So it seem the ROP FBX is currently limited when exporting vertex caches (in my case .pc2 files) It currently only names them (and the mesh) by the last node before the ROP. You can use the @name attribute and check 'build hierarchy from path attribute' but that will only work for non animation exports and only export the named mesh and no vertex cache files.

from the help - "Support for animation export using this is currently limited to only exporting primitive transforms and each primitive must have a unique path attribute value. There is no support for exporting to vertex caches nor changing geometry topology."

Is there supposed to be a better way or am I looking at needing tops to rename my files after they're saved to disk?

Hi, not sure if I understand what is it you are trying to do (I have no idea what are the pc2 files, sorry) but as in quoted help text

There is no support for exporting to vertex caches nor changing geometry topology.

the fbx rop is not exporting cache, for that we use alembic or USD. (you didn't specify what do you need this cache for, because inside houdini you can also use houdini native bgeo file format)

your observation is correct, when using Path Attribute you can't save vertex cache
and when saving whole geo as a single object it will take the object and cache name from the input node

you can for example use prerender script that will rename that node based on file name
and then whether you export manually or you decide to use TOPs to export lots of fbx nodes, naming will be handled automatically based on the file name (as long as there is no other conflicting node of the same name )