Rainbow Six Siege‘s Year 9 Season 2 has commenced, meaning the meta has changed again with Ubisoft’s latest major update, bringing new operators into the spotlight.
Rainbow Six Siege is now in its ninth year, with over 60 operators for players to choose from. With changes to the meta, it can be difficult to keep up with the best options on both attack and defense.
However, we’ve got you covered with an up-to-date Operator ranking in our Rainbow Six tier list.
Rainbow Six Attackers tier list
| Tier | Operator |
|---|---|
| S | Buck, Thatcher, Thermite |
| A | Ace, Brava, Grim, Hibana, Jackal, Kali, Montagne, Ram |
| B | Ash, Blackbeard, Blitz, Capitao, Deimos, Dokkaebi, Finka, Flores, Iana, IQ, Lion, Maverick, Nomad, Osa, Sledge, Striker (formerly Recruit), Twitch, Ying, Zero, Zofia |
| C | Fuze, Glaz, Gridlock |
| D | Amaru, Nøkk, Sens |
Our tiers explained
Here’s a brief explainer of how each tier in our Rainbow Six tier list works:
- S: The best Attackers in R6
- A: Great alternatives to S-Tier Attackers
- B: There might be situations where these Attackers can perform well
- C: These Attackers only perform well if your team has a foolproof strategy or the group comp is otherwise excellent
- D: Best to avoid unless you find yourself drawn to them
Meta Analysis
Though this isn’t the case with many games, pretty much every Operator in Rainbow Six Siege has some positives to fall back on. That said, the intrinsic design of some does enough to elevate them above their immediate peers.
The addition of Skopós hasn’t done a lot to disrupt the meta. Though issues with how the Operator functions have now been addressed, she still lacks any real punch to bring her into the upper tiers. The development team rolled out several fixes for the most egregious issues in September, but there is still a way to go to crack the top tiers.
Now, let’s take a deep dive into each Attacker in our Rainbow Six tier list, ranking them from top to bottom.
S-Tier Attackers
Buck
This Canadian Attacker is like a one-man army. His C8-SFW Assault Rifle can deal great damage but comes at the cost of higher recoil. Want to counter that? Use the CAMRS Marksman Rifle instead. Both the weapons have an alternative mode of fire, Skeleton Key, which makes holes in walls and floors.
So, if you’re new or a seasoned veteran who wants to outplay enemies by playing vertically, you can do that. Buck now has Hard Breach Charges which means he also serves as a backup for breaching reinforced hatches or walls. Use his Stun Grenades to take control of the site, giving the rest of the team the space to plan their attacks freely.
Thatcher
The only real downside of Thatcher is how frequently he’s banned. It certainly reflects his strength, with his EMP grenades easily the most useful and versatile gadget. They continue to fry anything electrical within range and are almost impossible to counter.
While his speed has been nerfed, his solid loadout options (most notably the L85A2) pair with his arguably overpowered gadget to make him probably the best attacker.
Good luck getting him through the pre-match ban phase though.
Thermite
Among all the hard breachers in R6, Thermite is the best. He is also quite a beginner-friendly Attacker since his gadgets are simple and the 556xi Assault Rifle deals great damage with a high fire rate and controlling its recoil is a breeze.
His Exothermic Charges can breach an entire reinforced wall, unlike Ace, Hibana, or Maverick. No matter which map you’re playing, Thermite is an excellent pick among every type of player, well maybe except Favela!
A-Tier Attackers
Ace
Coming to the A-tier attackers, we are starting with Ace, one of the hard breachers with an ideal combination of weapons and gadgets. Although you can’t breach the entire wall unlike Thermite, his AK-12 packs enough punch.
He has three S.E.L.M.A Aqua Breachers that give you enough opportunities to blast open a hatch and a reinforced wall but is prone to getting Kaid-tricked if not timed or utilized properly. Ace is a great pick for maps like Kafe Dostoyevsky and Clubhouse.
Brava
Sure, Twitch allows you to break cams and gadgets using her Shock Drones, but Brava can do better – hack enemy gadgets! Want to take control of defender cams? You’d be able to do that. Suppose, an enemy team has Maestro and you want to make it yours, use one of Brava’s Kludge Drones to get the job done.
If defenders are proactive, they will shoot the drone and get rid of it immediately. But if you’re lucky, your team will have a significant advantage by the time an enemy realizes you have control over their gadgets. This tactic can be deadly if there’s a Kapkan on the other team and you’re playing on Border or Chalet.
Grim
After his buff in Operation Dread Factor, Grim has become a strong Attacker and has ranked up in our tier list. He now has Hard Breach Charges which makes him versatile in case Ace or Hibana goes wrong, his Kawan Hive Launcher now covers a larger area and lasts longer which is super useful in larger maps like Kafe Dostoyevsky.
