Rainbow Six Siege Tier List – Operation Phantom Sight by Nodrim on August 12, 2019

After more than three years of existence, Rainbow Six Siege tries to retain innovation as the driving engine for its gameplay and content updates. Siege is now a competitive game with a solid playerbase, securing a place in the highly contended market of online shooters.

As with many of the past seasons, I’ve put enough hours into the game since the release of Operation Phantom Sight in order to evaluate the operators. To deliver an updated and more accurate tier list, I’ve been keeping a closer eye on the esports scene, following the game’s evolving meta.

Disclaimer: Despite the effort put on delivering accurate information, this tier list is not the result of statistic data and does contain my personal input. However, the operators’ standings are based on the game’s competitive environment as well as my own experience with them.

Tiers Legend:

Tier S – The operators which are often required if not mandatory to succeed

Tier A – The backbone of every team

Tier B – A mix of situational and preference picks, which, if played correctly can fit in most setups

Tier C – More love from Ubisoft required

Tier D – Misfits

Tier S Attackers:

Hibana

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Hard

Hibana has brought the variety that the attackers’ meta desperately needed. The safe breaching of her X-KAIROS can be a life saver even if sometimes the holes made by it are somewhat difficult to pass through. The limited charges require good decision making which in turn requires a lot of practice.

As a fighter, Hibana does well, taking advantage of the deadly Bearing 9 machine pistol for bullet spraying and the Type-89 assault rifle for medium range engagements.

Maverick

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Extreme

Something tells me this operator was destined to be a top gun. Maverick’s ability, Breaching Torch, allows him to make holes in any destructible wall, including those that have been reinforced. At first glance, it seems that Maverick should challenge the established position of breaching operators like Hibana and Thermite. However, his ability has different offensive properties which make this operator extremely dangerous in a different way. The holes made with the Breaching Torch provide different angles to look into the objective and catch the defending operators off guard. This makes Maverick’s ability a game changer as it makes once impenetrable walls a liability and if need be, it can be used for its slow breaching properties.

Tier S Defenders:

Jäger

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Medium

Fuze might not be such a fearful threat anymore, but the arrival of Ying and the multitude of grenades make Jäger a more important pick with each content update. The Active Defense System is almost a requirement when defending tight rooms, putting a stop to the waves of grenades and explosives that could cause chaos through the carefully laid out defense.

Jäger has been touched by the nerfing hands of Ubisoft, losing his ACOG which made him an early round sniper. However, taking advantage of the reliable 416-c Carbine and his speed, Jäger can still roam the map almost as good as always.

Valkyrie

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Information is everything and Valkyrie can provide that in spades! Black Eye remains one of the best support abilities in the game. These tiny cameras grant vision where none should be and when used correctly the defenders gain intel without making the attackers aware.

As a fighter, Valkyrie makes good use of her MPX which has the right amount of damage and controllable recoil. Ultimately, she can use the Nitro Cell to get out of a bad situation.

In spite of the increasing number of counters to her ability, Valkyrie remains one of the best operators. Either as the extra eye of her team or a capable fighter, Valkyrie is an operator to be reckoned with.

Tier A Attackers:

Thermite

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Thermite doesn’t reign supreme anymore as the only operator who can break the reinforced walls. Some would even say that Hibana’s arrival made him less relevant, which is probably true. But if you don’t like Hibana’s loadout or the map is focused on horizontal play, Thermite holds another key to the castle. When not breaching walls, Thermite’s combination of medium armor, stun grenade/claymore and the powerful 556xi add quite some firepower to the team.

Ash

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Easy

Fast, easy to learn and lethal, Ash is a great choice for beginners and veterans alike. Both her main guns are viable options based on preferences and her ability counters with ease many defensive combos, traps and any campers of windows or doors. I don’t have to sell her as a great operator, everyone who has given her a fair chance knows how useful Ash is when used right. As proof of this stands her unwavering pick rate even after ACOG was removed for R4-C.

