I think some of the stuff you hear about bad bow DPS is related to endgame. You kind of need 10k, 12k, 14k DPS to really be considered "competitive", and bow tends to come on the lower end of the spectrum. To put it another way, if you were to create a badass bow build, then just replace the bow with 2H and 2H abilities, your DPS would be higher.

That doesn't mean bow DPS is terrible, but rather, you have to define what you want and what "terrible" means. For the vast majority of the game, a good bow build is going to melt enemies, even mobs like those in public dungeons (6-10 enemies per group).

Suggestions:

-Snipe is awesome for single target DPS. The range is enormous, from stealth it makes a great opener, and when it crits, it can hit hard.

-Acid Spray and Venom Arrow are the standard attacks I use. Volley is good, but requires enemies to stay in one spot, so I don't normally slot it. Scatter Shot gives you some distance, but I find I typically don't need it. If I have to, I can back-pedal.

-Get your weapon critical, weapon damage, and stamina up. This is achieved more easily with sets, like Hunding's Rage and Ashen Grip, both of which are craftable. My VR5 NB wears those sets and has:

Weapon Crit: 72%
Weapon Damage: ~1450 (~1700 with Momentum)
Stamina: ~19k

I need to pump up the weapon damage more, but she's only VR5 right now, so I'm not that concerned.

-Consider using 2H on a back bar for Momentum. It grants 20% weapon damage upon activation and heals you over time. You can cast it on the back bar, then switch to bow and still keep the buffs it gives. It's not an immediate thing, just something to consider getting.

Hopefully that helps some! Honestly, even if people aren't satisfied with bow damage, there are many fights that are just easier with range. I have a 2H DK that I love, but standing in melee range for every fight is tiring, and sometimes just plain impossible. My plan is to stick a bow on her once it's levelled up.

This is great stuff. Thanks for the info guys it helps a lot! One more question....which of the two do you think levels faster... a Bow NB or Dest Staff Sorc?