Although 552 Commando may not be the best assault rifle in the game, now that Baliff has been added to his arsenal of secondary weapons, he can be a great choice for vertical gameplay in Kafe or Border.
Hibana
Hibana is another Hard Breacher in R6 who was present along with Thermite way before Ace or Maverick joined the roster. Her Type-89 AR is easy to control but comes with a smaller magazine size, which means you must be tactical while playing as her.
Her X-KAIROS Pellets release in multiples of 2 up to 6, meaning you have enough possibilities for different approaches to outsmart the enemies especially when there’s a Bandit in the opponent in place of a Kaid. You can team her up with Thermite for breaching reinforced walls, giving Bandit a hard time tricking two walls at once.
Jackal
Jackal, if left unbanned, can be one of the best Attacker choices in the game. Use his Eyenox Model III to scan for enemy footsteps, and doing so reveals their live location.
His C7E AR is easy to control and the ITA12L secondary shotgun gives him the space to open hatches and create lines of sight on soft walls – giving his teammates better ways of countering Defenders. Jackal is lethal on any map but is especially useful on larger maps like Kafe, Theme Park, and Clubhouse.
Kali
Choose Kali as a substitute for Thatcher, as the LV Explosive Lances from her CSRX 300 Marksman Rifle destroys both electronic and mechanical enemy gadgets within proximity.
Her CSRX 300 Marksman Rifle gives an added advantage of playing from a long distance. Since she has useful gadgets like Claymores, Kali is an excellent choice for post-plant situations.
Montagne
Montagne is the Operator with a body-sized Extendable Shield that blocks anything coming it’s way – even a Nitro Cell! It may look harmless, but a well-coordinated full-stacked team will use him in the best and most annoying ways possible.
He can give you better live intel about defenders than Iana or Blitz, allowing the rest of the teammates to plan their attacks accordingly. He can even get full cover, thanks to his shield again while planting the Defuser and even safeguarding it in maps like Border and Clubhouse.
Ram
The introduction of Ram has brought a new dynamic to Rainbow Six Siege. She rocks an R4-C like Ash and her BU-GI Auto-Breacher wreaks havoc, to say the least.
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For one, it’s loud and destroys any destructible wall or floor it touches, giving Attackers new ways of pushing into the bomb sites. The gadget being loud masks footsteps, allowing Ram to sneak up on enemies and give the team a man advantage.
Rainbow Six Defenders tier list
| Tier | Operator |
|---|---|
| S | Jäger, Mira, Valkyrie, Azami |
| A | Aruni, Echo, Fenrir, Kaid, Kapkan, Lesion, Mute, Solis, Wamai |
| B | Alibi, Bandit, Castle, Doc, Frost, Goyo, Maestro, Melusi, Mozzie, Pulse, Rook, Sentry, Smoke, Thorn, Thunderbird, Tubarão, Warden, Skopós |
| C | Caveira, Ela, Oryx, Tachanka, Vigil |
| D | Clash |
Our tiers explained
- S: The best Defenders in R6
- A: Great alternatives to S-Tier Defenders
- B: There might be situations where these Defenders can perform well
- C: These Defenders only perform well if your team has a full-proof strategy
- D: Best to avoid unless you find yourself drawn to them
S-Tier Defenders
Jäger
Jäger is the first Defender in our Rainbow Six tier list. Despite being hit with several nerfs that hasn’t affected his viability in-game. His Active Defence Systems are as reliable as ever and, despite no 2.5x scope still rankling veterans of Siege, the 416-C Carbine remains a standout defender weapon (even if its magazine is not as big as it once was).
So long as he has that in his arsenal, the spawn-peek legend will live on.
Mira
Mira’s only downside is how difficult she is to play. The Spaniard is tough to master but, once you’ve sussed her mirrors and got on top of the Vector. 45’s recoil, there’s not a more difficult opponent for attackers.
Her Black Mirrors provide an insight into attacking teams’ strategies, while a Nitro Cell and shotgun secondary mean she can also be used for counter-attacking plays and soft breaching. She’s one-speed, so Mira players have to tailor their playstyles to sticking by the bomb.
Valkyrie
Intel is key, especially while defending, as attackers can approach from any side of the map. Who else can provide it better than Valkyrie? Yes, she can’t throw her Black Eye Cameras outdoors anymore, but their placement indoors can make or break a round.
Combine them with your Nitro Cell to deny a plant. Her MPX SMG is easy to control, while the D-50 secondary deals great damage or creates holes in soft floors or walls.
Azami
Want to block off a wall breach hole by Ace or Hibana temporarily? Pick Azami. Her Kiba Barriers release as a Kunai, which later transforms into a barrier and gives you the much-needed hard cover when you need it the most.
