Quick answer (updated October 22, 2026 for Y11S3.2): The best attackers in Rainbow Six Siege right now are Ace, Thatcher, Solid Snake, Thermite, Maverick, Nomad and Lion. The best defenders are Mira, Kaid, Azami, Thorn, Mute, Smoke, Jäger, Fenrir and Denari. Ubisoft's own ranked data backs the top of the list: Mira is banned in 89% of Platinum+ PC matches and Solid Snake in 58%. Noor sits at the top of A-Tier after the October 15 buff raised his Horus Lance impact damage from 50 to 80, and Tachanka climbs into A-Tier with his new impact-trigger Shumikha mode.
This tier list applies to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Year 11 Season 3 (Operation Split Fire), after the Y11S3.2 mid-season update that went live on October 15, 2026. The first version of this page covered the September 1 launch meta. Since then Ubisoft has shipped two balance passes: the Y11S3.1 refinement patch on September 22 and the Y11S3.2 mid-season update in October. This version re-ranks all 78 operators against both.
What changed in this update: Thorn and Thermite move up to S-Tier, Tachanka and Clash join A-Tier, Capitão moves from C to B, and the eight defenders the launch list left out (Castle, Doc, Tachanka, Alibi, Clash, Wamai, Skopós and Sentry) are now ranked.
Every operator is judged on four things: gadget impact, flexibility across the ranked map pool, weapon quality and how well they work in solo queue. Picks that only work in a coordinated five-stack rank below picks that carry on their own. Where Ubisoft has published hard numbers, the ranking leans on them over opinion.
What changed in the Y11S3.2 mid-season update?
The Y11S3.2 update is the biggest balance pass since launch. These are the changes that move operators on this list, all taken from Ubisoft's Designer's Notes: Y11S3 Mid-Season Update and the Y11S3.2 Patch Notes:
| Operator or system | Change | Tier impact |
|---|---|---|
| Noor | Horus Lance impact damage 50 to 80, drilling 2s to 1.5s, Guardbreak 30% to 100%, equip 0.9s to 0.4s | Top of A-Tier |
| Tachanka | New impact-trigger mode on the Shumikha Launcher (bounce mode kept) | B to A |
| Solid Snake | Soliton Radar precision mode charges 4 to 3 | Stays S, slightly weaker |
| Valkyrie | Glaive-12 added as a secondary | Stays A |
| Capitão | Fire Bolt expansion delay 1s to 0.9s | C to B |
| Clash | Taser slowdown on retreating enemies 5% to 10% | B to A |
| Osa | Talon-8 Clear Shield deployment restrictions reduced | Stays B |
| All fire damage | 12 to 14 HP (Capitão, Dokkaebi, Goyo, Noor, Tachanka, gas pipes) | Helps every fire operator |
| Barbed Wire | Ram's BU-GIs now get stuck and self-destruct in it | Small hit to Ram |
The earlier Y11S3.1 patch (September 22) also matters for this list. It raised Thermite's Exothermic Charge damage from 200 to 220 HP, cut Sledge's hammer swing from 1s to 0.8s, raised Buck's Skeleton Key ammo from 31 to 36, gave Castle's Armor Panel one more melee hit (9 to 10), and made Fenrir's Dread Mine gas reach full range faster (2s to 1.9s). Source: Y11S3.1 Patch Notes.
For a full walkthrough of every number, read our Y11S3.2 patch notes explainer.
What does Ubisoft's own ranked data say?
Ubisoft published operator ban rates and win-delta charts for Platinum and above ranked on PC, collected during Y11S3.1, in the mid-season Designer's Notes. This is the best public evidence of what high-level players think is strongest.
Most banned attackers (Platinum+, PC, Y11S3.1): Solid Snake 58%, Ace 44%, Ram 22%, Thermite 16%, Dokkaebi 12%, Thatcher 9%, Maverick 6%, then Fuze, Montagne and Kali at 3% each.
