A noob’s 10 Best Rainbow Six Siege Operators

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When it comes to choices, some matter more than others. Fortunately in games like Rainbow Six, where tactical thinking and decision making matters, having more choices is always welcome. The issue, however, is that choices more often than not end up confusing newer or returning players. There are so many complex maps, gadgets, weapons, and operators to keep in mind that it all inevitably becomes a messy game of chance. I briefly played Rainbow Six Siege at launch, and have dabbled in it a fair bit thereafter. However, considering the breadth of the game in its current state, I am for all intents and purposes a complete newcomer! Thanks to our friends at Ubisoft, we have unlocked every single operator and tried them all out for size. These are the top 10 Rainbow Six Siege operators, from a noob’s perspective.

As it stands, there are currently 54 operators in Rainbow Six Siege. This is mostly due to new operators being added every season, and a game five-years-in will naturally have become very populated over that time. While our list is obviously not the be-all-and-end-all of lists, I have a sneaky suspicion it will help more than a few new players. For your convenience, I have also split the list into five operators per segment; one focusing on Attacker operators, and the other on Defend operators. I also added the official profile blurb for their abilities (because who explains it better than the developers themselves?) and a quick and easy tl;dr review at the end of each entry. Without further ado, here are a noob’s 10 best Rainbow Six Siege operators.

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The five best Attacker operators in Rainbow Six Siege

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Nøkk

Nøkk is a very controversial operator to put on this list since she is not used much at all online. However, I enjoyed playing as Nøkk – so here we are with her on this list of 10 best Rainbow Six Siege operators. While I have not played a heck of a lot of Rainbow Six Siege in the past, I can safely say that Nøkk must have received some buff between then and now. Nøkk’s FMG-9 is a decent damage dealer and can drop most enemies in a single shot if done correctly. She also has a cool unique ability that allows you and your team to catch Defenders off-guard. It forces enemies to make quick on-the-spot decisions that might just cost them the match. It also helps that she feels very responsive compared to most of the other Attackers.

Nøkk’s abilities: The HEL is a glove attachment, which, when activated, reduces her ambient noise output and hides her image from the opponents’ observation tools. Drones, Bulletproof Cameras, Evil Eyes and more will thus be unable to register Nøkk’s presence as she roams through the map, unseen. Her footsteps will be silenced as she stalks opposing operators, unheard. Roaming will be riskier than ever for Defenders, as Nøkk could be hiding behind every corner or worse, sneaking up right behind them.

tl;dr: Hard-hitter. Easy to get used to. Good for beginners – 10/10

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Maverick

Where Nøkk is not a favourite among players at all, it seems that Maverick is very much the character to play with. I think this largely comes down to Thatcher always getting banned before matches start. Maverick is a support all-star with his blowtorch. It can quietly burn holes in walls and create crawl spaces for your team to crawl through, new holes to shoot through, or just to take a gander at the enemy team on the other side. While I was playing, some guy tried to teach me how to do “Maverick tricking” where I would open up a reinforced panel while their Sledge was backing me up. Needless to say, I was shot in the head shortly into the process and the guy left the match.

Maverick’s abilities: Maverick’s D.I.Y. blowtorch can breach any surface, including reinforced walls and hatches. It requires a steady hand and knowledge of the environment to create small holes and lines of sight. Maverick must be in close range to use his gadget on the chosen surface. This torch makes almost no sound, but it runs out of fuel quickly. Nevertheless, the high precision of this gadget makes it a very creative tool to use hands-on without relying on digital technology.

Tl;dr: Blowtorch is lit. People actually wanted to talk to me – 9/10

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Thatcher

Considering I mentioned Maverick, it only makes sense to mention Thatcher – one of the three big “recommended” hard-breachers in the game. Turns out Thatcher is incredible at keeping the enemy team’s gadgets at bay with his supreme ability to dispose of them quickly. This largely comes down to his EMP grenade. He also has a frag grenade that can destroy most other traps, cameras, and even temporarily disable enemy crosshairs. I liked playing Thatcher until he kept getting banned before every match. A shame, considering he also sounds badass.

Thatcher’s abilities:

• The copper spool builds up the EMP by spinning
• LED gauge
• Twist top 45 degrees to activate the device

Tl;dr: Disables enemy doodads. Has a cool mask – 9/10

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Jackal

If there was ever a Hollywood adaptation of Rainbow Six Siege, Jackal would probably be the main character. Think Money Heist levels of badassery, with an added wonky English dub to boot. Of all the Attackers in this list, Jackal is likely the most difficult to play. This is largely because of his sensory ability to track footfalls and other information, and the player’s (read: me in this scenario) ability to relay that to the rest of the team. If you have a good squad filled with decent mics and people who do not insult you the moment you look in the wrong direction, you will have a good time. Also, get a good connection because no one wants outdated info when using him as one of the 10 best Rainbow Six Siege operators.

Jackal’s abilities: Eyenox Model III was created to offer a mobile tracking device able to both identify and trail a person’s footprints in real-time. Equipped with advanced computer vision, the Eyenox detects invisible details relating to footfall and weight distribution so that you can identify and stalk your target.

