Latest Rainbow Six Siege Operator Tier List 2025 (Y10S4)

With over 85 million players worldwide, Rainbow Six Siege now features 78 operators as of Y10S4. The Thatcher rework, hard breach buffs, and introduction of the new PMR90A2 weapon have dramatically shifted the meta, leaving many last season's top picks no longer as viable.

In the current environment, it's crucial to know which operators are worth your time, which ones are rank traps despite appearing strong, and what team compositions work best.

This guide draws from pro league data, Diamond+ win rates, and community feedback to rank all operators across five tiers: S/A/B/C/D, evaluating both attack and defense performance separately.

Each operator includes a strength analysis and recommended scenarios to help you stay on top of the latest meta. If you don't have a complete roster yet, you can also grab a more affordable R6 account at GamsGo and skip the unlock grind!

R6 Attackers Tier List

When discussing attacker rankings in Rainbow Six Siege, one thing must be clear: operator strength is never absolute. Every player has their own playstyle, map knowledge, and tactical preferences. Just because an operator has low pro league presence doesn't mean they're useless in ranked, and popular picks aren't necessarily right for everyone.

In this tier list, higher tiers represent better versatility and consistency, while lower tiers indicate greater dependence on specific maps, team compositions, or player experience. The five tiers are defined as follows:

• S Tier: The best attackers in the current patch, excelling across most maps and strategies.
• A Tier: Solid all-around performers capable of handling most situations, your most reliable choices for ranking up.
• B Tier: Strong on specific maps or in certain team compositions, requiring decent experience and route knowledge.
• C Tier: Heavily reliant on team coordination and communication, limited impact in solo queue.
• D Tier: Weak in the current meta, requiring deep understanding or specialized skills to extract real value.

With these criteria established, here's the latest R6 attacker tier list:

S-Tier Attackers

These operators lead across win rate, ban rate, and pro league statistics. With exceptional versatility, they handle most strategies reliably and represent the current core of attacking gameplay:

Nomad

Nomad's strength comes from her three Airjabs, which lock down flanks and rotations so your team can push without worrying about threats from behind.

Her ARX200 has low recoil and good mobility, letting her reposition quickly after placing gadgets. A 40% pro league ban rate shows that when she's in play, defenders struggle to execute effective flanks.

Thatcher

The Y10S4 rework made Thatcher the strongest anti-electronics operator in the game. His new E.G.S. Disruptor can scan through walls and disable electronics for up to 15 seconds, crippling setups from Kaid, Bandit, and Mute.

Paired with the reliable L85A2, he remains the safest and most irreplaceable teammate for any hard breach strategy.

Zero

Zero's four Argus Cams can scout, destroy gadgets, and continue providing intel even after he's eliminated. This "persistent information" is his true value. Whether confirming positions, clearing utility, or mapping out rotations, he's more flexible than traditional intel operators.

Ace

Ace's S.E.L.M.A. is the most versatile hard breach tool on the attack. Long range, safe, and fast, making him better suited than Thermite for most sites. The AK-12's high fire rate lets him frag after opening walls, keeping risk low while maintaining consistent value.

Maverick

Maverick's Breaching Torch is the only hard breach method immune to Bandit, Kaid, and Mute. He can silently create sightlines or crawl holes in reinforced walls. On maps like Chalet and Consulate that emphasize vertical pressure, he can threaten multiple floors simultaneously, making him irreplaceable at higher ranks.

A-Tier Attackers

A-tier operators have strong overall performance, adapt to most maps and strategies, and can substitute for S-tier operators in most situations. They're common picks in both ranked and pro play. To help clarify their roles, we've divided these nine A-tier operators into two categories:

The first category is primary breach, responsible for creating angles, opening walls, and leading pushes. They drive the team's tempo. Whether splitting pressure or executing full pushes, they provide stable and reliable breakthrough power:

