D&D 5E (2024) Ranger sub-class that make somewhat decent melee?

[Minigiant]

All Rangers are decent at melee, they just are not good at it.

Rangers are decent at melee. Good with good magic items.

The key to rangers is not their melee damage. It's that they can have high melee damage while maintaining a great ranged attack. Ranger is the best class at being good at melee and range. Especially in 2025 when you have extra slots freed up and the attack arrow spells and magic weapon lack concentration

 

[Kobold Stew]

All of the 2024 PHB options give you something solid enough up to level 11 or so. After that, the benefits tail off.

1. beast master gives you a pet to fight alongside. No real damage bookst, but tactical control and fun.
2. Fey wanderer +1d4 once per turn. This is the weakest for combat, but lots of out of combat flexibility.
3. Gloom Stalker: exactly what you ask for: +2d6 WIS/long rest times, and a bonus to initiative. If you play human you get a free feat that could be used for Magic Initiate Wizard, and that gives you access to Shield or Find Familiar as well as some cantrips.This is your strongest option.
4. Hunter: colossus slayer gives you +1d8 once per turn as long as the creature you hit isn't at full HP.

Combined with Hunter's Mark, you are doing solid melee damage if you want, and it can be built with Wis, Str, or Dex as your primary as long as Dex is at least 14.

 

[Horwath]

All Rangers are decent at melee, they just are not good at it.

I don't think a single class Ranger will ever be good at most levels past level 4 compared to other classes that get extra attack. I think if you want them to be good you need to multiclass them. Dipping Paladin, taking lots of Rogue levels or taking 8 levels of Cleric after getting extra attack can make them good.

best ability of 15th level ranger?

14 levels of anything else.

 

[Minigiant]

best ability of 15th level ranger?

14 levels of anything else.

The Ranger Dilemma

Most people want to be a Ranger but play Rogue with Martial weapons and Medium armor.