In Rainbow Six Siege's Ranked and Unranked game modes, players have the option to ban operators.
Each team bans an attacker and a defender, usually trying to eliminate the biggest threats to their chosen strategy or team composition. Some operators are banned more than others, so here are the most-banned in the game!
Read more: How to play Rainbow Six Siege — and win
What are Rainbow Six Siege's most banned operators?
In Rainbow Six Siege, the most banned operators are Thatcher on attack and Mira on defense.
Most banned attackers
According to Ubisoft's Year 7 Season 2 Pre-Season Designer's Notes, the most banned operator in the game is Thatcher. He is banned 88% of the time in Platinum and above matches.
It's no surprise that Thatcher is the most banned operator on the attacking side. His gadget has immense power, as his EMPs can disable any defender gadget for 10 seconds. Having him open is always great news for the attackers.
Jackal is the second name on the list, with his scanner being a big nightmare for the roamers. Surprisingly, No Ban takes the third spot, meaning that players decide to not ban any operator — or just don't pay attention to the banning phase. Montagne is in fourth place, followed by Finka, Osa, Nomad, Maverick, Ace, Blackbeard, Flores, Hibana, and Nokk.
Most banned defenders
It's not as clear as it was with Thatcher, but Mira is the most banned operator on defense. Her opaque windows let defenders see through them, while attackers can't. Although there are many counters to them nowadays, its strength is still undeniable.
Valkyrie is the second on the list despite suffering a big nerf recently that affected her cameras. Kaid is in third, while the No Ban is in fourth. The list is completed with Clash, Kapkan, Melusi, Azami, Echo, Ela, Caveira, and Jäger.
What alternatives do you have for Rainbow Six Siege bans?
If you main any of the previously mentioned operators, don't worry. Here are some simple alternatives!
Flores: Flores can be used as an alternative to Thatcher. His special drones detonate from the distance, and you can use them to get rid of defender utility as Thatcher does. Flores also has Thatcher's L85A2, so the experience is very similar! Twitch and Kali can also do the job, but you should master their guns first.
Lion: Lion can be used as an alternative to Jackal. His gadget is a great option to counter roamers, as they won't be able to move without being detected for a little while.
Zofia: If you use Finka for her fragmentation grenades, gadget, and LMG, Zofia might be the best alternative. The Polish operator has also access to an LMG and her gadget can work as a fragmentation grenade — to get rid of bulletproof gadgets. You can also trigger defender gadgets such as ADSs or Wamai disks with her stun grenades launcher.
Maestro: Maestro can be an alternative for Mira. The Italian operator has a better weapon kit since he can open rotation holes with his secondary weapon, while he has an LMG as a first option. His cameras can be a great addition if they are well placed.
Echo: Valkyrie's clearest alternative is Echo, as he can use his drones as cameras to get as much information as possible. If you are good enough with Mozzie's gadget, he is a good alternative too as he brings a C4 just like Valkyrie does.
Bandit and Mute: You won't be able to electrify or jam hatches, but you can use Bandit or Mute to protect reinforced walls if Kaid is banned.