It's incredible to think that Rainbow Six Siege is in its sixth year of content, with the latest update, Operation North Star, adding yet another Operator - Thunderbird.
As each year has passed, Ubisoft has added progressively more extravagant kits to the game, with astronauts and a man that can run through walls added in one Operation alone.
It remains a team game, so every Operator unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, forcing you to shift your pick to keep up with both squad composition and the map objective. With each Operator also packing their own choice of main weaponry, there’s some flexibility in how you play each one.
We’ve put together a tier list for both Attacking and Defending Operators below in anticipation of Operation Crystal Guard, as well as the next update in Year 6 Season 4.
For more information on the finest attackers and defenders, check out our guides for each.
Read More: Rainbow Six Siege Y6 S3: Everything We Know About Operation 'Crystal Guard'
Rainbow Six Siege Operator Tier List: Attackers
S Tier
- Hibana
- Thermite
A Tier
- Ash
- Buck
- Kali
- Maverick
- Sledge
- Thatcher
- Twitch
- Zero
- Zofia
B Tier
- Blackbeard
- Capitao
- Dokkaebi
- Finka
- Flores
- Glaz
- Gridlock
- Iana
- IQ
- Jackal
- Lion
- Montagne
- Nomad
- Ying
C Tier
- Amaru
- Blitz
- Fuze
- Nøkk
Rainbow Six Siege Operator Tier List: Defenders
S Tier
- Bandit
- Mute
- Kaid
A Tier
- Jager
- Mira
- Mozzie
- Pulse
- Rook
- Thunderbird
- Valkyrie
- Wamai
B Tier
- Alibi
- Aruni
- Caveira
- Doc
- Echo
- Ela
- Frost
- Goyo
- Kapkan
- Lesion
- Maestro
- Smoke
- Vigil
- Warden
C Tier
- Castle
- Clash
- Oryx
- Tachanka
Which Rainbow Six Siege Operator Should You Unlock First?
For Defenders, we'd opt for Rook. Rook places armour plating down, meaning once your comrades have grabbed some, your role is done - other than the whole "shooting the enemy" part, of course.
For Attackers, Hibana is a lot of fun, with a grenade launcher with remote detonation. That means she's great for getting the hang of destroying walls on the game's maps.
Read More: Rainbow Six Siege: Everything We Know About Y6S4
Best Operators For Beginners
Here are our picks:
Attackers:
- Ash
- Hibana
- Sledge
- Thermite
- Twitch
Defenders:
- Doc
- Frost
- Jager
- Kapkan
- Rook