The Ranger has had a difficult time of things in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. It’s been renowned as one of the worst classes in D&D 5e due to its many situational features and overreliance on specific combat features to stay viable.

The base D&D 5e Ranger class has received many buffs over the edition’s lifespan. However, it still relies on its subclasses for power and fun. Since the D&D 5e Beast Master Ranger subclass got a significant redesign, there are no terrible choices. However, some stand out above the others.

Some Ranger subclasses in D&D 5e are functional but milquetoast, with abilities that underperform in combat or elsewhere. However, plenty more bring the Ranger on par with other classes.

Read on to learn what makes the four best Ranger subclasses in D&D 5e so much better than the rest.

Monster Slayer Excels Against Dangerous Foes

The Monster Slayer is an unusual D&D 5e Ranger subclass in just how specialised it is. It can handle itself in combat encounters against all and sundry but pulls well ahead of the pack against more complex monsters, particularly spellcasters.

On a base level, Slayer’s Prey keeps the D&D 5e Monster Slayer Ranger competitive. It only adds one d6 of damage per turn to one enemy but compensates by being free except for a bonus action casting cost. Even better, it stacks with the Hunter’s Mark or Favored Foe features for excellent damage at a low cost.

Hunter’s Sense is more of a flavour feature for this D&D 5e Ranger subclass. However, it can pay for itself against challenging enemies or those you observe in advance. Learning something’s vulnerabilities can end a fight before it begins.

Supernatural Defense and other higher-level features are where the Monster Slayer proves itself one of the best Ranger subclasses in D&D 5e. It’s the first feature to counter more complex enemies through a free d6 buff to all saving throws and checks to escape grapples. All it requires is Slayer’s Prey, which should be active on the most dangerous opponent always.

Magic-User’s nemesis furthers this part of the Monster Slayer’s subclass identity. Its Counterspell-like nature works on any spell or teleport ability of any level. No other D&D 5e Ranger subclass can neuter magical enemies like this. It refreshes every short rest, ensuring a Monster Slayer can almost always shut down a foe when needed.

Slayer’s Counter doubles down on this and is one of the best Ranger subclass abilities in D&D 5e. Any time the Ranger’s Slayer’s Prey forces them to make a saving throw, the Ranger can make a counterattack as a reaction. If it hits, they automatically succeed, however hard the save. With a ranged weapon, a D&D 5e Monster Slayer Ranger can ruin a dangerous monster’s life and resist any and all consequences.

It doesn’t hit as hard as some of its fellows, and it lacks some out-of-combat utility. Nonetheless, the in-combat flexibility and resilience cement the Monster Slayer as one of D&D 5e‘s best Ranger subclasses.

Beast Master is Perfect Class Fantasy (Finally)

The Beast Master Ranger subclass in D&D 5e was a large part of the class’s poor reputation in its early days. Its underwhelming features proved more sidegrades to the base Ranger than improvements. Worse, its companion died of a stiff wind. The result was an endless, horrifying churn of Giant Badgers or a useless party mascot who wasted the character’s features.

The D&D 5e Beast Master Ranger subclass was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything‘s optional class features. Gone was the complicated and weak Ranger’s Companion that required a second book. Instead, the Primal Companion replacement was straightforward and, mercifully, powerful.

Rather than choosing from any beast, players pick from the resilient Beast of the Land, the mobile Beast of the Sky, and the wet Beast of the Sea and flavour them appropriately. Rather than wasting their actions on weak attacks, Beast Master Ranger players in D&D 5e can now command it with their bonus action.

The Primal Companion is a huge chunk of this D&D 5e Ranger subclass’s power, but it’s worth it. It provides significant battlefield presence, more meat to go around, and extra action economy on the party’s side.

This change does make Exceptional Training largely redundant (besides the magical damage on attacks, always invaluable), but that’s a worthwhile trade-off to make the subclass usable.

Bestial Fury effectively lets a D&D 5e Beast Master Ranger take two attacks with their action, well beyond what any other characters can do. Alternatively, they can use their bonus action for something and trade one attack for two – a worthwhile exchange rate.

Share Spells is a slightly limited feature because only so many Ranger spells actually target the character themselves. However, Guardian of Nature, Protection from Energy, and Tree Stride are only some of the options well worth doubling up on.

Interestingly, the Beast Master Ranger subclass in D&D 5e wants higher Wisdom than most of its contemporaries, as the Primal Companion uses your spell attack bonus. As a result, it becomes even more powerful if you take the Druidic Fighter D&D 5e Fighting Style and use cantrips (particularly Shillelagh) to deal damage.