Most banned defenders (Platinum+, PC, Y11S3.1): Mira 89%, Kaid 50%, Azami 18%, Bandit 9%, Thorn 7%, Mute 6%, Valkyrie 4%, Clash 2%, Goyo 2% and Fenrir 1%.
Ban rate tells you what players fear, not automatically what wins, so this list uses it as one input next to win delta and our own judgment. Two things stand out. First, Mira at 89% is close to a permanent ban, so plan your defender pool as if she will not be available. Second, Thorn stands out in the "overpicked, too strong" corner of Ubisoft's win-delta chart: her presence is around 33% and her win delta is still about +1.6 percentage points, the strongest combination of any defender. That is the main reason she moves up to S-Tier in this update.
Keep the date in mind. These charts cover Y11S3.1, so they were collected before the Noor, Tachanka and Snake changes. Expect Snake's ban rate to dip slightly and Noor's pick rate to rise in the next set of charts.
Who are the best attackers in Rainbow Six Siege right now?
| Tier | Attackers (Y11S3.2, October 2026) |
|---|---|
| S | Ace, Thatcher, Solid Snake, Thermite, Maverick, Nomad, Lion |
| A | Dokkaebi, Ram, Deimos, Ash, Zofia, Jackal, Gridlock, Zero, Hibana, Montagne, Grim, Sledge |
| B | Kali, Capitão, Rauora, Sens, IQ, Finka, Buck, Brava, Ying, Twitch, Osa, Flores, Iana, Blackbeard, Striker |
| C | Blitz, Fuze, Amaru, Nøkk, Glaz |
S-Tier attackers
Ace is still the most dependable hard breacher. His S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher opens a large hole in a reinforced wall from a safe distance. Against Kaid or Bandit he still wants the denial cleared first, but he gets value from more walls than any other breacher. A 44% ban rate in Platinum+ shows how much good players respect him.
Thermite moves up to S-Tier. The Y11S3.1 buff raised his Exothermic Charge damage from 200 to 220 HP, which Ubisoft says increases "the risk for Defenders playing close to reinforced surfaces." The data backs the promotion: his presence sits around 30% with a positive win delta, and he is banned 16% of the time.
Thatcher stays S-Tier. His current gadget, the E.G.S. Disruptor, detects enemy electronics through walls and disables them with an EMP blast, according to Ubisoft's operator page. That shuts down electronic denial like Kaid, Bandit and Mute before your breacher commits. If he is not banned, take him.
Solid Snake stays S-Tier after his nerf. His Soliton Radar Mk. III "displays a map of the area and any hostiles present," according to Ubisoft, and the mid-season update only cut his precision mode charges from 4 to 3. He was still the most banned attacker in the game at 58%. Use the radar charges on purpose, not on cooldown.
Maverick cuts holes in reinforced walls with his Breaching Torch. It is quieter than an explosive breach but not silent, so defenders who listen can still react. Because he burns through the wall instead of placing a charge on it, Bandit and Kaid cannot destroy his breach the way they destroy Thermite's. He is hard to master but still has the highest ceiling of any attacker.
Nomad uses Airjabs to knock back defenders who walk into them. Put them on flanks after a plant and roamers have a much harder time getting back in.
Lion's EE-ONE-D scan now gives defenders less warning (1.5s down to 1.4s), so it is harder to stop moving in time. He works best with teammates who push as soon as a scan lands.
A-Tier attackers worth knowing
Dokkaebi fell from S to A this season because Mute Jammers can now interrupt her Jegeo Payload and she has to keep her tablet up for the whole upload. She is still banned in 12% of Platinum+ matches, so the upside is real.
Ram is banned 22% of the time, the third-highest of any attacker, but Y11S3.2 gives defenders a new answer: Barbed Wire now traps BU-GIs and makes them self-destruct. Pick around defenders who stack wire.
Sledge got a faster hammer swing (1s to 0.8s) in Y11S3.1. He is the easiest soft-breach pick for players learning the game.