• Hibana: Hibana excels at multi-angle breaching. Her X-KAIROS can create three breach points simultaneously, giving teams more control over their attack routes. On sites with complex structures or multiple breach needs, her utility often surpasses even S-tier Ace.
• Sledge: Sledge uses his unlimited hammer to quickly destroy soft walls, floors, and utility, instantly creating new angles or clearing obstacles. Low skill floor and strong map adaptability make him the hardest breach operator to pick wrong.
• Zofia: Zofia's strength comes from the KS79 Lifeline, handling shield destruction, position denial, and disruption all in one package. Her withstand ability improves clutch potential, letting her provide value across various strategies.
• Thermite: Thermite remains the most reliable frontal breach operator. His exothermic charges create full walk-through openings, perfect for coordinated push strategies.
• Ram: Ram's BU-GI Auto-Breacher quickly destroys reinforced hatches and walls, excelling at opening close-range entry points. Particularly effective in fast-paced plays or rush strategies.

The second category is intel and support, operators whose value leans more toward team utility. They provide reconnaissance, area control, or team buffs that make route planning, repositioning, clearing, and executing sites safer and smoother:

• Iana: Iana's biggest advantage is the Gemini Replicator, which creates an infinite-use hologram for scouting. She can gather intel, bait shots, and drain defender utility with virtually no risk.
• Brava: Brava's Kludge Drone can hack and reverse defender gadgets, turning ADS systems, electrified walls, or Maestro cams into friendly tools. On gadget-heavy sites like Consulate and Bank, she significantly weakens defensive setups.
• Finka: Finka's Adrenal Surge instantly heals the entire team and reduces recoil, dramatically improving error tolerance during pushes and repositioning.
• Grim: Grim's Kawan Hive Launcher marks large areas during pushes, forcing defenders to either fall back or reveal their positions. This makes clearing and maintaining pressure much more effective.

B-Tier Attackers

B-tier operators aren't weak, they just depend more on specific maps, strategies, or player skill. Pick the right scenario and these operators can still create massive value on attack.

• Ash: Ash uses high-speed and breaching rounds to quickly clear frontal utility, ideal for rush plays or tempo pressure. However, repeated R4-C nerfs have made her advantages less pronounced.
• Buck: Buck is the classic vertical attack specialist. His Skeleton Key rapidly opens floors to create attack angles. He excels on multi-level maps but has a steeper learning curve.
• IQ: Can quickly locate enemy electronics, relying mainly on her quality assault rifle and high speed for rush plays and gunfights. Works best with team coordination.
• Twitch: Her shock drones destroy defender gadgets but are easily eliminated. She's more dependent on gunplay, with the F2 providing extreme close-range pressure.
• Lion: His scan ability supports team pushes. In coordinated play, he's extremely effective at limiting roamer movement with stable fragging power, but offers limited value in solo queue.
• Flores: Flores remotely clears defender utility with his RCE-Ratero drone, though the loud noise makes it easy to spot. Works best on maps with long corridors.
• Ying: Ying's Candelas can blind entire areas for fast entries. But higher ranks dodge flashes better, making her more dependent on team coordination.
• Capitão: Capitão's smoke and fire arrows force defenders to relocate. His weapons are stable with solid firepower, making him extremely threatening in post-plant and clutch situations.

C-Tier Attackers

C-tier operators heavily depend on team communication or tactical planning to provide value. In solo queue, their gadgets are easily weakened, making them better suited for coordinated play or specific strategies:

• Dokkaebi: Dokkaebi's Logic Bomb disrupts communications and hacks cameras. Her value increases significantly with team coordination but offers limited impact solo.
• Jackal: Jackal's footprint tracking is a powerful anti-roam tool, but the risk of exposing his own position while tracking makes consistent performance difficult.
• Montagne: Montagne has full shield protection, good for stalling and providing frontline intel. But his slow movement and low damage output struggle in the current high-tempo attack meta.
• Osa: Osa's transparent shields provide strong cover during pushes, but they're vulnerable to explosives and require good timing and planning for deployment.
• Blackbeard: Blackbeard's shield can block bullets while holding angles, but drastically reduced movement and ADS speed make him viable only in specific sniping scenarios.

