R6 Siege:
Roles on Defense

Learn more about defensive operators’ roles in Rainbow Six Siege!

Introduction

Below the categorization of utility and assignment of operators to those roles is my subjective opinion.
Some operators are assigned to couple roles as their playstyle is fluid.

The idea behind it is to give you:

an overview of what can be expected when playing on the offensive side and facing a defensive team with certain operators
an understanding of defending operators’ strengths
the notion of which operator to play in case a specific playstyle is your preference.

I highly recommend that you read our in-depth guides for every operator you plan to play. They will give you a much more profound idea of:

desired playstyle
details on the utility and how to use it
counters and synergies
preferred loadout selection

Defensive Roles in R6

BREACH DENIAL

Main task:

Prevent the attacking team from opening holes in reinforced walls and hatches.

Advantage given:

During the preparation phase, defenders will use their reinforcements on vital walls and hatches, which are destructible otherwise.

By doing so, defenders limit options substantially for attackers for angles and entry points to the objective.

To breach through reinforced walls, attackers need to use Hard breachers’ utility. As of the moment of writing this article, there are only 3 Hard breachers, namely: Thermite, Hibana, and Maverick.

Therefore, breach denial defenders are an essential part of every successful team composition as they help defenders to:

limit number of entry points to the objective
disable lines of sight that defenders can be shot from
allow defenders to keep their preferred position

The only Hard breacher who is not countered by Breach Denial is Maverick.
Selecting Breach Denial defender(s) should be your team’s main priority for sites where opening an objective wall gives attackers a significant advantage. This is the case with most of the sites in R6 Siege, but mainly with objectives where attackers can access it directly from outside of the building.

Operators included:

Bandit
His Shock batteries electrify reinforced walls. Utility placed on such a wall (like Exothermic charges) is permanently destroyed.
Bandit can “Bandit trick” wall, which makes him superior from the breach denial perspective on walls.
Mute
His jammers block breaching utility within an effective radius from detonation. Breaching utility is not destroyed but jammed for as long as jammer remains active.
Kaid
Kaid’s Electroclaw is throwable, making him the only breach denial defender with a possibility to prevent the opening of hatches. Besides specific locations where Mute jammer is capable of impacting hatch breaching. Similarly to Bandit, Kaid’s gadget electrifies objects. The main difference being activation time needed for Electroclaw to be effective – prevents “Bandit tricking” with Kaid.

Anti-Intel

Main task:

Prevent the offensive team from gathering information about defenders’ location and gadget placement.

Advantage given:

Droning is one of the most essential activities on the attacking end. When done correctly by attackers and allowed by defense, information gathered by utilizing drones can give attackers immense advantage.

Each Anti-Intel defender gives a different type of counter to drones.

However, defenders in this group can make droning more challenging by either disabling, capturing, or even capturing drones (only Mozzie).

In case they are unable to deal with a drone permanently, they may prevent its access to the particular key area.

Operators included:

Mozzie
A recent addition to the Rainbow Six Siege roster, Mozzie is specialized in denying access to drones and even capturing them! Once a drone is captured, Mozzie can utilize it just like attackers would.
Mute
The most intel-denial oriented defender from those operators who are also categorized as Breach denial. Mute’s jammers impact drones within their effective range. This characteristic allows him to jam drones even through surfaces when placed correctly in the right circumstances.

Bandit
Not his main priority, but Bandit can permanently destroy drones that touch surfaces or utility electrified by his Shock wires. Usually, his intel denial comes from combining Shock wires with Barbed wires.

Kaid
Just like Bandit, Kaid is not usually focusing on denying access to drones but is certainly capable of doing so. Benefit over Bandit in drone destruction is the range of Rtilla. In specific locations, Kaid can electrify both wall and Barbed wire.

AREA DENIAL

Main task:

Each operator listed in this category operates differently from a mechanics perspective but serves the same purpose – preventing attackers from gaining access to areas.