Tl;dr: Badass VR-headset wearing socialite. Gathers enemy intel – 7/10

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Hibana

Hibana is another hard-breacher that is essential to every team composition. This Japanese operator is a force to be reckoned with as her ability to hard-breach from safety is an incredible thing to behold. While I tried my darndest to support my team, I had a bunch of players teach me how to open sight-lines and even managed to get a few praises out of the experience. Admittedly, Hibana is very easy to play since she does not have that much of a learning curve. She also has an SMG, which was pretty effective when the situation called for it.

Hibana’s abilities: The X-KAIROS – a 40 mm calibre launcher – fires explosive pellets that can be detonated simultaneously from a distance. Deliver innovative assaults by creating lines of sights, or new pathways!

Tl;dr: Looks cool and plays cool. Hard-breach from safety – 8/10

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The five best Defender operators in Rainbow Six Siege

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Ela

Green haired Polish vixen with an inclination toward mines. I honestly fell in love the moment I saw someone else play as Ela, and just had to figure her out myself. Turns out, she is one of the best dang defenders on this list. Her SMG has incredible stopping power and she even uses a cool-looking old-timey mine to deter attackers and shepherd them to kill boxes your team has set up.

Ela’s abilities: Inspired by the 1939 anti-tank Polish grenades used by the iconic Cichociemny during WWII, the sticky Grzmot mines can be anchored on surfaces, impairing hearing and causing a dizzying effect. These concussion mines are triggered upon proximity, affecting anyone within its radius.

Tl;dr: Bulma with guns. Has the most incredible mines – 10/10

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Maestro

Have you ever seen those Rainbow Six Siege compilation videos and noticed how fast-paced it tends to get? Courtesy of that alone, you would never guess how you can get actual light machine guns in this game, but Maestro will prove you wrong! He has a massive damage-dealing LMG that lets him tank out heavily contested rooms. He also has a little camera turret that helps you figure out how and where to defend.

Maestro’s abilities: Maestro uses a remote-controlled turret firing high-energy laser beams. Once affixed to the floor or wall, Maestro can remote-surveil and provide overwatch in a location through the swivel-mounted camera. When the camera device breaks open to fire a laser beam the core is exposed to damage. Otherwise, the turret is unaffected by bullets and melee. Lastly, Evil Eye can see through smoke.

Tl;dr: The heaviest of heavies. Best area-denial character in the game – 10/10

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Mira

Okay so… I may have received a bunch of very bad looks every time I chose Mira, but to hell with the haters. As a defender, Mira is one of the most challenging yet rewarding operators to play as in this list of 10 best Rainbow Six Siege operators. She has this cool mirror that lets your team play outside of the objective room, which puts a whole new perspective on the term “defence” in this game. Your team can basically see around heavily reinforced walls and see exactly what is happening on the other side, and react accordingly. Have a Thatcher coming in? The mirror will let you know, and you can send your Maestro to dispatch of them quickly and efficiently. I think the reason people did not like me picking her is that her abilities are really situational. A good player can make anything work, though, and what am I? Mediocre at best, but that is not the point.

Mira’s abilities: A specialized laminated glass, which when deployed with oxyacetylene can carve out a one-way mirror on any wall. If the air pressure is disrupted, however, the glass is ejected and creates a daring opening for both defenders and attackers.

Tl;dr: Mirror Wizard. Surprise “vets” by being good and you will reap the rewards – 9/10

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Lesion

Chinese soldiers are always portrayed as the bad guys in western media. With a name like Lesion, you may think this is the same case. Thankfully, Lesion is one of the best dang defenders in the game. He has mines that enemy teams will likely never notice, and when triggered, cause massive damage over time (DOT). This DOT essentially stops attackers in their tracks as it disables their sprinting and makes them all weazy. When triggered, the mines also make a lot of noise, so your team knows which direction to defend. If you have ever watched Bleeding Steel, you will feel just like Jackie Chan when he dons that futuristic armour as you dispatch the fools who dare to attack you.

Lesion’s abilities: Gu mines were inspired by the sharp punji sticks used during the Vietnam War. Rubbed with toxic plants or feces, the stakes served to slow down enemy troops by causing severe infections in their camp. Similarly, Gu mines inject a toxin that injures your opponent and limits their speed.

Tl;dr: Stops enemies in their tracks. Hot Chinese guy – 8/10

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Goyo

Goyo is to this top 10 Rainbow Six Siege operators list as Brigitte is the absolute support choice in Overwatch… according to me. He has an incredible shield that keeps attackers at bay long enough for your team to assemble in wait. It can deploy in multiple directions and burn attackers who ignore the shield with literal incendiary grenades attached to it. When attackers try to take down the shield they give away their position to the defending team, which also helps a heck of a lot.

Goyo’s abilities: Like the ordinary Deployable Shield, the Volcán Shield provides cover and allows Defenders to block pathways, but Goyo turns up the heat with an attached incendiary bomb. From the front, however, there’s little indication of which it might be. Until someone shoots the bomb to make it explode, the shield continues to be an obstacle for the Attackers.

Tl;dr: Deployable shield that burns. Very easy to master – 8/10

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There you have it, a noobs 10 best Rainbow Six Siege operators! Whether you are a veteran or a potential player looking to get into the game, chances are high that one or two of the 54 operators will make a great fit for you. Sure, it might take some time to get through them all, but at the end of the day it is about your enjoyment.