Twitch

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

I haven’t always recognized Twitch’s true power, but the introduction of Ela and Lesion made it all the more obvious. Twitch’s drone can clear the traps from areas even before the round starts. However, what makes Twitch all the more valuable are her combat capabilities. Not only can her drone deal damage, taking 10 health points per shot, but the F2 assault rifle is capable of obliterating any target in one burst.

Twitch is not exactly the easiest operator to play, but in the hands of an experienced player she can do wonders for her team.

Thatcher

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Despite the competition from IQ and Twitch, Thatcher still does well enough, courtesy to new operators which continue to make him useful. The EMP grenade is the most efficient way to eradicate most electronic devices that the defenders have at their disposal. Thatcher is a true team player, his goal is to clear the maze of traps making the attackers’ push easier. However, the compromises made to the gameplay mechanics have put a limit on Thatcher’s potential which can be overcome through skillful usage of his loadout.

Blackbeard

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

This Navy Seal Operator has gone through a series of changes and nerfs, dethroning him from a position of absolute superiority when attacking from a window. However, Blackbeard has found his place in the meta as an operator guarding from afar, capable of locking down hallways for his team.

Blackbeard is not a beginner friendly operator as everything comes down to perfect positioning and precision. The Rifle-shield can buy some time, but Blackbeard’s guns are like wild animals which are hard to tame.

Dokkaebi

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

Dokkaebi’s name is just as hard to spell as she is to play properly. Her loadout is good but it requires extremely precise aiming with both main guns. Her ability, Logic Bomb, triggers the defenders’ cell phones, compromising the enemy’s position for the duration or until the phones are turned off. The ability is even more extensive than that, as Dokkaebi can hack into the cell phones of dead defenders in order to access the cameras. Such an ability can change the outcome of any coordinated attack. Her usefulness has been extended by the arrival of Lion as the two make an amazing team together.

Zofia

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Easy

Much like Ash, Zofia is an operator which is easy to learn. Zofia’s choices of main guns are impeccable and the medium armor makes her a good option for most play styles. Her ability, KS79 Lifeline, is a double barrel grenade launcher equipped with 2 explosive grenades that detonate on impact and 2 concussion grenades that can bounce of walls and trigger an effect similar to Ela’s ability. There is no coincidence for the similarity between Ela’s mines and Zofia’s grenades, they are sisters, which makes them more resilient to each other’s concussive arsenal. Zofia’s last ace in the sleeve is the ability to get up by herself from the downed state having only 1 HP left. This doesn’t sound like much, yet, in times of need, it can be a game winner.

A good loadout and a versatile ability make Zofia a solid pick and the best operator introduced in Operation White Noise.

Finka

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Easy

Finka is not exactly the kind of medic the attackers were looking for. Adrenal Surge is pretty much a steroid, buffing the whole team with extra health and increased accuracy for its duration. This makes for smoother engagements with increased probability of killing enemies, but also for interesting counters that have to be considered, like Pulse, Smoke, Lesion or Echo. Finka’s loadout is excellent. She’s packing one of the most controllable assault rifles in the game alongside frag grenades, which makes her a great pick for beginners.

Nomad

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Nomad is a versatile attacker who takes advantage of an ability that provides her with the means to attack while protecting her back. Airjab Launcher is a rifle attachment equipped with three non-lethal sticky grenades that detonate when an enemy is in range. Nomad’s loadout includes 2 decent assault-rifles suited for different play styles alongside breach charges or stun grenades.

Tier A Defenders:

Bandit

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Hard

Somebody has to protect the reinforced walls of the keep and when Mute’s effectiveness is put into question, this job falls onto Bandit’s Shock Wire. His fighting power has diminished with the loss of ACOG sight, but the combination of speed, Nitro Cell and MP7 still makes for a viable roamer.

Since release, Bandit has been in a continuous evolution; even his eyes and face haven’t remained untouched by the winds of change. But through adaptability he has prevailed as one of the better defending operators.

Mute

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Mute has been an effective choice at blocking attackers from gaining information and stopping many of their gadgets. However, the evolving verticality of Rainbow Six Siege has diminished his potential only to get it back with the addition of new abilities on the attackers’ side. While he’s not the quintessential operator that he used to be when the roster was smaller and the maps were more predictable, Mute still has many uses. His ability to block electronic gadgets can make a difference, putting a stop to attacker’s electronic harassment.