Advantage given:

Preventing access to the objective or any other significant areas forces attackers to either:

deal with utility by expanding their own gadgets
put themselves at risk to advance
waste time
or choose a different route

Operators included:

Mira
Equipped with two one-way mirrors, which allow a defender to see from their side attackers without being seen.
The introduction of Mira in Y2 completely revolutionized defensive tactics for many objectives. Mira is one of the most useful operators on the defensive side and my top pick for area denial operators.
Aruni
Year 5 addition to the defensive roster, Aruni offers a role similar to Castle with her Surya Laser Gates.
She excels at creating an additional layer for attackers to deal with on either entry points (windows & doorways) or breachable walls.
The main benefit is “burning” attackers’ utility and providing heads up about the direction of the push.
Smoke
He is a top-rated operator with the ability to delay access to the area or prevent completing an objective by attackers for a whole 30 seconds.
The Smoke has an extremely high pick rate in Pro league ever since Y1S1. He is a difficult operator to use correctly, but when played correctly, he can tip the scales in the defenders’ favor during late-round objective pushes.
Goyo
Equipped with 2 Volcan shields which are deployable shields with the addition of explosive canister attached to them.
An explosion of canister releases fire that spreads over a vast area.
Goyo can backfire defenders if used wrongly as the fire burns both attacking and defensive teams.
Melusi
A powerful 3-speed defender with access to 3 Banshee devices that slow down and disturb the audio of attackers within its range.
Melusi is great at entry point denial.
Castle
Able to deny access or angles with 3 Armored Panels, which can be placed in windows and doorways.
Castle requires a specific plan to benefit the defensive team.
Not recommended for inexperienced players due to the possibility of hindering defenders more than impacting attackers.
Tachanka
The Lord has access to a grenade launcher which allows him to shoot grenades that burn the area for 7 seconds. He has 10 of those grenades, thus providing quite a significant potential of denying access to the objective. As a result, Tachanka fills in a similar role as Smoke – he becomes better the lower the round timer is.

Intel Gathering

Main task:

Specialized in providing information about the enemy’s presence.

Advantage given:

If I can name two vital factors for victory in Rainbow Six Siege, those will be Communication and Information.

Knowledge about enemies’ presence is extremely beneficial and can be a difference between winning or losing the round.

Additionally, knowing where an enemy is not can often be just as useful!

Operators included:

Valkyrie
Supplied with 3 Black Eye cameras, Valkyrie is an excellent pick to provide intel, both inside or outside the building. The ability to throw cameras outside of the building gives her a lot of flexibility and encourages creativity.
Echo
He has access to two drones, which can be used for multiple purposes. From the intel-gathering perspective, Echo’s utility is excellent for aiding both roamers and anchors.
Yokai drones can be spectated by teammates. Echo can move drones anytime, but they are no longer camouflaged when attached to the ceiling. The nerf to Yokai’s visibility made Echo significantly less popular pick in Rainbow Six Siege.
Maestro
Evil eyes serve similar purpose to Echo’s drones.
The main difference is the lack of mobility of utility once placed. The upside of Evil eyes is endurance: cannot be destroyed by just bullets (unless used to “zap” attackers). Best used at or close to the objective site.
On top of that, Evil eyes see through the smoke!
Pulse
Armed with a Cardiac scanner, Pulse is capable of identifying an enemy’s presence within 9 meters, without a need for a clear line of sight.
He operates very differently from other intel-gathering operators available on the defensive end. Pulse’s utility is active, hence to bring benefit to the defensive team he has to stay alive and use scanner actively.
Extremely useful when vertical play can be utilized (has access to C4).
Alibi
Her 3 Prismas can provide intel to defenders about the enemy’s presence. Alibi requires attackers to shoot her hologram.
Not the best tool available to defenders when it comes to gathering intel. Frequently used more to confuse the enemy and force them to hesitate before shooting.
Melusi
Besides area denial, Melusi’s gadget serves as an intel-gathering tool as it provides the enemy’s location due to audio cue – similar to proximity alarm.
Clash
The only defender with a shield. Clash is mainly used for intel-gathering due to the limitation of a lack of firepower with a shield equipped.
Mozzie
His unique utility allows him to steal attackers’ drones, which as a result adds them to the pull of surveillance tools at defenders’ disposal.
Warden
A specific operator who can see through the smoke when standing still. Therefore, making him the Glaz of the defense. Warden is also capable of countering flashes from Blitz, Ying and Stun grenades.
Caveira
Her main function is a Dedicated roamer. However, besides Silent steps, she can also interrogate downed attacker revealing the live location for 10 seconds. Interrogation is a high-risk high-reward type of play which can turn the tide of the round.

Notable mentions:

Ela, Lesion & Kapkan.

