Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege was nothing short of revolutionary. Being a live service AAA title fueled with team coordination and destruction-based gameplay, it quickly created a dominant name in the whole esports scene.

Players are eager to master and uncover game-changing secrets of the game’s tactical depth and learn clever ways around various maps. This is because Rainbow Six Siege has a steep learning curve that can be challenging for those only familiar with the fast-paced nature of Call of Duty and Battlefield.

Today’s highlights are the operators. These are the core elements of the gameplay since every character behaves differently on the battlefield. No matter how skilled you are, taking command of an unfamiliar operator is only going to result in a loss. Whether you are a beginner or someone planning to dive back into Rainbow Six Siege after ages, here are the attack and defense operators you can turn the tide with.

Best Beginner-Friendly Operators For Attacking

Since attacking is generally more demanding, especially for newbies, these operators can deliver a forgivable experience if paired with some precision.

Sledge

• Real Name: Seamus Cowden
• Birthplace: UK
• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 209 lbs.
• Price: 1,000 Renown

One can rely heavily on Sledge, as his weapons and abilities are ideal not only for beginners but also for experts. Dive into a ranked match or two, and you’ll come across unstoppable players using this British monster, as he’s been a part of the game since day one.

The major highlight of this operator is the famous tactical breaching hammer, the Caber. Thanks to this absolute unit, smashing through breakable surfaces such as wooden walls, floors, barricades, and other elements that make up 60% of the map is possible. As a result, players can break through barriers and emerge from places that the defenders least expect them to come from.

Additionally, both of the primary weapons, the L85A2 (AR) and the M590A1 (shotgun), offer less recoil with more damage per hit, making them ideal for someone who has just started with the game. However, Sledge isn’t as fast as other operators due to his weight, and while his strength with the Caber is his greatest asset, it can sometimes cause more harm than good. The swinging not only makes you vulnerable but also alerts enemies to its sound. But overall, he can provide a solid start once you learn to compensate for his weaknesses.

Thermite

• Real Name: Jordan Trace
• Birthplace: USA
• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 179 lbs.
• Price: 1,000 Renown

What Sledge can’t do, Thermite can. The Caber can help you smash through various surfaces, but when it comes to reinforced walls, it’s useless. But thanks to Thermite’s exothermic charge, the Brimstone BC-3, you can melt your way in and take on the defense.

The charges deploy quickly, with an animation duration of around 3 seconds, and can be activated remotely. As a result, you can plant the charge, look around for enemies, and blast from behind to either score a skill by yourself or open a window for your teammates.

When it comes to weapons, Thermite also offers a shotgun and an assault rifle. However, the renowned AR 552 Commando is the way to go, as it provides a COD-like handling that beginners can master in no time. Additionally, the Claymores can be your bread and butter for easy kills when planted in clever spots. Together, all of these traits can work well for a newcomer, but only if the teammates keep up with their strategy and the defense does not use Mute to disrupt electronics.

Jackal

• Real Name: Ryad Ramírez Al-Hassar
• Birthplace: Spain
• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 172 lbs.
• Price: 10,000 Renown

Enough with melting and smashing through surfaces. Here’s an operator that the defense fears the most. Once you earn enough renown and hit the 10,000 markup, investing in Jackal is a serious pro move. By paying 10 times the average operator’s price, you are getting something promising in return.

The real deal here is the Eyenox Model III that allows Jackal to track enemy footprints and deduce their exact location. This is a game-changer, as beginners often struggle to guess the vulnerable spots where defenders are waiting for them. Jackal solves it and lets you rush to the precise enemy point or mark it for teammates to take care of business.

Additionally, the signature assault rifle, C7E, is just as easy to handle as the ones discussed before. But for those who prefer spraying bullets without reloading often, Jackal also comes with a PDW9 submachine to help with this. Collectively, you are getting a solid attacker, but keep in mind that once you track an opponent, they get a notification. This can be a deal-breaker, especially if the opponent is using Caveira—you could be prone to their stealth kill.

Best Beginner-Friendly Operators For Defending

With the attackers sorted, let’s discuss some promising operators that can help you excel at defending in no time.

Pulse

• Real Name: Jack Estrada
• Birthplace: USA
• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 187 lbs.
• Price: 1,000 Renown

Our list would have been incomplete without Pulse. As a day-one operator, the community has long praised his capabilities. Similar to Sledge, Pulse is still a go-to character for pro players to dominate a match with.

The standout feature of his loadout, of course, is the HB-5 Cardiac Sensor, which helps you detect nearby threats. By detecting heartbeats, the sensor not only displays an opponent's location behind a wall but also covers floors and roofs. This way, you never miss a kill by firing your weapon through a breakable surface.

Speaking of weapons, the SMG UMP45 can make you unstoppable thanks to a higher fire rate and minimal recoil. Similarly, the nitro cell can be planted on a surface beforehand to remotely detonate it when you detect a victim near its perimeter via HB-5. However, if a wall ain’t soft, Pulse can only detect a threat, keeping the intel to himself and unable to do anything on his own.

Doc

• Real Name: Gustave Kateb
• Birthplace: France
• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 163 lbs.
• Price: 1,000 Renown

Rainbow Six Siege is unforgiving for many beginners because there are no second chances; you either kill or get killed. But for players who want to expand their defensive strategies and last longer, Doc can provide second chances.

As the name suggests, Doc is an operator focused on health. In a sticky situation, he can not only heal teammates but also revive himself when knocked out. This is useful because once you are down, odds are high that a fellow operator won’t risk his life to boost you up. Thanks to self-reviving, you don’t have to rely on someone else to get up and continue the action.

To add further, Doc’s MP5, especially with the 1.5x scope, provides exceptional coverage for defending where extra range isn’t required. Though it does make recoil a little prominent, it’s still easy to handle, even for a newbie. However, using this operator when the team includes information gatherers, such as Pulse and Alibi, is wise, because Doc alone can’t get your enemy's intel. As an individual, you could be peaking cluelessly until Sledge or Thermite smashes through a wall and finishes your game.

Valkyrie

• Real Name: Meghan J. Castellano
• Birthplace: USA
• Height: 5’7”
• Weight: 134 lbs.
• Price: 10,000 Renown

Spending 10,000 Renown on Valkyrie is one of the best decisions you can make in Rainbow Six Siege. Meghan is just as aggressive as she looks and is one of the operators the attackers are hesitant to take on.

The Black Eyes are her standout features, helping you place surveillance cameras almost anywhere on the map. While default cameras get the job done, they are always in a fixed spot and destroyed by attackers anyway. But you can put a Black Eye in the least expected place and stay aware of an opponent’s location while they live in a delusion of being unseen.

Additionally, Valkyrie offers an unstoppable one-shot-one-kill weapon, the famous Desert Eagle. Since an enemy's location is already exposed, spamming the DEAGLE on a vulnerable spot or deploying the nitro cell can almost guarantee a kill. Even if you do miss a shot, the MPX is there to compensate and maintain a solid defensive approach. However, once the cameras are identified and destroyed—especially if you are against IQ—relying on teammates’ intel is all that’s left.

Conclusion

All of the operators above are enough to take you on a rollercoaster ride of a typical Rainbow Six Siege experience. For a stealthy approach, Jackal, Pulse, and Valkyrie can work well. While Sledge, Thermite, and Doc provide all the juice needed to rush in and conquer. That said, keep on practicing in quick matches, learn your way around, and join the experts in ranked showdowns once you go pro.