As Jonathan mentioned, the SRD is D&D 3.5, not 4e. You can force a creature to provoke with a few methods, here are the most common ones:
- Dominating a foe and having them move or use a ranged/area attack
- Placing a zone or other effect the encourages the foe to move on their own: The fighter attack becomes the "lesser" of the two consequences. A good example of this is flanking with a rogue in an area the opponent cannot shift through, like difficult terrain.
- The Agile Opportunist Paragon feat from the Players Handbook will give you an OA under certain circumstances.
Never miss is hard to come by, but you can get quite a good attack at your level.
Attributes
For an Archer Ranger there is no reason not to put 18 before racial modifiers on Dex. If you are sure you never reach level 14, 17 is sufficient. Increase it every chance you get.
Attack: 6(half level) + 5(attributes) = 11
Race
Take any race that gives a Dex bonus. If you want to make sure you hit, Elven Accuracy and Heroic Effort (human) is great.
Attack: 11 + 1(racial Dex bonus) = 12
Weapon
Superior Crossbow has good damage and range, and great accuracy. It is a bit feat intensive, as you need Speed Loader, but at your level you can afford it.
Attack: 12 + 3(proficiency) = 15
Enhancement
At your level having a +3 Frost weapon is quite reasonable.
Attack: 15+3(enhancement) = 18
Feats
Crossbow Expertise is a must, depending on your DM and your minor actions, you might also need Speed Loader.
Another feat is needed to get Combat Advantage as often as possible. If you can not convince your melee Leader or Defender to take Vexing Flanker, but they are good at tactical positioning, take Distant Advantage. Otherwise take Wintertouched for accuraty, as you have Lasting Frost for damage.
Attack: 18 + 2(expertise) + 2(CA) = 22.
Hit chance
At level 12, an average Standard monster has an AC of 26, a Soldier 28. You can hit it with a roll of 4 and 6, respectively, 85% and 75%. It is quite good, especially combined with Elven Accuracy or Heroic Effort.
I assumed in all steps that you exclusively use Twin Strike, since that is the only viable choice if you really want to optimize your damage. As a Striker you should.
Best Answer
A ranged attack is any power which has a ranged keyword.
First: The shield of deflection*:
As per the ruling on magic missile, there is a headache inducing thread** as to what constitutes an attack, or attack power.
For purposes of the shield, if it has "ranged" or "area" in its range line, it should count.
To re-articulate the conclusions of the thread, I'll be ignoring it and going to the PHB FAQ which states:
Therefore, because if something has a ranged or area ranged line it must, perforce, have a target lines, for purposes of this question it is the only necessary criterion to determine resistance.
The force orb secondary attack may qualify for the resist
Force orb, ultimately comes down to the DM's call. While the secondary target does not have ranged nor area in the target line, it is producing the effect equivalent to an area from a ranged attack. One argument in favour could be that it inherets the "ranged" range from the primary attack, as it has not overriden that range. One argument against is that the use of "adjacent creatures" indeed overrides that range with the functional equivalent to a close range. Offer your DM asprin and a link to the above thread. Bribery may be useful here.
The erupting flare non-attack damage does not qualify for the resist
This taken from PHB FAQ as above, given that the power neither targeted the character nor was an attack against the character with ranged or area keywords, the character would suffer the full effects of erupting flare.
Area attacks do qualify for the resist if you are using the normal item
Being targeted by a normal area attack does qualify you for the resist so long as you are using the item as printed, rather than the item you paraphrased.
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*One of my most favourite common items to builds that don't need IAoP. Just love it. Looking at the paragon version, it has indeed benefited from errata making it more generally useful.
**Warning, over 500 posts long. It really is painful.