Haven't played in a party yet
This is the main problem with your statements. Yes for solo play Archer might have taken a hit, but for solo play cures are now to mp demanding. So if you are playing solo it does hurt your ability to do so, but this is a multiplayer game, its meant to be played in groups for the most part. Yes this does hurt your ability to solo but it doesn't stop you completely.

Balancing a class for solo play usually is not as hard as balancing for party play. Archer is meant for party play and so far in this patch I have not seen anything done to hurt Archer in that way. Heck we can even run away easily now with the way Quickstride works.

Archers at 50 in a party had no problem with hate before the patch unless you were spamming self buffs like a mad man. Now they've made it easy on you by showing you were you stand on the hate list pretty much.