to 50 projectiles, such as arrows, bolts, shuriken, and stones) into fiery projectiles. Each piece of ammunition deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage to any target it hits.

Particularly nasty if you're playing in 3.5 and have access to Energy Substitution Metamagic (Deities and Demigods). To my reading, you could apply Flame Arrow multiple times on same projectiles, each time using different energy type thanks to the feat. Just imagine: 50 arrows, each dealing extra +1d6 (acid)+1d6 (cold)+1d6 (electricity)+1d6 (fire)+1d6 (sonic) damage.

[martixy]

Curse of Arrow Attraction.
Find the Gap.
Brilliant Energy Arrow.
Hunter's Eye.
Hunter's Mercy.

You magnificent bastard!

Anyone know of any others?

Edit: Ninja'd by Arkhios.
Edition is 3.P (so 3.5 and PF valid).
Flame+Substitution is a neat idea, but I wonder if it really holds up. It's essentially the same metamagicked spell applied over and over. Feels to me like you'd just be replacing the effect each time, rather than adding to it. So you'd have 1d6 fire, on the next cast, since it's the same spell, you'd overwrite the 1d6 fire for 1d6 cold or whatever.

[Arkhios]

Edit: Ninja'd by Arkhios.
Edition is 3.5 and/or PF.
Flame+Substitution is a neat idea, but I wonder if it really holds up. It's essentially the same metamagicked spell applied over and over. Feels to me like you'd just be replacing the effect each time, rather than adding to it. So you'd have 1d6 fire, on the next cast, since it's the same spell, you'd overwrite the 1d6 fire for 1d6 cold or whatever.

Perhaps, although, it doesn't specifically say that multiple casting of the same spell would replace the previous. However, I'm unaware if there's a rule somewhere else to prevent this from stacking. This requires some investigating, because if that works as I think it does, I might use it myself at some point :D now aware that, in the Player's Handbook/SRD, under Magic Overview, under Casting Spells, it says

Same Effect with Differing Results
The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.

...so, yeah... It won't stack, unfortunately. Still, Energy Substitution+Flame Arrow would allow pretty good utility (especially if you're a spontaneous spellcaster with access to Flame Arrow) because Energy Substitution doesn't change the spell's required slot level.

FWIW, Flame Arrow is a 3rd level spell, so it's not that likely you even could have that many different energy types at once, because you get only so many spell slots.

[Troacctid]

If you're cleric-based, the Frenzied Hunt feat lets you spend a turn/rebuke attempt as a free action to get a divine power-esque effect, but for archery: +4 Dex and full BAB for the duration.

[flappeercraft]

There is Whirling Blade and Blood Wind. Both from SpC.

[Arkhios]

There's also quite a few more spells in Player's Handbook/Core Rulebook:

Here's a few more...
Divine Favor (if you're cleric/some other divine caster with access to it)
Haste (duh)
(Tenser's) Transformation (if you get wizard/sorcerer spells that high)

[Lokiron]

Heroics can temporarily progress your, perhaps, feat intensive build.

[martixy]

Heroics can temporarily progress your, perhaps, feat intensive build.

Surprisingly unintensive, given the gracious elimination of the most egregious feat taxes by the DM.
Still, every bit helps. I figure this will see use for situational feats, like Aquatic shot, in, what is a fairly maritime campaign and the like.

[Lokiron]

Surprisingly unintensive, given the gracious elimination of the most egregious feat taxes by the DM.
Still, every bit helps. I figure this will see use for situational feats, like Aquatic shot, in, what is a fairly maritime campaign and the like.

Indeed, a good spell for situational feats like Blind Fight. Aquatic Shot does not appear to be a fighter feat, however.
I've used it for Improved Initiative. It's a good spell when you expect a fight is coming up, like when you're entering a dungeon, being 10 min / CL.
Other good feats are far shot and improved critical.

EDI Addendum: I would advise you to make a list of the feats you think are likely to be useful.

[Eldariel]

Polymorph into Arrow Demon. Wind Tunnel (okay, it's a Druid spell). Bite of the WereX. Blessed Aim. Flame Arrow plus metamagic (Empower, Energy Admixture for example) is nice. And yeah, Brilliant Blade and Brilliant Aura are particularly awesome with a bow for shooting at distant targets through obstacles (you can use e.g. Mindsight plus Polymorph into Thoon Elder Brain or Spell-Weaver with Assume Supernatural Ability on your familiar as a target acquisition radar - Chain of Eyes and Scrying are also good). Also Minor Creation for plant-based poisons. Prepoison your arrowheads and let loose volleys of fort saves.

Also, Arrowsplit, persistent Sniper's Shot + Arrowmind + Golem Strike + Vinestrike + Gravestrike (add Sneak Attack from Hunter's Eye through Unseen Seer), etc. Because, why not.