D-Tier Attackers

D-tier operators underperform in the current meta and lack the consistency of mainstream picks. However, each has a unique playstyle, and they're often priority targets for future balance updates. If you enjoy these operators, they may see improvements in upcoming patches.

• Blitz: Blitz can flash enemies head-on with his shield for a close-range threat, but slow movement makes him vulnerable to flanks, and he struggles at higher ranks.
• Fuze: If you want to pressure defenders with cluster charges, Fuze is your pick. But loud deployment and slow speed give defenders plenty of time to avoid them, and his 1-speed rating limits flexibility.
• Amaru: Amaru's grappling hook enables rapid window rushes, but landing recovery and weapon limitations result in extremely low error tolerance. Only specific map windows offer surprise value.
• Gridlock: Gridlock's Trax Stingers effectively block pathways and delay enemies, but they can't be retrieved and her slow movement speed limits impact in clutch situations. Better used as a support tool.
• Nøkk: Nøkk relies on her stealth device to evade detection, suitable for flanks and infiltration. But low weapon damage and burst potential require high mechanical skill and game sense, with underwhelming practical performance.

S-Tier Defenders

These operators hold S-tier status because they fundamentally change how the entire team defends, controlling time, reshaping space, denying throwables, and dominating intel. Their gadgets offer exceptional versatility across all maps and ranks, making them the most irreplaceable defensive roles in the current meta.

Smoke

Smoke's gas canisters are the strongest time denial tool in the game. In the final 20 to 30 seconds, he can completely shut down plant paths, preventing attackers from forcing the objective.

The FMG-9 is easy to control, and paired with a deployable shield, he creates powerful anchor positions. Whether playing aggressively, running down the clock, or holding site, Smoke's endgame shutdown potential is virtually irreplaceable.

Mira

Mira's Black Mirrors let defenders safely observe attacker routes and suppress movement with absolute information advantage. She transforms otherwise vulnerable walls into unchallengeable strongpoints. With proper mirror placement, the entire round revolves around Mira.

Azami

Azami uses Kiba Barriers to seal windows, patch holes, block sightlines, or create temporary cover, reshaping site structure mid-round. She makes all pre-planned attacker routes unreliable, establishing herself as the most flexible and hardest to counter terrain control operator in the current meta.

Jäger

Despite multiple nerfs, Jäger remains S-tier. His three ADS devices intercept grenades, flashbangs, and smokes, serving as the only reliable throwable counter on defense. The 416-C Carbine delivers high damage with controllable recoil. With over 80% pro league presence, without Jäger, defenders must eat every throwable.

Valkyrie

Valkyrie's Black Eye cameras can hide anywhere indoors or outside, providing the team with extremely high-quality real-time intel. She enables teammates to catch roamers early, predict push routes, and deliver precise information at critical moments, making her the most threatening reconnaissance operator in information warfare.

A-Tier Defenders

A-tier defenders deliver very stable performance but don't adapt to every site quite like S-tier does. Their abilities have clear characteristics, naturally dividing them into two categories:

The first category is area control and information denial. These operators' core value lies in controlling entries, delaying attacks, and preventing smooth attacker access to objectives. They drain time, create safe zones, and serve as most teams' "first line of defense."

• Lesion: Lesion's Gu mines provide intel when stepped on and force attackers to stop moving, severely disrupting push tempo. They directly limit plant path options throughout the round.
• Aruni: Aruni's Surya Gates block passages and destroy throwables, forcing attackers to spend health or resources to pass through. In narrow corridors and chokepoints, her denial power is extremely high.
• Fenrir: Fenrir's F-NATT gas canisters instantly obscure enemy vision, making him extremely threatening in plant zones or tight sites.
• Maestro: Maestro's Evil Eyes continuously observe from safe positions and punish attackers with lasers. Their durability keeps him threatening throughout site holds.
• Mute: Mute's Signal Disruptors block drone entry points and prevent hard breach gadgets from operating, making it difficult for attackers to gather site intel. He significantly delays early reconnaissance, serving as the most stable anti-intel tool.

