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

[Kurotowa]

2. Fey wanderer +1d4 once per turn. This is the weakest for combat, but lots of out of combat flexibility.

Small clarification. Fey Wandered gets bonus damage once per turn per target. If you hit two different creatures, you get +1d4 against each. That's why it's a smaller die size than other Ranger subclasses get, when their bonus is hard capped at once per turn at all.

It's a niche thing, but it's what the subclass is good at.

 

[Zardnaar]

Levels 1-4, a TWFing Ranger is actually considered to be one of the best damage dealers, if not THE best. Levels 5-9? A bit trickier, since so many of the best combat spells for a Ranger are going to be Concentration.

I've seen people put together a Warcaster + Duel Wielding feat mix, then using their spell slots to cast Summon Beast or Conjure Animals, then going to town with four melee attacks. That's going to usually be late-game for most campaigns, but they seem to enjoy it, so no judgement here.

You can also plant a H.M. on a boss, then spend the following turns not worrying about it dropping.

I've seen a level 3/4 TWF hunter in action. It was outdamaging the berzerker barbarian.

I've been thinking cleric levels. 5/5 split gives you spirit guardians. 3d8 or 4d8 on top of hunter levels just saying.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

All of them are good a melee.

Hunters and Winter Walkers and Fey Wanderers moreso.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The Ranger Dilemma

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

If you could somehow show this claim to be true of even a third of ranger players i would hand over a crisp $50.