Heavy Armor Ranger

I agree with you overall. As you said before, it varies from table to table and person to person. At the same time, I’m still learning about a lot of classes more, so I don’t entirely get how spells like conjure woodland beings work.

Is the multi-target capability because of their spell damage or something? I mean, they don’t get anything like fireball or synaptic static that I am aware of, but I am less familiar with rangers.

Now I’m curious what you would build! My only thing with taking 3 levels instead of 4 is missing out on a feat/asi and possibly an epic boon depending on when you take it. That being said, can you elaborate on using spells more interestingly? 

The easiest explanation is to compare the Paladin and the Ranger with their "smite" spells.  By smite I am referring to bonus action spells that add damage.  Paladins BA spells are all single target (divine, searing, shining smite. etc).  Ranger gets Hail of Thorns at first level.  It functions similarly but adds damage to multiple enemies.  If you compare the damage it doesn't seem like much unless you factor in that it affects multiple enemies.  So for single target damage Hail of thorns is worse, but if you get more enemies in the mix then it can equal or exceed divine smite.

They also get access to lightning arrow at 3rd which gives a nice upgrade to the area.  Add in more conventional AOE's like conjure barrage, and aura AOE's like conjure animals and conjure woodland beings and you see that they can damage a bunch of folks in a turn.  What they don't have outside of hunter's mark is ways to boost damage on single targets that is competitive with divine smite.  So naturally they fall behind in single target damage.  But that is the design.  Of the two original half casters, Paladins are primarily str based and have good single target damage, Rangers are primarily dex based and have good multi target damage.