Smoke

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Smoke’s presence is as haunting as ever for the attackers traversing corridors or passing through choke points. He has enough destructive power to kill the enemy team by himself, but fares better in a more defensive role. Using the combination of Remote Gas Grenades and Barbed Wire/Impact grenades, Smoke is capable of blocking an area for a good amount of time, forcing attackers to find new routes or to take risks. Aside from his ability and gadgets, Smoke is a pretty good fighter using SMG-11 to destroy any popping heads.

Despite being part of the old guard, Smoke remains a useful pick in the game’s ever-evolving meta. He is a complete operator which can turn an imminent defeat into an unexpected victory.

Mira

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

Where there isn’t a Valkyrie, there’s probably a Mira. Mira has a lot of destructive power in her hands, packing the devastating combo of Vector .45 ACP and Nitro Cell which is perfect for defending objectives. As a whole, Mira is one of my favorite operators as she isn’t only a capable fighter, but quite a team player. Her ability, Black Mirror, provides vision while planting fear in the hearts of the attackers passing by. The map design isn’t always in her favor, but most of the time she can make up for that through different strategies and decoys.

Mira works best when paired with Mute or Bandit, who are capable of protecting her ability from the likes of Thermite, Hibana or even Twitch. With their help, Mira can patiently wait behind her impenetrable mirror for the attackers to make their move so she can unleash the power of the Vector.

Echo

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Hard

There isn’t much to say about Echo. His loadout is quite potent and the futuristic YOKAI drone has many uses, being a pain for any advancing or retreating attackers. Being unable to mark enemies makes Echo’s ability less useful than it should be. However, he has made a name for himself in the esports scene as a powerful anchor capable of haunting the attackers.

Lesion

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Easy

The defenders’ Chinese operator introduced with Blood Orchid performs much better than any other trapper. Lesion has access to good main guns which coupled with Impact Grenades make him effective for defending objectives or roaming. His ability, GU Mine, is an invisible device that poisons and slows the target afflicted by it. This effect can be removed, but doing so triggers an animation that leaves the attacker vulnerable. In order to balance this ability, Lesion has access to only one mine at the beginning and gradually gains more as the round progresses, reaching a possible total of 8.

Lesion is a competent fighter, but what makes him so useful for his team is his ability of slowing down the enemies giving away their position in the process and opening them for attacks.

Maestro

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Hard

Maestro is a true anchor operator. He combines the terrifying firepower of Alda lmg equipped with ACOG with a haunting ability. Evil Eye is a bulletproof remote-controlled camera that’s using thermal vision to easily spot enemies even through smoke. This camera is equipped with a fast shooting laser meant to harass enemies at the cost of exposing the device to bullets. While Evil Eye’s combat capabilities can only be controlled by Maestro, its resilience makes it great at gathering information.

Maestro is a popular pick that benefits from a good anchor ability and proper loadout that earned him a higher spot on this list.

Tier B Attackers:

IQ

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Medium

Ubisoft’s attempt to make IQ a better operator has worked. The plethora of electronic abilities added to the game has made the Electronics Detector a much more useful tool. But even if she can’t always get the most out of her ability, IQ remains a fighter, having two solid options for the main gun and claymores to watch her back.

Glaz

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

A dedicated marksman isn’t such a good choice in a game that’s focused on close quarters combat. Even if the maps have been designed to also facilitate shooting from distance, this doesn’t always work well. But Glaz has been tweaked to make up for this deficit. With his enhanced scope attached on the OTs-03, Glaz can see the thermal signature of his enemies to land devastating shots. Covering himself in a wall of smoke grenades, Glaz can shoot targets unaware of his actual position.

Glaz still remains a situational or preference pick. But he has evolved from being the hunter reigning terror over the Presidential Airplane map, to a threat even in close quarter situations.

Sledge

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Sledge’s hammer is a faster method of breaching through non-reinforced areas with an average factor of risk. Sledge can withstand moderate damage while retaining mobility and has enough firepower to be independent of his ability. However, even if Sledge can speed up the process of storming objectives, I think there are better choices for the job.

