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With more than 60 operators in the game, it's normal when players are unsure what operator should be unlocked first in Rainbow Six Siege. This is our take on the matter.
Read more: Is Rainbow Six Siege difficult to learn?
Which operator should I unlock first in Rainbow Six Siege?
The answer to this question will vary depending on if you need an attacking operator or a defender. The quantity of Renown or R6 Credits you have is also determinant, since when you purchase the game you are supposed to have nothing.
Another factor to consider is the knowledge of the map. For example, we don't think supports are a good option to begin with. In order to play support, you must provide teammates with callouts and information, a skill you won't develop until you have played a good number of hours. It also applies to hard breachers or anchors, as you must master their gadgets first before being useful to your team.
If you are a beginner, the best options are fast operators with solid loadouts. Playing them, you will slowly get used to the mechanics of the game, while learning the basic callouts and how to move around the maps in Siege.
With this in mind, we will give you two options for each attackers and defenders.
What attacker should I unlock first in Rainbow Six Siege?
We think that the first attacking operator you should unlock in Rainbow Six Siege is Ash.
The reason is simple: she is a three-speed, one-armor operator with a versatile loadout and a great gadget. With Ash, you can help your teammates by destroying bulletproof gadgets with Ash's projectile launcher while actively participating in fragging tasks due to her characteristics.
She is also pretty cheap since she was released in Year 1. You can easily unlock Ash on your first day playing Rainbow Six Siege.
However, if Renown or R6 Credits aren't an issue for you, we have another great option.
As of now, Iana might be the best operator to bring to the battlefield while attacking. It's also an operator that can be used without having great knowledge of the map. Her loadout is very strong and it includes two fragmentation grenades, which are very important for today's meta.
Other attackers you can try out are Sledge, to get used to more fragmentation grenades, Lion, or Jackal.
What defender should I unlock first in Rainbow Six Siege?
We think that the first defender operator you should unlock in Rainbow Six Siege is Jäger.
Just like Ash, Jäger has a pretty solid loadout — which has gotten worse due to the recent nerfs the Carbine has suffered. His gadget is very easy to use too, as you just have to place his three ADSs in different parts of the map.
Jäger is a roamer, an operator that plays outside the defenders' site. This means that you will be able to explore new rooms and spots, which will eventually help you at learning the callouts of the game.
He is also a very cheap operator, as he was also released with the launch of Rainbow Six Siege.
If Renown and R6 Credits aren't a problem for you, you can try Thunderbird. She deploys a medical station where damaged operators can get some healthpoints back. Her weapons aren't bad at all, as she brings the Bearing 9 as a secondary gun.
Other defenders you can try out are Kapkan, to get used to Rainbow Six Siege's traps, Maestro, Melusi, or even Bandit.
How to get better with new operators in Rainbow Six Siege
You can get used to new operators and maps by playing Terrorist Hunt and Team Deathmatch. With the upcoming launch of Operation Vector Glare, players will also have the option to go to the brand new Shooting Range.
Team Deathmatch will give you the option to have close-range gunfights, while the Shooting Range can be used to master the gun's recoil. Keep in mind that you don't have to own all the operators in the game to be able to use them in these two game modes, so try them out to see which one fits you the most!
Tutorials
With the arrival of Operation Heavy Mettle at Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft introduced Tutorials.
Tutorials is a play-list that includes three practice fields that show you the basics of Rainbow Six Siege, including droning, planting, and how to move around a map.
Once you complete the three tutorials, the operators included in the initial version of the game are automatically unlocked for you! This allows you to save your Renown for future operators included in Rainbow Six Siege expansions.