[upho]

OK, since this is 3.P, here are two PF combos that'll likely have your damage sky-rocket:

1. The minotaur double crossbow (from Classic Monsters Revisited, page 42):

"Minotaur Double Crossbow
Minotaurs have a love of complicated things, and the double crossbow is one of their favorites. This heavy weapon fires a pair of iron-tipped bolts with deadly accuracy. Due to its size and weight, however, non-proficient wielders suffer a –8 penalty on their attack rolls. Even proficient wielders take a –2 penalty on their attack rolls. If the attack is successful, the target takes the listed damage twice, although critical hits and precision based damage are only applied to one of the bolts. Reloading a double crossbow takes 2 standard actions (one for each bolt), although the Rapid Reload feat reduces this to 2 move actions (meaning that it can be accomplished in 1 round)."

300 gp, 1d8 piercing, 19-20/x2 crits, 100 ft. range, 18 lb.

(And just in case anyone wonders: this is not the same weapon as the useless piece of garbage known as the double crossbow (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons/weapon-descriptions/crossbow-double/) published in the APG (different fluff, different range, different penalties, different feat interaction). Nor was the minotaur double crossbow ever replaced by the APG garbage or anything else. It's even explicitly allowed in PFS.)

2. The Crossbow Mastery (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/crossbow-mastery-combat/) feat for free action reload of the mino-xbow. So, in comparison to bows, you pay an extra feat (Crossbow Mastery and Rapid Reload instead of Manyshot) for the cow-bow's Manyshot-style double-bolts with every attack, instead of Manyshot's once per full attack. Easily worth it IMO, as the difference in the number of hits per full attack will of course just grow with levels, especially if you're also going for multiple arms. If absolutely needed, you can also reduce the -4 T/MWF penalty to -2 with Countenanced Carbuncle (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/countenanced-carbuncle-feats/countenanced-carbuncle/) and Hand's Autonomy (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/countenanced-carbuncle-feats/hands-autonomy/).

3. Bolt Ace (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger/archetypes/paizo-gunslinger-archetypes/bolt-ace/) gunslinger 5, effectively adding 2 x Dex mod damage to every hit. You get a free proficiency with the cow-bow and a bonus combat feat, but otherwise the damage bonus is unfortunately pretty much it from those 5 levels (gunslinger is really darn boring). So whether that's worth 5 levels of course depends on what you're aiming for (pun intented), but it's hard to beat for consistent ranged damage and mitigating MAD-ness.
1. Ammo container of some kind, preferably one which holds at least as many as you're likely to use during a long encounter (which typically is a lot in higher levels if you're going for a multi-armed "20-bolts-per-round"-cow-bow gish-slinger).

2. The abundant ammunition (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/a/abundant-ammunition/) 1st level spell cast on the ammo container, allowing all pieces of ammunition to be affected by a spell you cast on any of the pieces in the container.

3. The named bullet (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/n/named-bullet/) 3rd/4th level spell cast on one of the pieces of ammo in the container, naming a specific creature or creature type and subtype you'll face next. You should preferably boost the SR-piercing ability of this as far as possible if you know the chosen enemy type normally comes with SR.

The net result is that every piece of ammo from the container you use to attack the chosen creature allows you target touch AC within 30', and if you overcome SR, every hit also threatens a crit and adds +CL damage (up to +20). So yeah, simply point your weapon at something of the right type and sub-type, pull the trigger/release a few times, and watch it go down in crits. This is of course an insane monster-mower combo for a cow-bow slinger or x4-crit gun wielder.
A few other noteworthy PF stuff:

1. The Eldritch Archer magus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo-magus-archetypes/eldritch-archer-magus-archetype/); an awesome ranged gish right out of the box from 1st level, although it only grants 6/9 casting.

2. The kashata (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/advanced-races-11-20-rp/kasatha-20-rp/) race, if you're not going for polymorph shenanigans to get extra arms, as it allows you to start as a humanoid with four arms, +2 Dex and Wis and no LA.

3. A few training (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abilities/training/) weapons, or more likely as many as your DM's interpretation of the murky description will allow. Notably: 4k for a training Amulet of Mighty Fists (which applies to a weapon "in hand") and 8k per +1 training gauntlet, letting you buy yourself out of some of those pesky ranged feat taxes without making your ranged weapons more expensive.

On top of that, there are some very interesting feats and martial maneuvers in DSP stuff if that's on the table.

EDIT: And don't forget 2 levels of Alchemist for an extra pair of arms via the Vestigial Arm discovery and Extra Discovery feat (have the attack they allow replace the one-handed ranged attacks you otherwise likely could've made with the same weapons). /EDIT