i dont see how true strike no starting combat makes it any better since being sneaky already gives advantage on itself
however i do agree with OP about pretty much everything
as it stands with lv 4 being the max level, i like to call Rangers the "bad warlocks" since they play exactly the same (huntersmark into autos or hex into eldritchblast) but they dont gain hp from securing kills, their main attack do not shove targets for free and they do not have charisma for conversation as well as not having misty step to get free high ground
i find ranger extremely underwhelming as a whole
wake up in the moring use your 1 out of 2 spell per day to cast longstrider on yourself then use the remaining 1 spell slot to hunter's mark into auto attack reapply repeat zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