The second category is anti-hard breach. These operators protect reinforced walls, hatches, and garage doors, preventing attackers from opening critical entry points. They massively impact map structure and form the core of "wall denial systems":

• Bandit: Bandit's batteries instantly destroy Thermite, Ace, and other hard breach tools. He's extremely strong on sites requiring key wall holds. With proper timing, he can single-handedly defend entire walls.
• Kaid: Kaid's Rtila Electroclaws can cover multiple walls or hatches simultaneously, making it harder for attackers to find safe breach spots. Especially on sites with vertical structures or garage doors, he can forcibly slow down site opening.
• Solis: Solis's SPEC-IO Electro-Sensor marks all electronics in real time, letting her see where attackers are pushing from and what tools they're carrying right from the start, helping the team pre-position counters.

B-Tier Defenders

These defenders remain strong on specific maps or strategies but lack the overall consistency of higher tiers, relying more on prediction, routing, and individual tempo.

• Ela: Ela's Grzmot mines disrupt attacker tempo, but their short duration and easy removal limit them. She mainly relies on the high fire rate Scorpion for roaming, making her a harassment operator dependent on individual performance.
• Vigil: Vigil uses his cloak device to evade drone detection, excelling at roaming. But his ability doesn't help the team, so his value depends entirely on whether he can secure frags or create disruption.
• Kapkan: Kapkan's high-damage EDD traps can secure early kills with good placement. But they're easily spotted, making effectiveness heavily dependent on map knowledge and trap placement skill.
• Pulse: If you can fully utilize terrain, Pulse's Cardiac Sensor paired with C4, easily catches attackers off guard. But his weapons lack punch, and he requires extensive map knowledge.
• Goyo: Goyo's Volcán canisters create large fire zones with very stable time denial. The downside is predictable triggers. Maximizing value usually requires combining with teammates like Smoke or Wamai for layered delay.
• Thunderbird: Thunderbird's Kóna Stations provide quick team healing, but can also benefit enemies. She balances mobility with fragging power but requires careful positioning.
• Wamai: Wamai's Mag-NETs reliably handle throwables, serving as an important complement to Jäger. However, slow gadget generation creates early round pressure, with strength building mid to late round.

C-Tier Defenders

These operators can find a niche in certain matches, but their overall strength is relatively low. They’re rarely first-pick choices and tend to rely heavily on team strategy or individual play to be effective.

• Alibi: Alibi's holographic decoys confuse and mark attackers. Despite a high fire rate, her damage is weak and deception effectiveness depends heavily on opponent experience.
• Rook: If you want teammates to have an extra "life," Rook's armor plates ensure survivability. But as a one-time effect, they have minimal impact on overall tempo.
• Doc: Doc uses his stim pistol to heal and revive teammates with strong survival utility. But limited ammo, slow movement, and no area control make his functionality limited.
• Oryx: Oryx uses wall dashes and hatch climbing for rapid rotation, good for roaming harassment. But high noise and lack of site holding value make him dependent on individual skill.
• Melusi: Melusi's Banshee slowing devices offer decent main path denial but are easily cleared from range, with overall control power much weaker than before.
• Thorn: Thorn's delayed proximity mines slow attacker pushes, but obvious audio cues make them better for blocking paths than securing kills.

D-Tier Defenders

These operators have low adaptability in the current meta and their utility falls short of mainstream picks. However, each still has unique playstyles and situations where they shine. These characters are also most likely to receive buffs in future balance updates:

• Caveira: Caveira relies on Silent Step and interrogations to expose enemy positions, but her strength completely depends on attacker mistakes. Once spotted, she poses no threat and sees almost no play at higher ranks.
• Warden: If you face heavy flashes and smokes, Warden's glasses have value. Otherwise, he must stand still to activate his gadget, offering minimal impact in most situations.
• Castle: Castle uses armor panels to reinforce doors and windows, slightly slowing attacker tempo. But they're quickly removed by hard breach tools and can block teammates, making actual defensive effectiveness very limited.
• Clash: Clash is the only shield defender, able to continuously disrupt and delay attacker pushes. But she can't secure kills herself and completely depends on teammate support, making her more annoying than strong.
• Tachanka: Tachanka wields a high-capacity LMG and fire grenades, seemingly packing firepower. But his gadget requires fixed deployment, making him completely unsuited for the current fast-paced meta.

