I'm also playing ranger solo right now, the animal companion definitely needs changes, Very exploitable currently. I think I'd much prefere If you couldn't summon a companion, but instead chose one to have as a permanent pet, that couldn't be changed, this way you could make much more thematic characters and the animal companion would be more meaningful, also once dead only make it come back after long rest. And of course, balance them properly so that spider is not allways the pick