Blitz

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Shield operators are now at a peak point since the Closed Beta Tests. What’s making the difference between the two main shield operators is their style. Like most gadgets using the flash mechanic, Blitz’s Flash Shield isn’t always efficient. However, the increase in movement speed allows for better flanking capabilities and fast engagements spells troubles for defenders.

The changes to the meta have been working well for Blitz. He is a more common pick that can work wonders in coordination with other operators.

Montagne

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

Breaching into objectives can be easy with the right team composition. But advancing to an objective through the narrow corridors which can hide dangers at every corner is way harder. This is where Montagne shines. With his extendable ballistic shield and heavy armor, Montagne can lead the way protecting his teammates from any danger. Following the nerf to Nitro Cell, Montagne’s lockdown can be absolute as he can block doors or holes requiring multiple Nitro Cells to be contested.

The adjustment to hit boxes has made Montagne an obscene display of defense with little room left to damage him with frontal attacks, forcing defenders to take risks in outmaneuvering him through speed. Shield operators might not be a necessity to breach into an objective, but Montange can be a protector for his teammates, an annoying combatant for his enemies and an immovable defender of objectives.

Buck

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Extreme

The verticality of R6 Siege’s maps has turned Buck into an extremely useful operator. His ability, Skeleton Key, can open doors, windows, traps and make holes in every destroyable wall from a relatively safe distance, allowing attackers to gain vision and vantage points. But the quality of his ability comes with a steep price. Playing Buck means you have to know the maps inside out and have to handle a set of guns that requires a high level of skill to be used effectively. Buck is an operator for highly skilled players and one that beginners should not unlock straight away.

Capitão

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Hard

Capitão is all about strategy. He can assist in executing lightning fast rushes to take over and hold objectives before the defenders can regroup. But despite the versatility of the tactical crossbow, Capitão remains a preference or strategy pick. Just know that when he’s on the field, the attackers mean business!

Jackal

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Roamers have been causing attackers some problems before Jackal arrived to the scene. The Spanish operator equipped with the Eyenox ability is capable of spotting the defenders’ footsteps color coded to highlight their freshness. The real countermeasure against roamers comes from the ability to scan the footsteps revealing that enemy’s location every few seconds, harassing them to constantly move. Jackal does well in combat with a diverse loadout that includes the PDW9 smg customizable with ACOG sight for long range engagements. But while the roamers are a nuisance in every match, Jackal can’t seem to secure a permanent spot in the meta.

Ying

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

Ying is the attacking operator from SDU, the Chinese CTU introduced with the Blood Orchid update. She’s a volatile engager designed to be the first to enter a room with potential hostiles. Her ability, Candela, is basically a multi-charge flash grenade which can be thrown or used in a similar manner to Fuze’s Cluster Charge. This ability is capable of blinding everyone for a considerable amount of time, aside of Ying herself who’s equipped with special glasses. While her ability can do amazing things, Ying’s loadout isn’t very friendly as her main guns are difficult to use effectively. However, despite losing her Smoke Grenades, Ying is quite useful and has benefited from the game’s evolving meta.

Lion

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

The arrival of Lion has changed the competitive landscape. While his guns can be tricky to use, his ability works in such a way that for a while an attacking meta was created around it. EE-ONE-D is forcing the defenders to stand still in order to avoid real time spotting. This works in synergy with multiple, opening up windows of opportunity for tactical engagements.

Lion’s ability has already received a number of nerfs and a rework, but he remains a relevant operator. Strategies can still be built around his ability, retaining a decent position on the list.

Gridlock

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Hard

The name speaks volumes about this operator. Gridlock’s ability is Trax Stingers. When deployed this ability covers an uneven area with hexagonal clusters of spikes which slows down and causes damage to the enemies stepping on them. The Trax Stringers can be destroyed but this can give away your position.

In a way, Gridlock is a mix between Nomad and Capitão. She can push while covering her back or strategically block the access to objectives.

