Bow Builds Need Work - opinion

For some context, I started playing poe1 at the start of ritual league. My goal is to play a new build and new ascendancy each league and event so that I can learn as many mechanics in the game as possible.
This is my first time doing an elemental bow build and first time doing a deadeye; however, I have leveled as ranger a couple times before and I have done toxic rain so I knew a bit about bows going into this league.

Personally, I've avoided elemental bow deadeyes because I heard they are squishy and require serious investment to feel good. That just doesn't sound fun for a league start to me.
(fyi I'll be bolding feel throughout this post because Mark says the best feedback is to let them know how you feel about things rather than telling them how to fix.)

Bow builds do not feel good to me because they do require serious investment to be good and they are generally squishy when played on ranger ascendancies (specifically the 1 ascendancy made for them).

Mirage archer is mandatory in pretty much every bow build. This feels like skill variety is lacking when you know one support gem immediately that's required.

Bow builds feel like they require a ballista/focused ballista setup similar to diablo 3's marauder build. This feels like it further limits bow builds because now you have to have a mirage archer support and a ballista setup.

Bow builds feel like you have to use blink arrow as your movement skill because your clone adds to the build. You still need an instant movement skill for bosses like frostblink so it feels mandatory to now have 2 travel skills in bow builds.

A lot of bow builds feel like you have to have an MFA setup to further increase damage to maintain pace with other builds (strikes, slams, totems, wands).

This feels like it further limits your build design because now you have mirage archer + ballista setup + 2 movement skills + MFA setup are now required for a bow build.
It feels like bow builds are balanced around this type of setup because bow skills themselves are extremely weak and require you to have bow skill + MFA + ballista to even maintain dps with other builds. It's difficult enough to get a 6-link gg bow for bow builds just to get their dps working.

Quivers are mandatory yet do not come with sockets. In the late game this isn't as bad once you have a good bow, but in the early game this feels like it hinders your ability to play a good leveling bow skill compared to other classes who can use 1H main hand + offhand with sockets early on when bows can only roll with a few sockets.


Overall the design of bow builds, especially elemental deadeye builds, do not feel as great of a league start option compared to other classes and builds. I'm not saying they aren't viable because I can make it through the campaign, but compared to others they feel like they are behind in terms of design and balance.