I used to be able to take Anneke's, Lydia's, Aela's, or Jenassa's melee weapon away, and they would stay back and use the bow, but since 1.7, they just run up to the enemy with their fists. Idiots.

Is there a follower who will reliably stay out of the fight and do ranged attacks? I don't need them to be powerful, I just like having a pack mule.

I don't know of any Archer Followers that do not also have a Melee skill, which is why they will default to it. However, I never worry about the game killing one of my followers, as it can't in most cases. I just worry about me killing them.

I have found that even when using an follower, when I snipe with my bow, they just squat beside me until an enemy notices me, then they run off.

What you could do is just improve a set of armor for the follower, and just hope they don't get killed by you when they run in.

Marcurio is a great Mage follower uses ranged attacks. an archer follower is tricky archery is bugged with followers but there is one they fear Dark brotherhood initiate they do not have any default weapons and will use whatever you give them but you have to give them arrows best part they level until 81

This.

Mage followers I've travelled with and who worked well as ranged suppored for my melee character:
Erandur, Aranea, Illia (although it seems that once you dismiss Illia, some bug prevents her from being recruited again).

An alternative option for non-mage followers:
Give them a staff or two and they will fire it in preference to their melee weapons. Works great with Mjoll for example.

Archer Followers:
- Annekke Crag-Jumper[Located at Darkwater Crossing]
- Jenassa[Located in The Drunken Huntsman]
- Aela The Huntress[Located in Jorrvaskr]
- Derkeethus[Located at Darkwater Crossing]
- Faendal[Located at Riverwood]
- Ghorbash the Iron-Hand[Located at Dushnikh-Yal Orc Stronghold]
- Ugor[Located at Largashbur]

Mage Followers:
- Brelyna Maryon[Located at The College of Winterhold]
- J'Zargo[Located at The College of Winterhold]
- Onmund[Located at The College of Winterhold]
- Erandur[Located at Nightcaller Temple]
- Illia[Located at Darklight Tower]
- Belrand[Located at The Winking Skeever]
- Marcurio[Located at The Bee and Barb]
- Aranea Ienith[Located at Azura's Shrine]
- Eola[Located at Reachcliff Cave]

There you go!

Easy enough - get that gal at the Shrine of Azura and give her a couple of staves. She'll pour on the artillery while you're dealing out the pain up close and personal. She's a good battlemage, too, so believe me - while you're duking it out at close quarters, she'll deal out the freight from on high and then some.

Faendal is nice because he's also really stealthy in addition to using bows and arrows. Don't give him a melee weapon though.

Marcurio if you like mages instead, but he's kind of a jerk.

Both Erandur and Belrand uses melée as well as ranged attacks.

They do? Erandur is a mage too, he usually uses Destruction, and Belrand uses Alteration.

Oh yes. Erandur uses that mace he has equipped when you meet him. Take it away and give him a staff instead, and it shouldn't be a problem, though. And Belrand got himself killed because he constantly charged in with his sword right in front of my sword. (Belrand's class is actually "spellsword" IIRC, so he's supposed to use melee weapons, I guess.)

Never noticed Erandur's mace, oh how observant am I? Lol

Belrand is pretty cool, but gets annoying when I am trying to sneak up to an enemy. He usually ranges for me, but charges in when I charge in.

I second that. Areana is awesomesauce, and stays out of your way. At least the time when one of my characters used her as follower.

Faendal is one of my favorite followers, tied with Areana.

Aranea is good, and doesn't get in your way. She only got in my way of one of my arrows, and BAM! The arrow kills her.