What is your favorite Ranger archetype? Vote on the poll and post here!

Gloomstalker. Mainly because I love the flavor and the concept. But it is also indeed the best sub-class by faez

Voted Horizon Walker because I was only allowed one, but it's really a tie between it and the Fey Wanderer. The flavor for both is just top-tier.

Love being able to teleport around the battlefield with impunity. Love Distant Strikes, love Ethereal Step, and I adore the spell list. But I also love tossing around charm/frighten like it's going out of style, summoning Feys without concentration, and being a Ranger that's a face.

Really, I love all Rangers, but those two are def my favorites. Monster Slayer and Drakewarden come next.

That's an easy Swarmkeeper for me.

I absolutely love the concept and I'm really happy with how it was executed. It's amazingly versatile in the character concepts it lets you realize and I appreciate having an option with a ton of summoner-esque or animal trainer flavor without actually dealing with a companion statblock.

I also love it from a mechanical perspective. Modal abilities are the shit and Gathered Swarm delivers. I favor controlling effects over raw damage so it's perfect for me. The bonus spell list is sweet too.

I'm dying to try the Drakewarden in an actual campaign right now (so I voted for it), because it fits like a glove into the concept of my previous Beast Master (pet re-skinned as a drake and such), though the numbers and action economy in that UA certainly need some tinkering (like hit points matching the TCoE Primal Companion options, which were released not long after that).

I'm currently playing a TCoE Beast Master at level 18, feels pretty good, though I still would love to play the PHB one if only it wasn't so broken. The gripes I have with the TCoE version is that the beast isn't necessarily a specific one and the generic statblocks don't have many unique abilities like the beasts have (giant crab pincer, frog bite, etc.). This same character used to be a PHB Beast Master until Tasha's was released, I had to make the rebuild into the new version due to the increased defenses (saving throws, hit points) and versatility (the Ranger being able to do things other than the Attack action while the beast is still able to Attack).

That said, I would still love to rebuild and return to the PHB version if only the beast's attack was de-coupled from the Ranger's attack and the beast had at least two saving throw proficiencies. Having the hit points updated to match the TCoE versions wouldn't hurt either. :)

I voted PHB Beast master. Swarm keeper  is on my "to play next" list. 

Reasons

• cool features such as blind sight at level 3.
• Battlefield control. I can attack all over the playing field with a flying snake or other mobile pet. or I can block off movement and create choke points.
• Poison harvesting. sure some people think its week and Too risky. I see potential free damage in a bottle.
• I am fine allowing a pet to attack and just giving orders. I see the pet as breadth of options Rather than an extra attack.
• Good roll playing potential. 
• good reminder that death in dnd is part of the game.

Shocker. I voted for PHB beast master.

Quote from Roscoeivan >>

I voted PHB Beast master. Swarm keeper  is on my "to play next" list. 

Reasons

• cool features such as blind sight at level 3.
• Battlefield control. I can attack all over the playing field with a flying snake or other mobile pet. or I can block off movement and create choke points.
• Poison harvesting. sure some people think its week and Too risky. I see potential free damage in a bottle.
• I am fine allowing a pet to attack and just giving orders. I see the pet as breadth of options Rather than an extra attack.
• Good roll playing potential. 
• good reminder that death in dnd is part of the game.

 I haven't heard of people using their Beast Master poisonous snake to make poison. Good idea though!

Flying snake is better because no save. Flying snake is auto damage. see DMG CH8 Poisons for more info on how this works.

Of the official Ranger subclasses, the Swarmkeeper is my favorite simply due to the theme alone, though I also like the mechanics of the class as well.

For the current UA Rangers (both live and dead) I love the Drakewarden and the Primeval Guardian, the first because dragons and the second because it basically lets you become a treant and we are sorely missing subclasses themed around plants over beasts in 5e.