Pew Pew Pew

[Troxx]

1/3 of 75 (25) is still really low output at level 55 and required 35 stacks of arrows. You said don't bring bards into this, but that is bard level melee dps contribution - and bard melee is bad. A hasted/buffed level 55 shaman pet puts out 20-25 continuous dps.

You commented on the fact that the little time she spent meleeing was about the same output. Was this also while swinging the terrible awful no good for anything but using a bow velium swiftblade offhand? With a real weapon and lesser but reasonable haste ranger melee dps wins handily and doesn't require you buy (restock), fletch (restock), or waste time summoning arrows (time better spent meditating for heals/nukes/buffs/whatever).

Archery is a tool for pulling, trueshotting, and assisting with soloing. For all the reasons you listed in your OP it certainly is better now, but it still is not good. I main'd a bard from 2000-2003 during and after this era. Archery did not get good until luclin. In luclin with am3 and EQ it was godly.