Ranger

Source:
Player's Handbook
(Core)

The Beast Master archetype embodies a friendship between the civilized races and the beasts of the world. United in focus, beast and ranger work as one to fight the monstrous foes that threaten civilization and the wilderness alike. Emulating the Beast Master archetype means committing yourself to this ideal, working in partnership with an animal as its companion and friend.

What to Expect Says what it is on the tin. You area ranger with a cool animal companion, your choice from a variety of pretty standard creatures or a magical primal creature which is alot cooler and overall better mechanics.
The Features you get are pretty underwhelming if i really wanted to play this kind of of class i would suggest going with the Beastheart instead.
BUT if your restricted to content i would defiantly work with the player to provide some much needed buffs and more interesting mechanics to this subclass.

What would DM Darwin Change? Maybe some coordinated attacks or some unique magic items and give some options for scouting and tracking with your companion as well as being able to mount them for travel or combat AND some cooler more powerful options for your companion .

2024 Revision Available

The revision basically just streamlined the options, no more animals only primal beasts. still has the same issues and i would still have the same edits to make it cooler.

Source:
Hexbound, Pg 30
(3rd Party)

In order to enact their will upon the material world, spirits of nature lend their power to very unique witches so they may safeguard the spirits’ domains. These witches are called guardian rangers. They use the spirits that preside over nature as a source for their power and magic. The nature spirits guide them, emboldening their strikes and granting them abilities that no other witch has access to. The most powerful guardians can even briefly summon these incredibly powerful nature spirits to assist them in battle, making them an immeasurable threat to whoever dares oppose the will of the wild. It is said that when the most powerful guardian rangers die, their own spirits transform into nature spirits — granting their powers to younger, more inexperienced ranger witches, perpetuating the cycle, and protecting the domain of nature across generations.

What to Expect A cool subclass that's kinda like they took the primal beasts from beast master then built all the mechanics around it. you choose one of three nature gods/spirits/patrons whatever the setting your playing in helps with, the elk is all about magic boons, the snake is defensive and the wolf is for meele attackers.

What would DM Darwin Change? the boons they grant as features are pretty good although i think i would make the snakes defensive boons more active than requiring you to be under certain levels of HP. if you were looking for a Ranger who is REALLY in touch with the spirit of nature this is the subclass to run.

Source:
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
(Supplement)

Your connection to the natural world takes the form of a draconic spirit, which can manifest in physical form as a drake. As your powers grow, your drake grows as well, blossoming from a small four-legged companion to a majestic winged creature large and strong enough for you to ride. Along the way, you gain an increasing share of the awe-inspiring power of dragons.

What to Expect Is like beast master but better cause its a Dragon. the features are more themed and on brand but you are restricted to a dragon.

What would DM Darwin Change? I think the subclass is pretty solid but as a DM i would allow flight much earlier than level 15 like common?! 7th level when the dragon gets wings would be when i would recommend but when some Races can get innate flying speed?!?! what's the point just give your player flying speed! don't be scared. aside from that i would work with the player to get some some magic items to bolster this subclass further.

Source:
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
(Supplement)

A fey mystique surrounds you, thanks to the boon of an archfey, the shining fruit you ate from a talking tree, the magic spring you swam in, or some other auspicious event.
However you acquired your fey magic, you are now a Fey Wanderer, a ranger who represents both the mortal and the fey realms. As you wander the multiverse, your joyful laughter brightens the hearts of the downtrodden, and your martial prowess strikes terror in your foes, for great is the mirth of the fey and dreadful is their fury.

What to Expect An overall solid class for the ranger wannting a Feywild twist, perhaps a character who is from the feywild or one who was stolen away by meddling fey. it has some good offensive features, some good non-combat features and some cool themed spells.

What would DM Darwin Change? I would allow dreadful strikes to proc on all attacks not just once per turn and i think Fey reinforcements could be altered more so its not just a free spell cast but something more eventful and fantastic, perhaps a unique fey tied to the ranger's story. it also has some cool physical effects for your character and i am a fan of those.

2024 Revision Available

I honestly don't think they changed anything, just the wording, which is fine cause it was a cool class to begin with.

Source:
Floral Dragon Sub-Classes, Pg 4
(3rd Party)

Field Researcher Rangers investigate and protect the natural world. These explorers seek to preserve and understand the magic of floral dragons. Their skills let them roam wherever their research requires, and their observational abilities make them formidable opponents and steadfast allies should danger arise.

What to Expect Overall pretty solid class, has some similar beast to Fey wanderer but more on Intelligence skills than wisdom. Gives you an extra attack as a bonus action and has the HUGE boon to give allies advantage on attacks or checks as a reaction. while in combat this is fantastic, allowing rouges to get sneak attack. giving heavy hitters better odds while still having your entier turn to yourself this is massive for non-combat basically giving anyone advantage on any check they make so long as your within 5ft, But it is too strong.
You also get some cool stuff relating to plant and animal summoning. this is very much a support tunned subclass but what a support it is.

What would DM Darwin Change? I would restrict this to only work on skills you have in common with the other player otherwise you might as well call this subclass the 'Advantage Battery' or perhaps put a limit on its uses to be the same as proficiency bonus or even half that.