How to Obtain Rainbow Six Siege Operators?

In Rainbow Six Siege, operators are primarily obtained through Renown unlocks, R6 Credits purchases, or Battle Pass rewards.

1. Unlock Using Renown

Players accumulate Renown through matches and daily/weekly challenges to unlock operators. New operators typically cost 25,000 Renown, while older operators gradually drop to 10,000 to 15,000 Renown.

2. Purchase with R6 Credits (Fastest Method)

R6 Credits are premium currency that can directly purchase any operator. Older operators typically cost 600 R6 Credits, while new operators run around 1,200 R6 Credits. Perfect for players wanting to skip the grind and quickly access core operators.

3. Purchase the Current Season Premium Battle Pass

Buying the Premium Battle Pass grants immediate access to the current season's new operator, while other players must wait two weeks before purchasing with Renown. This is the fastest way to get the newest operator.

4. Buy R6 Accounts at GamsGo

Purchasing a Rainbow Six Siege account with unlocked operators through GamsGo gives you multiple operators, rich content, and higher-ranked accounts all at once. Ideal for new players who want a ready roster without starting from scratch.

How to Choose the Right Operator in Rainbow Six Siege?

Choosing operators isn't simply about checking tier rankings. It's about dynamically adjusting based on map characteristics, team composition, your playstyle preferences, and real-time match conditions. Master these four approaches to make the right decisions in most matches.

Choose Based on Map and Site

Every map has fixed attack routes and defensive weaknesses, creating clear differences in operator value.

• Maps with heavy vertical play (Consulate, Border): Buck and Maverick's floor destruction provides extreme value.
• Maps with rich flank routes (Oregon, Clubhouse): Nomad and Gridlock's path denial directly improves team survival.
• Sites requiring hatch protection (Bank, Chalet garage): Kaid and Bandit are irreplaceable "wall denial cores."

Game mode also changes operator strength. In Bomb mode, time denial operators like Smoke and Capitão have a massive impact. Area control modes rely more on sustained firepower and suppression from operators like Finka and Maestro.

Choose Based on Team Coordination

Five-stacks and solo queue require completely different operator strategies.

Five-stacks have full coordination, allowing confident picks of cooperation-dependent operators like Thatcher+Ace hard breach systems, Lion+Jackal anti-roam combos, or Mira+Smoke site anchors. In this environment, smooth communication maximizes your utility value.

But once in solo queue, you must prioritize operators who "can complete tasks independently." Operators like Sledge, Zofia, and Maverick who deliver stable value without teammate reliance become more reliable. On defense, avoid pure support roles and prioritize operators combining utility with fragging power like Jäger, Lesion, and Smoke.

Choose Based on Personal Playstyle

Every operator has a "style tag." Ultimately, picks should match your habits:

• Prefer roaming: Ash, IQ, Iana, Vigil, Oryx.
• Prefer anchoring: Mira, Maestro, Smoke, Thermite.
• Prefer gunfights: Ash, Jäger, Ela.
• Prefer tactics and intel: Zero, Valkyrie, Solis, Nomad.

Choosing an operator that reinforces your natural strengths leads to more stable performance and builds playstyle confidence.

Adjust Flexibly Based on Match Conditions

R6 is a classic pick-and-ban game. Operator selection often isn't a fixed answer but requires real-time adjustment based on enemy composition for maximum effectiveness.

Enemy has heavy intel gadgets, bring IQ or Zero. Enemy stacks electronics, bring Thatcher or Brava. Enemy has Mira, bring Maverick.

From here, also check whether your team lacks critical roles: hard breach, throwable denial, time drain, intel gathering. Each missing piece impacts tempo.

Before each round starts, observe your teammates' picks, then actively fill team gaps. This creates more complete compositions and gives you a clearer role within the team.

