Best POTD Arquebus user?

19 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Animal Companions don't disturb your  stealth and even if you put zero points into the Animal Companion abilities you still can have an additional body + summons in the field - while you cannot have AC and chanter summons at the same time as a Ghost Heart/Chanter (except when using Many Lives or a replacement summon such as Ancient Brittle Bones). 

The biggest drawback for me would be that I would not be able to use Stalker's Link against bosses if I also wanted to use summons. 

Good point about items that require you to be truly alone - but most summons will cancel those beneficial effects, too, wouldn't they? 🤔

The rest of the points: fair enough. There's no argument when it comes to taste and what you enjoy (or don't enjoy). 

 

I almost never need pet + summons, as a Beckoner I can have as many summons I need, and manage summons and pet together is a job I don't wanna care.
If I need stalker's link I drop summons and evoke the pet, sure, but with high PER and other chanter and ranger bonuses I don't really care for it as much.
I don't try stealth with the pet to be honest, but I feel comfortable with only me in the ground.
Yeah, summons cancel true SOLO benefits and in those cases I don't cast summons It is a question of greater control: do I want summons? Here they are; Don't I need them? I cast other spells; do I need a very fast tanky summons? Here it is the pet (bear in my case).

I should try another ranger subclass, but I don't feel like trying others, maybe I prefer pure ranger and the only one sub I like more is Gunhawk, but is Maia only...Sharshhot could be good but recovery penalty make me discard it.

The true is I like to go around most of time SOLO, pure SOLO, that little (or great in case of bear ) thing around me is disturbing  😄
Your points are good as always, but like you said it is a personal preference, this it it