Ash, Hibana and Zofia are still dependable A-Tier picks. Ash opens soft walls fast, and Hibana is the best hard breacher outside the S-Tier, useful when Ace and Thermite are banned or taken.
Who moved down?
Capitão moves up from C to B, but Blitz stays in C. Noor's buff makes shield play riskier: his lance now hits a shield operator with 100% Guardbreak and keeps damaging them while they pull it out. Blitz and Montagne players should expect a Noor on defense this season.
Who are the best defenders in Rainbow Six Siege right now?
| Tier | Defenders (Y11S3.2, October 2026) |
|---|---|
| S | Mira, Kaid, Azami, Thorn, Mute, Smoke, Jäger, Fenrir, Denari |
| A | Noor, Bandit, Tachanka, Valkyrie, Clash, Vigil, Pulse, Echo, Kapkan, Goyo, Rook, Lesion |
| B | Castle, Doc, Thunderbird, Frost, Mozzie, Caveira, Maestro, Melusi, Solis, Tubarão, Wamai |
| C | Oryx, Ela, Warden, Aruni, Alibi, Skopós, Sentry |
S-Tier defenders
Mira is the most feared defender in the game. Her Black Mirror puts a one-way window in a wall: whoever stands on the clear side, normally the defender holding it, sees through while the other side sees an opaque surface. An 89% ban rate tells you she is rarely available. If she is, take her.
Kaid is banned in 50% of matches because his Rtila Electroclaws electrify reinforced walls and hatches, plus nearby barbed wire and deployable shields. Because they can go on hatches, he blocks more vertical breach routes than Bandit can.
Thorn is the big riser. Ubisoft's chart puts her in the overpicked but still too strong corner with the best win delta of any popular defender, and her Razorbloom Shells punish attackers who rush through doors. She is the safest S-Tier pick when Mira and Kaid are banned.
Azami builds bulletproof patches with her Kiba Barrier kunai, closing angles attackers have prepared. She is also the best partner for Noor, because the barriers give his lances more surfaces to stick to.
Mute jams drones and remote breach gadgets. Since Y11S3 his jammers also interrupt Dokkaebi's Jegeo Payload, so he counts twice against her.
Smoke has three remote gas canisters he can set off from anywhere on the map. He is still the best late-round plant denial in the game.
Jäger puts down an Active Defense System that destroys thrown grenades on its own. It needs no aim or timing from you, so it works in every lobby.
Fenrir's Dread Mines got a small Y11S3.1 buff (full gas range in 1.9s instead of 2s). Denari finishes the tier, using the T.R.I.P. Connector to build laser grids for area denial.
A-Tier defenders
Tachanka is the A-Tier operator to learn this month. His Shumikha Launcher now has an impact-trigger mode as well as the bounce mode. Ubisoft says the new mode is meant to lower "the skill floor required to use the gadget effectively," and the fire damage buff (12 to 14 HP) stacks on top of it.
Valkyrie gets the Glaive-12 as a secondary so she can open lines of sight for her Black Eye cameras faster and from further away. Clash now slows retreating attackers twice as much with her taser (5% to 10%).
Bandit is still banned 9% of the time. Kaid covers more surfaces, but Bandit's faster, more active tricking rewards players who time their batteries well, and he is the natural pick when Kaid is banned.
Noor: is he S-Tier after the buff?
Not yet. Noor is at the top of A-Tier and the most likely operator to move up next. Ubisoft was open about why he needed the buff:
"Noor's ability felt a bit short on multiple fronts, so it is receiving some follow-up changes in order to double down on his shield countering capabilities as well as his survivability." — Ubisoft, Designer's Notes: Y11S3 Mid-Season Update
The changes are large. Lance impact damage against operators rose from 50 to 80, drilling time dropped from 2s to 1.5s, Guardbreak against shields went from 30% to 100%, and equipping the launcher now takes 0.4s instead of 0.9s. His fire also deals 14 HP per tick instead of 12.