Above Trap operators provide intel about attackers’ presence. Lesion is superior in terms of intel gathering capability. He can identify exactly which trap has been activated thanks to UI marks.

On the other hand, activation of Kapkan and Ela utility has to be heard (or seen) to provide precise intel.

Trappers

Main task:

Tricking attacker into stepping into a pre-placed trap to harm or debuff impacted operator.

Advantage given:

Every trapper works differently and provides a different type of benefit. Some of the traps hinder impacted attacker, while other damage them, down or even kill a trapped player.

The main point is to put attackers at a disadvantage, simultaneously giving an edge to a defender.

Operators included:

Lesion
Equipped with Gu mines that when stepped on:

- slow down
- damage
- indicate the position of an impacted attacker

Remain effective until the needle is removed manually by the affected attacker.

Lesion mines generate over time. He starts with 1 mine and gets a new one every 30th second, with a maximum of 8 Gu mines.

Frost
Has access to 3 Welcome mats, downing attackers stepping into them. Best used behind windows, forcing an attacker to aim and shoot map while vaulting (or using explosives) or risking being trapped.
Kapkan
Armed with 5 EDD traps that can be placed in doorways as well as windows. Damages crossing attacker for base 60 damage (medium armor 51 and heavy operators for 45 HP), while also making a loud blast.
When placed correctly, EDD can deal with late-round pushes or with preventing rushes. In late-round situations, attackers do not have time to pay attention to traps.
Ela
Supplied with 3 Grzmot mines which disorient impacted attacker, giving an advantage in firefights to the defensive team.
Provides also with intel about incoming attackers and stops an attacker from completing started action (i.e., planting defuser)

DEDICATED ROAMERS

Main task:

Utility designed to support the operator in roaming on the defensive side.

Advantage given:

Roamers are an essential aspect of defending in Rainbow Six Siege. They waste attackers’ time and do not let them feel comfortable focusing solely on the objective until roamers are dealt with.

Operators in this group are designed around roaming: their utility makes it difficult for attackers to identify their position.

Operators included:

Caveira
She is the sneakiest defender in R6 Siege. Her utility comprises of two unique gameplay mechanics: Silent steps and interrogation.
The Silent step makes her almost inaudible for 10 seconds. Additionally, footsteps left during the Silent step are invisible to Jackal’s Eyenox.
Interrogation is an animation for finishing downed attackers, after which the remaining opponents’ position is revealed to all defenders for 10 seconds.
Caveira requires advanced map knowledge and experience to be played correctly.
Vigil
Equipped with ERC-7, Vigil can disappear from video feeds of drones and cameras for a maximum duration of 12 seconds (with max 6 seconds recharge).
ERC-7 is excellent at countering droning to deny precise intel about Vigil’s presence. This forces attackers to either “face check” or waste time.
Oryx
The opposite of Caveira, Oryx is a roamer who is not really concerned about being sneaky. Instead, he is able to traverse the map in a quick fashion, thanks to his Remah Dash ability.
Not only that, but Saif is also capable of climbing hatches – adds an entirely new layer to flanking in Rainbow Six Siege!

SUPPORT

Main task:

Support operators are characterized by utility designed to aid teammates.

Advantage given:

Defenders are either buffed by support operators, healed or aided in holding their position.

Operators included:

Jäger
Helps the team by placing his ADS where attackers are expected to throw grenades (and other throwables like candelas) and to secure anchors position. Jäger is one of the most picked defenders thorough the pro league’s and ranked matches history.
Preventing a smoke advance, stun grenade/Candela rush, or frag grenades from killing anchors can be a game-changer.
Wamai
Similar to Jager, Wamai helps the team by interacting with the attacker’s throwables.
Wamai’s Mag-net impacts Capitao’s bolts, unlike ADS.
Rook
He buffs all teammates who pick up his armor plates by increasing their damage reduction by 20% and guaranteeing downed status instead of death (exception: headshots).
A great operator for new players as using his utility from a gameplay perspective is as simple as it gets.
Doc
Equipped with 3 stim pistol shots, which let Doc heal himself or teammates for 40hp. Operators can be overhealed up to 140hp.
Only defensive healer in Rainbow Six Siege. His ability makes him the most durable defender in the game.
Additionally, Doc can “revive” downed (but not dead) operators from range, as long as he has a line of sight on the operator.