Scout, Elemental Archer, Crossbowman, Ranger, Warrior & Healer are the only classes able to equip a ranged weapon in the game. Since weapon access does not transfer, most do not actually transfer their transferable abilities.

Scout lists: Head Shot, Long Shot, Multi-shot, Coordinated Shot, Heart Seeker, and Ranged Flurry as transferrable. Yet all are rendered useless outside of that small group (many of which already have those abilities).

So if your biped dream is to be a Reaver, Shaman, Druid, Mage or any of the 22 classes incapable of equipping a ranged weapon, Archery classes like Scout, Elemental Archer, and Crossbowman are completely skip-able. Ranger gets Nature’s Path (which I would recommend to all bipeds), some Druid abilities and is one of (if not) the best single class bipeds in the game. Maybe crafting is your focus and you only want a single Adventure class, well then Ranger is legit.

While an argument could be made for which classes receive more love, most classes transfer something to all other classes. Some less than others. Monk and disciples are another group, which outside of max evasion (only need one of them for that) transfer next to nothing. But in that case they use a weapon (unarmed) that craft classes can equip hand wraps for, and I assume some would consider that significant.

Many classes are strong in transfer regardless of your end class. Almost all multi-class bipeds will have Healer or Cleric at 100 – Life and Aug along with strong heals help whatever you want to be. Conjurer (96) with multi-cast 2, a PB AoE and strong 15 minute buffs is useful to non-mage types even if you rarely cast a spell.

So my offering to increase the draw to Archery classes would be thrown weapons.

Some medium range (thinking 15-20) low damage addition that is equip-able based on one handed weapon access. Such as Thrown Hammers (1h crush), Knives or Darts (1h Pierce), and Axes (1h Slash). The damage would be a step under current lowest ranged (I think that is short bow?) and the effect would be. Oh mighty (insert your class here) you now have a reason to take an archery class.

Modify hotbars to switch weapons as needed and now you can use Heart Seeker III, albeit with a lower base damage, to get something for running that Archery class up.