Fixing The 5E Ranger: Give them arcane archer?

[Witty Username]

So Paladins are single target strikers and tanks, then buffers and healers, Artificers are tanks, utility, buff and control spells, and Rangers are AOE damage and debuffs/control.

I like this, if it were buffed so that it's viable. One of the real problems is that conjure barrage and similar spells which should do that are awful beyond words, or finicky with their action economy, as you've said.

It's hard, however, to put a lot of this into practice. Outside of spells, how do you turn wilderness explorer into AOE damage and debuffing thematically? It seems like the rangers ideal niche should be single target damage as well.

There are spells like plant growth, conjure animals and spike growth, all of which can fundamentally change a combat. Those would be more in the debuff control category, although spike growth and conjure animals can deal reasonably good damage. Also, not to nitpick, but I think the Ranger is a better healer off of spells like goodberry, and healing spirit (if you don't use the useless new one). Also, they get Aid and Revivify now so the idea of the Paladin being the healer seems to be false.