What Operator Combinations Are Recommended in Y10S4?

Individual operator strength matters, but winning requires team synergy and complementary abilities. The core of operator combinations is making gadgets work together, creating effects greater than the sum of their parts. Here are the most effective tactical combinations in Y10S4:

• Hard Breach Combo (Thatcher + Ace + Nomad + Sledge + Zofia): The most common attack setup in pro league. Thatcher disables electronics, Ace safely breaches walls, Nomad blocks flanks to prevent runouts, Sledge provides vertical pressure and secondary openings, and Zofia clears shields and utility. This system handles most defensive lineups with stability and high error tolerance.
• Anti-Roam Combo (Lion + Jackal + Nomad + Gridlock + IQ): Specifically designed to suppress roaming defense. Lion's scan freezes movement, Jackal tracks footprints, Nomad and Gridlock block rotate paths, and IQ detects electronics from Vigil or Pulse. This combination makes it extremely difficult for roaming defenders to operate, forcing them back onto the site.
• Intel Overload Combo (Zero + Iana + Lion + IQ + Nomad): Relies on high-density reconnaissance tools to completely track enemy movements. Zero's cameras, Iana's hologram, Lion's scans, and IQ's electronics detection form an information chain, while Nomad's mines provide flank feedback. This combination controls tempo through information advantage and works best in five-stacks.
• Fortress Defense Combo (Smoke + Mira + Jäger + Mute + Bandit): The most classic site-holding system. Mira's Black Mirrors establishes a visual advantage, Bandit protects key reinforced walls, Mute blocks drones and hard breach, Jäger intercepts throwables, and Smoke handles final time denial. Complete and stable setup, though vulnerable to vertical attacks or breaches from above.

Of course, operator combinations aren't fixed formulas. You still need to adjust flexibly based on the map, opponents, and teammates. Rather than memorizing combinations, understand how each operator's gadget synergizes.

Once you grasp why Thatcher pairs well with Ace, you can create your own tactical combinations based on actual situations.

Conclusion

This Y10S4 Tier List reflects the current meta landscape, but Rainbow Six Siege's environment is always evolving. New operators, balance patches, and weapon adjustments constantly impact rankings. We'll continue tracking pro league and high-rank data to update this list promptly, ensuring you always stay on top of the latest strength trends.

If you don't have a complete roster yet or want to quickly experience more operators, you can also grab a more affordable R6 account at GamsGo. Unlock the full gameplay experience at a lower cost and keep pace with the latest meta.

We’ve also prepared a small bonus to make your R6 journey even smoother.👇

FAQ

Which Is The Best Operator in Rainbow Six Siege?

Rainbow Six Siege has no single "best" operator—it depends on map, team comp, and playstyle. In Y10S4, top-tier picks include attackers like Nomad, Thatcher, and Ace, plus defenders like Smoke, Mira, and Azami. New players should start with straightforward operators like Sledge and Rook.

Who Is The Most Banned Operator in Rainbow Six Siege?

In Y10S4, the most banned attackers are Thatcher, Jackal, Nomad, and Iana, consistently dominating ranked bans. Top banned defenders include Mira, Valkyrie, Solis, and Azami, with high ban rates across most maps. Ban trends shift with patches, map rotations, and pro league meta, so they're constantly evolving.

Which Aspects of Thatcher Were Reworked in Y10S4?

Thatcher (Y10S4 Rework): His EMP grenades were replaced with the E.G.S. Disruptor, which detects and precisely destroys electronics while showing disable duration, offering better tempo control. He also gained the PMR90A2 for improved mid-long range combat.

What Is Iana's Role on A Team?

Iana functions as an intel scout and tactical disruptor. Her Gemini Replicator hologram provides unlimited, risk-free reconnaissance—gathering enemy positions, baiting shots, and draining defensive resources. Ideal for information control and flexible positioning, making her popular in high-ranking play.

Related Articles:

• Blood Strike Redeem Codes
• 2025 latest Honor of Kings tier list
• Shorekeeper Ascension Materials Prefarm Guide