Tier B Defenders:

Rook

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Easy

At the first glimpse, Rook seems to be an essential component to the team like the chess piece he’s nicknamed after. But while he’s capable of extending his teammates’ lives with an extra layer of armor, this won’t protect them from headshots. To make up for it, Rook is a pretty capable fighter. The combination of ACOG sight with P90 or MP5 is a deadly setup to use behind the cover of the Deployable Shield. He might not be as useful as he should be, but you should to stay away from Rook’s line of sight.

Doc

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

Every squad needs a medic. The rework of Doc’s Stim Pistol has been saving lives for many seasons now, keeping this operator quite competitive. With the removal of ACOG from Bandit and Jäger, Doc’s position is held back by the game’s damage mechanics. With headshots killing in an instant, Doc isn’t always as useful as he should be and he works best in combination with his teammate, Rook.

Pulse

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Medium

Pulse has been juggling from overpowered to underpowered for quite some time. He was a solid operator at the game’s launch, but his ability was nerfed just to be over-buffed a few months later and then nerfed again. In all fairness, it’s pretty hard to balance an operator equipped with a wallhack. However, the reduced detection range to the Cardiac Sensor isn’t what’s keeping Pulse grounded, but rather the general rebalancing of guns and gadgets. With shotguns and Nitro Cells not being as deadly anymore, Pulse isn’t the same ferocious predator that he used to be. Yet, despite these changes, attackers still have to be extremely cautious when getting closer to penetrable walls because someone might be watching.

Caveira

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Extreme

Caveira can create an unfair advantage for the defenders side with her combo abilities: Silent Step and Interrogation. She generates the least amount of sound while moving than any operator in the game and use her pistol to knockdown and interrogate enemies for their teammates’ position, which keeps updating for 10 seconds. While powerful, this ability is not something the team can rely on. Successfully landing Caveria’s interrogation without being stopped is a gamble, one that can bring the defenders closer to victory or ending up with one member short. Due to how these abilities works, Caveira can’t always take advantage of her power. She can still benefit greatly from the Silent Step which is untraced by Jackal’s ability to be a great roamer. But she remains a wild card with an undeniable level of risk.

Ela

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Medium

Ela was the clear winner of the Blood Orchid update, however, the young Polish operator couldn’t hold her position for long against the nerfing tides. Ela’s powerful arsenal has taken some severe hits with the release of Operation Chimera. The powerful Scorpion Evo 3A1 smg has had its damage reduced and the accuracy drastically tempered with, while at the same time she lost her Impact Grenades.

Ela isn’t such a strong fighter anymore and her usefulness has dropped significantly. But don’t underestimate the Grzmot Mine as it is still capable of exposing advancing enemies to easy fire.

Vigil

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Medium

Vigil is a designated roamer using the ERC-7 ability to become invisible for the duration to the enemy’s drones or potential cameras. But while he can escape the sight of digital cameras, he does it by scrambling their image, making attackers aware of his presence as well as leaving traces for Jackal to pick on. Vigil has access to good guns that require some expertise and Impact Grenades to provide the tactical options required for roaming.

Vigil isn’t my first pick, but he’s a well balanced operator who’s capable of challenging the role of established roamers.

Alibi

Armor: 1/3

Speed: 3/3

Difficulty: Easy

GIS, the Italian Special Forces have arrived to Rainbow Six Siege with two defenders in Operation Para Bellum. Alibi is the easiest to play out of the two with an ability designed to make the difference between beginners and experienced players. Prisma has 3 charges and it’s capable of creating holograms of Alibi. If a hologram is shot or touched by an enemy player, it will mark and ping that player’s location for a few seconds. This ability opens up the game for all kind of tactical trickeries which won’t fool the most experienced eyes and certain operators. However, Alibi has a good enough loadout to handle herself in combat if her deceitfulness isn’t enough.

Kaid

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

Kaid is a rather bland operator that doesn’t bring anything new to the table. His ability, “Rtila” Electroclaw can electrify any reinforced walls and hatches, Deployable Shields and Barbed Wire. What makes “Rtila” different from Bandit’s ability is the extended radius which can cover up to 2 reinforced walls. However, the two charges are deployed much slower making it harder to juggle between walls. Kaid’s loadout doesn’t stand out, contributing to the operator’s less than impressive design.