Fey Wanderer Rewards Canny Character-Builders

The Fey Wanderer is another unusual Ranger subclass in D&D 5e. Played like any other weapon-wielding, damage-dealing Ranger, it will underperform. Players need to build to its unique strengths to succeed, rather than expecting it to bend to suit them.

The D&D 5e Ranger is a genuine utility class, often trivialising elements of wilderness exploration with abilities and spells. The Fey Wanderer takes a different utility approach, emphasising social interaction in a way no other subclass does.

Adding a Ranger’s Wisdom bonus to every Charisma check is a rare treat. A Fey Wanderer can go above and beyond most Face classes’ Persuasion bonus with only a slight Charisma investment. Coupled with spells like Charm Person and Enhance Ability, it creates an unusual Ranger more at home off the battlefield than on it.

Notably, the Fey Wanderer D&D 5e Ranger subclass is another good candidate for Druidic Warrior. Both Otherworldly Glamour and spells encourage high Wisdom, and you can turn that into a combat benefit as well.

With that noted, the Fey Wanderer is also an effective Ranger subclass for D&D 5e combat. Dreadful Strikes is unusual in that it only affects a target once per turn but has no overall limit. A Fey Wanderer might be well-served by striking multiple targets to soften or mop them up, rather than focusing fire every single turn.

Beguiling Twist has benefits out of combat and inside it. At its most basic, it punishes enemies who try and Charm or Frighten the party. The Ranger can then turn the effect on them or (if they’re immune) their allies, potentially getting crowd control effects almost for free.

Alternatively, it’s a free second chance to apply Charm or Frighten effects of your own – albeit not to the same target. If you’re trying to cast Charm Person on a guard, it often won’t matter if they pass and you have to redirect it to the guard next to them.

The other subclass abilities of the D&D 5e Fey Wanderer are less on-theme of social interaction and status effects. Nonetheless, neither Summon Fey nor Misty Step are bad spells to have – and a Misty Step that allows accompanying allies is a godsend.

In effect, a player can choose whether Fey Wanderer is the best Ranger subclass in D&D 5e or the worst, depending on how well they accommodate its strengths.

Gloom Stalker Has No Equals for Alpha Strike Damage

Most D&D 5e Ranger subclasses have quite specific identities. Mobile and slippery Horizon Walkers. Brothers-in-arms Beast Masters. Adaptable Hunters.

The Gloom Stalker’s unique identity? Killing things really hard. And also something about stealth.

Dread Ambusher makes a D&D 5e Gloom Stalker Ranger take their first turn before most other creatures. It then makes that first turn devastating. On the first turn’s Attack action, the Gloom Stalker gets an additional weapon attack that deals bonus damage. From third level.

They’re also faster in this turn, just because.

Sure, it doesn’t have any direct benefits in later turns. It doesn’t need to. Dread Ambusher’s alpha strike is enough to keep the Gloom Stalker equal to other D&D 5e Ranger subclasses throughout.

This would be a lot in its own right. However, Umbral Sight doubles down. Not only is it better Darkvision, it makes the Gloom Stalker invisible in darkness to anything using Darkvision to see them. Invisibility is a huge buff, and this applies to dungeons, caves, nighttime, cellars, and everywhere and everywhen else adventurers like to kill things.

Again, this is from third level.

The Gloom Stalker Ranger’s immense power at low level doesn’t balance out at higher levels. Iron Mind gives proficiency in one of D&D 5e‘s best saving throws in a stat Rangers are already good at. On the off-chance an enemy can see them, they still can’t cast Hold Person.

Stalker’s Flurry and Shadowy Dodge are further combat buffs. If a D&D 5e Gloom Stalker Ranger misses, they can just attack again. That’s four attacks in the first turn, if we’re keeping count. It also lessens Sharpshooter’s downsides to the point of hilarity.

Shadowy Dodge is at-will disadvantage on enemy attacks with a reaction. This is somehow the Gloom Stalker’s worst ability in D&D 5e, if only because most enemies have Multiattack and reactions are limited.

If you want to focus on utility, spellcasting, or having a pet, then look elsewhere. For sheer combat potential, however, there’s no doubt that Gloom Stalker is the best Ranger subclass in D&D 5e.

These have been D&D 5e‘s four best Ranger subclasses. There are no bad options, but it’s hard to go wrong if you pick these ones and play to their strengths.

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For more Ranger build tips in D&D 5e, check out ‘The Best Ranger Races and Lineages in D&D 5e‘.

Alternatively, ‘Fun D&D 5e Builds: How to Put a New Spin on Five Subclasses‘ might be the article for you if you want something a little more esoteric.