Source:
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
(Supplement)

Gloom stalkers are at home in the darkest places: deep under the earth, in gloomy alleyways, in primeval forests, and wherever else the light dims.
Most folk enter such places with trepidation, but a gloom stalker ventures boldly into the darkness, seeking to ambush threats before they can reach the broader world. Such rangers are often found in the Underdark, but they will go any place where evil lurks in the shadows.

What to Expect A Pretty cool class with features based around striking hard fast in the first round of combat. but fights rarely last one round and so the following rounds you are missing out on alot of your features. The sub-class has some cool features that give you a redo on missed attacks, some extra saving throw proficiencies and so on.

What would DM Darwin Change? I would change a few things like rather than a boost to initiative just give them extra movement speed, very solid overall with a few lacking features.

2024 Revision Available

Overall quite a few buffs turning a solid class into a great class and would defiantly recommend this one over the first run. Dreadful strike does more damage and can be used multiple times between long rests rather than just the first turn of combat. Stalker's fury has some extra effects that stack onto your Dreadful strikes now rather than just being a re-do of a missed attack.
I would still remove the initiative bonus and just make the extra 10ft movement speed permeant. as well as change the wording slightly for Umbral sight to specify you are invisible to all creatures relying on non-magical sight (but Including magical dark vision) to see you in darkness.

Source:
Grim Hollow, Pg 60
(3rd Party)

Green Reapers specialize in a school of assassination that specializes in harvesting and catalyzing the toxic elements of flora and fauna.
These rangers often work as killers for hire utilizing their extensive knowledge of toxins to end their marks’ lives discreetly or with gory panache, depending on the poison used and the client’s wishes. Green Reapers exhibit a morbid curiosity when encountering a toxic substance they’re unfamiliar with, typically followed by an enthusiastic application of the toxin on the next foe they encounter.

Source:
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
(Supplement)

Horizon walkers guard the world against threats that originate from other planes or that seek to ravage the mortal realm with otherworldly magic.
They seek out planar portals and keep watch over them, venturing to the Inner Planes and the Outer Planes as needed to pursue their foes. These rangers are also friends to any forces in the multiverse – especially benevolent dragons, fey, and elementals – that work to preserve life and the order of the planes.

What to Expect A REALLY cool idea that just fails to hit the mark with alot of its features, luckily because alot of the features are so close to being good there is little work to be done to make them good and fun.

What would DM Darwin Change? Detect Portal: really cool unless you are in a campaign without a emphasis on portals. Increase its range higher than 1 mile AND, When a creature attempts to use a spell or ability that would have perform planer travel you ca use a reaction to stop that effect and prevent the creature from planer traveling for 8 hours. Can use this a number of times equal to half proficiency bonus rounded down recovering on a long rest.
Planner warrior: As part of your attack action you can convert your next attack to be entirely force damage and its damage is boosted by 1d8 which increases to 2d8 at later levels. you can use it a number of times equal to WIS modifier recovering on a long rest.
Ethereal Step: as a Bonus action you can enter a special state of Ethereness, for 1 minuet your attacks strike foes weather they are on the material or ethereal plane and you are able to see foes on both planes, You can also use half your movement to step into or out of the ethereal plane, If your minuet runs out while you are in the ethereal plane you are shunted out taking 4d10 force damage. You can use this feature a number of times qual to half your wisdom modifier rounded down.
Distant Strike: increase teleport distance

Source:
Player's Handbook
(Core)

Some rangers seek to master weapons to better protect civilization from the terrors of the wilderness. Members of the Hunter Conclave learn specialized fighting techniques for use against the most dire threats, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs to towering giants and terrifying dragons.

What to Expect A Ranger that gets special skills in the form of special moves to fight off single targets or groups, cool on paper but none of these features are too dramatic…on their own!

What would DM Darwin Change? I would just ditch the requirement of choose one option at each level and just give the ranger all the available options when they become available at each level.

2024 Revision Available
Done dirty, options removed and the later level features were replaced with very stale and generic features. i would still run the original form of Hunter.

Source:
Xanathar's Guide to Everything
(Supplement)

You have dedicated yourself to hunting down creatures of the night and wielders of grim magic.
A monster slayer seeks out vampires, dragons, evil fey, fiends, and other magical threats. Trained in supernatural techniques to overcome such monsters, slayers are experts at unearthing and defeating mighty, mystical foes.

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Source:
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
(Supplement)

Feeling a deep connection to the environment around them, some rangers reach out through their magical connection to the world and bond with a swarm of nature spirits.
The swarm becomes a potent force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others. Other Swarmkeepers enjoy building vibrant communities that work for the mutual benefit of all those they consider part of their swarm.

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Source:
Guide to Drakenhime, Pg 167
(3rd Party)

Urban rangers are less accustomed to nature and the wilds, but to the rooftops and guerrilla tactics of city warfare.
Training for manoeuvrability and stealth amongst ruined buildings, and twisting streets, these rangers are at home amongst the ruins and rubble. They are agile runners, skilled snipers, and always able to know where the best vantage points against their enemies are.

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Source:
Grim Hollow, Pg 62
(3rd Party)

Vermin Lords cultivate loyal hordes of disease-bearing rodents to help them in their efforts to stem a greater evil.
For many of these rangers, that greater evil is some kind of societal ill, but a rare few see their fellow humanoids as an infestation that threatens the natural world. Regardless of their goal, they make their homes in sewers, slums, and other forgotten places, where they are free to plot against their enemies and tend to their vermin kin.