Mozzie

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Mozzie is breaking through as one of the more popular operators from the recent updates. His ability, Pest Launcher, can be used to hack up to three drones preventing the attackers from gaining intel while giving defenders new eyes on the map. Mozzie is also a pretty competent fighter as P10 RONI smg can be used to great effect. I’ll be following this operator’s evolution with great interest.

Tier C Attackers:

Fuze

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

Fuze’s combat potential is somewhat mixed. The Cluster Charge can still be a force to be reckoned with, capable of wrecking havoc in tight spaces and flushing out a room. But the ability’s randomness doesn’t make it all that reliable. Fuze’s loadout turns the balance more into his favor, with AK-12 being a good option as a main gun. However, he is not the bringer of chaos that he used to be, remaining a tempting option for beginners.

Nøkk

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Hard

Nøkk has to be the most eccentric operator of Rainbow Six Siege. Her outfit comes straight out of a horror movie and her ability has to be the most futuristic yet. HEL reduces the noise output and hides Nøkk’s presence from drones and all types of cameras. This ability makes her a good countermeasure against roamers and with the help of FMG-9 smg or SIX12 SD shotgun, she can pack a punch. However, she’s not a very popular pick.

Tier C Defenders:

Castle

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Medium

Castle is an odd operator. His Armor Panel ability has great synergy with Mute’s jammers even if Thatcher, Ash or Sledge have no problems in countering this combo. The real problem comes from the advantages Castle’s ability can give to the attackers. A hole in his panel is enough for Glaz or Maverick to peek inside the objective’s room and with Mute’s jammer gone, Fuze can hardly be stopped from safely deploying his Cluster Charges.

Castle is a good combatant, but he has to be used carefully to avoid turning him into a double-edged sword. This is why he’s useful only on certain objectives using premade strategies that benefit from his ability to lockdown entrances.

Kapkan

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Easy

Kapkan isn’t exactly a good team player. The Entry Denial Device has been buffed, but even now, this ability can be countered easily without the need of Thatcher, Twitch or IQ. Kapkan’s loadout can pack a punch, but doesn’t stand out in any way to elevate the operator’s standing.

Frost

Armor: 2/3

Speed: 2/3

Difficulty: Easy

Frost is an operator with an ability that heavily relies on the enemies making mistakes, which means it’s less effective the more you climb up the competitive ladder. The time constraints do play into Frost’s favor, but it isn’t enough to make the Welcome Mat a necessity. Despite having a good loadout, Frost’s contribution to the team composition isn’t optimal, justifying her low position on this list.

Warden

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

I was a bit worried when Warden was initially announced. A defender who can see through smoke and is immune to flash effects could tip the scale of the competitive landscape. But Warden hasn’t been embraced for his role, which earns him a spot on the lower side of the list.

Tier D Defenders:

Tachanka

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Medium

More popular on the web medium as a meme than in the actual game, “Lord” Tachanka has received some love from the developers. Tachanka’s ability, the Mounted LMG, now has a frontal ballistic shield which protects the operator at the cost of a slight increase in spread and recoil.

Tachanka’s similar loadout with Kapkan make him a decent fighter. But while all the buffs have made Tachanka more powerful, his ability remains obsolete for most defensive setups and pretty much any operator could be a better pick than he is.

Clash

Armor: 3/3

Speed: 1/3

Difficulty: Hard

I’m going to be frank here, Clash’s role as a deterrent is quite annoying. Her play style is very different than that of any other operator, getting both attackers and defenders out of their comfort zone. In certain situations she can make the attackers’ life miserable, especially when she’s properly assisted. The downside is that Clash requires a certain play style and the less efficient loadout makes her extremely situational and useful only with predefined strategies.

Because Rainbow Six Siege is a continuously evolving game through added content and balance patches, the information provided by this list might become outdated and it’s always subject to change. New operators will be added every three months and older ones might get tweaked for the better or for the worse. I will try my best to keep this article updated in the future and add the new operators as they come. So, keep an eye on it if you are interested in the possible changes, but as for now, this tier list was written for Year 4 Season 2 – Operation Phantom Sight.