She has Impact Grenades, which are used to make rotations between sites or break a soft hatch and play vertically while flanking. As an alternative, Barbed Wires will provide intel about nearby Attackers and she is a great choice for holding Catwalk or Rafters above the Clubhouse garage.
A-Tier Defenders
Aruni
Aruni leads the A-Tier Defenders group in our Rainbow Six tier list. Aruni is the only Operator in R6 with a prosthetic arm. Use it to make holes, which is very efficient in making rotations between two sites as you don’t need to spend shotgun bullets.
Her Surya Laser Gates, if active, deal damage to Attackers, absorb projectiles or even break drones. Her secondary gadgets include Barbed Wires or a Bulletproof Camera, which will provide intel to the team one way or the other, and is a great pick for maps like Border, Clubhouse, Chalet, and Consulate.
Echo
The defender from Tokyo can win a round for you even if he is away from the bomb sites. His primary gadget, Yokai, is a hovering drone that sticks to the ceiling which cancels a Defuser plant using ultrasonic bursts that disorient the enemy.
An Echo main would play away from the site (not as a roamer though), keep MP5SD SMG as his main weapon, and use his Yokai drones effectively during the last few moments of a round. Use it multiple times to deny plants and the Attacker will start to panic when time’s running out.
Fenrir
Fenrir and Omen from Valorant have something in common – they partially blind enemies using their gadgets or abilities. Thanks to the F-NATT Dread Mine, this Swedish Operator obstructs vision when an enemy enters its activation radius.
Combine that with a Bulletproof Camera and you will provide intel to your flanking teammates. This strategy is useful when Attackers are pushing from the top of Yellow Stairs in Consulate, or Catwalk or Rafters above the Clubhouse garage.
Kaid
Although Kaid is older than Bandit, he’s a better choice than the latter in most cases. Yes, both electrify walls, but Kaid can electrify hatches – which is crucial when your team opts for a Thatcher ban. Although you have to be wary of Impact EMP Grenades, they prove to be a nightmare if the enemies are smart.
Picking up Electroclaws is easier than Bandit’s Shock Wires but to do the Kaid trick, you have to practice quite a few times to get the timing right. You get to keep a Nitro Cell for adverse situations or blowing an enemy up from the floor below.
Kapkan
Kapkan, in the hands of the right player, is a nightmare for Attackers. His Entry Denial Devices deal great damage, and when you place two on one door frame and the attacker fails to notice them, you’re guaranteed an easy kill.
You may either keep Impact Grenades or Nitro Cell, as per your team’s needs and playstyle, but both are effective when the situation demands. Kapkan is a great choice for maps having many corners to check such as Chalet, Border, and Clubhouse.
Lesion
If you have a versatile playstyle, such as you like to roam from time to time, or even play anchor and provide intel, Lesion is your go-to choice. This defender from Hong Kong uses his Gu Mines to detect enemy locations and also deal slight damage in return.
This slight damage can be deadly, especially when that enemy is down to the last 5 HP, in that case, you’ll get an instant kill. Sure, he doesn’t have Impact Grenades anymore, but you still have the T-5 SMG to kill enemies without breaking a sweat. A great choice for any map in R6.
Mute
If an enemy team regularly plays Operators like Deimos, Dokkaebi, and Lion, Mute is the antidote. His Signal Disruptor will keep you or your teammates within the gadget’s range undetected. It also jams Attacker drones or hard-breaching gadgets.
Most players prefer the M590A1 Shotgun and SMG-11 combo as you get to keep a weapon for both short and medium-range gunfights. Combine them with a Nitro Cell and Mute will be one of the most dangerous defenders to deal with.
Solis
Yes, Solis was nerfed in Operation New Blood and she can’t detect incoming drones during the prep phase using her SPEC-IO Electro Sensor anymore, but she’s still a formidable defender for the rest of the round.
You can detect Claymores or Nomad Airjabs from a distance and wait for the right moment to flank enemies. If played correctly, the Attackers will have a hard time dealing with enemies in front and a flank simultaneously, unless someone is deliberately checking flanks all the time.
Wamai
If an enemy team bans Jager, you have Wamai to take care of incoming projectiles. The only difference is his Mag-NETs attract the projectile, reset the detonation timer, and then explode it.
You can use either AUG A2 or MP5K as his primary weapon, which is excellent considering their fire rates. Depending on your team’s playstyle, both Proximity Alarms and Impact Grenades are excellent choices.
That rounds off our best Rainbow Six Siege operator tier list. You can check out our explainer on Rainbow Six Siege ranks which also explains how you can rank up quickly in the game. You can also stay up to date with R6 server status to check when the servers are down.