He stays A-Tier for one reason: his kit is at its best against shields, and there are rounds where the attackers run none. Ubisoft also has not released any data collected after the buff. If his win rate holds up in the next Designer's Notes, he moves to S. For loadouts and lance placement, see our Noor guide.
Which operators should you ban in Y11S3.2 ranked?
Ban based on what will hurt your team most, not just on the highest ban rate. A quick rule for Platinum and above:
- Attack bans: Solid Snake (58% ban rate, best info gadget in the game) or Ace (44%, self-sufficient hard breach).
- Defense bans: Mira (89%) almost always. If the other team bans Mira first, ban Kaid (50%).
Our ban guide covers which bans to make for each strategy, plus solo-queue ban logic.
What are the best operators for beginners?
If you are new or coming back after a break, these picks are forgiving and still good in Y11S3.2:
- Attack: Sledge (faster hammer since Y11S3.1), Ace, Thermite and Ash.
- Defense: Rook (armor plates help the whole team), Jäger (the ADS works on its own), Mute and Smoke.
Once those feel comfortable, pair your picks with the right guns using our best loadout for every operator and our weapon tier list.
What else changed in ranked this season?
The October 15 update also changed ranked:
- Map rotation: Skyscraper and Theme Park left the ranked pool. Kanal, Outback and Oregon came in. Ubisoft calls this the final ranked map rotation of Year 11.
- Legend Division: A solo-queue division above Champion opened on October 15. You need to be Champion this season, Platinum or higher last season, clearance level 200+, Reputation Level 3+, plus Secure Boot and app-based 2FA.
- Season length: The Split Fire Battle Pass runs from September 1 to December 1. Ubisoft's Legend Division press release says the division runs "until end of season on 1st December," but Ubisoft has not separately announced a Y11S4 launch date, so treat that date as Ubisoft's current plan rather than a confirmed season end.
See our ranked guide for how RP, placements and squad restrictions work in Ranked 3.0.
FAQ
What is the best operator in Rainbow Six Siege right now? On defense it is Mira. Ubisoft's data shows she is banned in 89% of Platinum and above ranked matches on PC. On attack, Solid Snake is the most banned at 58%, followed by Ace at 44%. Both are S-Tier in this Y11S3.2 tier list.
What tier is Noor after the Y11S3.2 buff? Noor is at the top of A-Tier. The October 15 update raised his Horus Lance impact damage from 50 to 80, cut drilling time from 2s to 1.5s and raised Guardbreak against shields to 100%. He would move to S-Tier if Ubisoft's next ranked data shows his win rate holding up.
Did Solid Snake get nerfed? Yes, slightly. Y11S3.2 cut his Soliton Radar precision mode charges from 4 to 3. He is still S-Tier and was the most banned attacker in Ubisoft's Y11S3.1 data.
Is Tachanka good now? Yes, he is A-Tier. The Shumikha Launcher can now set off its incendiary grenades on impact as well as by bouncing, and fire damage went up from 12 to 14 HP for every fire operator.
How many operators are in Rainbow Six Siege? There are 78 operators as of Y11S3: 39 attackers and 39 defenders. Noor, added on September 1, 2026, is the newest.
When will this tier list be updated again? When Ubisoft ships the next balance patch or the Year 11 Season 4 launch. Ubisoft has not confirmed the Y11S4 date. Until then, this list reflects the Y11S3.2 update that went live on October 15, 2026.
Want to climb faster this season? More Y11S3 guides and every timesaver.gg service are one click away.
- Rainbow Six Siege Noor Guide — Y11S3
- R6 Y11S3.2 Patch Notes Explained
- Best Operators to Ban — Y11S3
- All timesaver.gg services
This tier list applies to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Year 11 Season 3 (Operation Split Fire), as of the Y11S3.2 mid-season update (live October 15, 2026). Last updated October 22, 2026. Ban-rate and win-delta figures come from Ubisoft's Designer's Notes and cover Platinum and above ranked on PC during Y11S3.1.
