Who Are The Best R6 Defenders?

If you weren’t able to muscle your way up to Gold or Platinum last season, you might need to shake up your squad’s defense.

This list will provide you with the best defensive players the game has to offer and will give your team the edge you need to win.

5) Smoke

In the Pro League Season 9 Finals, Smoke was picked 76% of the time.

Smoke is an essential operator that should be utilized by every squad. Smoke is one of the original operators which means every Rainbow 6 Siege player has immediate access to him. The combination of his barbed wire and gas grenades makes him the perfect anchor for entry denial in any situation.

Why Smoke is a Strong Defender:

• Well-rounded operator overall (weapons, health, speed, and gadgets)
• Every player has access to him
• Counters obnoxious shield attackers and rushers
• Great for entry denial and anchoring near the objective
• Effective at cutting off choke points and flanking unsuspecting enemies

Best Loadout for Smoke:

• Main: M590A1
• Weapon: Shotgun
• Why it’s the best: Smoke’s shotgun is perfect for busting down walls and CQC which is useful as an anchor

• Secondary: SMG-11
• Weapon: Machine Pistol
• Why it’s the best: The machine pistol is great for close to medium range combat and has one of the highest fire rates in the game, making it a headshot machine

• Unique Gadget: Remote Gas Grenades (3x)
• Item: Barbed Wire (2x)
• Why it’s the best: Slowing down attackers with barbed wire will allow your gas grenades to inflict as much damage as possible. Also, impact grenades are pointless when your shotgun can break down walls just as easily

Tips on playing Smoke:

• Smoke is most useful as an anchor, so be sure to stay near the objective
• Always combo your barbed wire and gas grenades to inflict maximum gas damage
• Be sure to create rotation holes using Smoke’s shotgun
• Make sure to switch to the SMG-11 when engaging in medium ranged combat
• Use gas grenades on entry points surrounding the objective during the last few seconds of a round to prevent a desperate rush

Defender Rating: 7/10

Smoke Trailer

How to Play Smoke Effectively

4) Jager

In the Pro League Season 9 Finals, Jager was picked 88.5% of the time.

If your squad needs speed and defense, Jager is the go-to operator. Not only does he have one of the most powerful defensive weapons (416-C Carbine), his ADS gadget is essential to assisting your teammates near the objective. With an 88.5% pick rate in the pro leagues, you can rest assured that Jager is one of the top defenders. His quick speed and assault rifle are also perfect for spawn killing if you are feeling extra cheeky.

Why Jager is a Strong Defender::

• All players have immediate access to this operator
• The only defender who has an assault rifle with a high damage output
• Effectively counter against frags, stuns, smokes, breaching rounds, cluster charges, candelas, airjabs, and concussion grenades
• Superquick speed makes him a powerful roamer
• Jager’s unique ability supports the whole team and helps lockdown the objective room

Best Loadout for Jager:

• Primary: 416-C Carbine
• Weapon: Assault Rifle
• Why it’s the best: This AR dishes out a whopping 43 damage per shot making it the strongest automatic defensive weapon

• Secondary: P12
• Weapon: Handgun
• Why it’s the best: The P12 is Jager’s only secondary, but has an effective 44 damage and the clip holds an impressive 15 rounds

• Unique Gadget: Active Defense System (3x)
• Item: Barbed Wire (2x)
• Why it’s the best: Jager’s ADS system counters a handful of attackers’ gadgets with ease, making it one of the most useful gadgets on defense. His barbed wire works as a sound alarm when Jager is roaming and hunting down attackers

Tips on Playing Jager:

• Be sure to place his active defense systems in strategic locations. Hide them behind objects and keep them out of sight
• Always place your gadgets and barriers before you roam the building. His ADS support the whole team
• If the 416-C Carbine’s recoil is too aggressive, try switching to burst fire
• Place your barbed wire near stairs and choke points in order to slow down defenders and alert other teammates
• If there is a soft ceiling above the objective, be sure to place an ADS in the same room to counter Fuze’s cluster charges

Defender Rating: 7/10

Jager Trailer

How to Play Jager Effectively

3) Echo

In the Pro League Season 9 Finals, Echo had a combined pick/ban rate of 99.5%.

One of the best ways to get an advantage over the attackers is to know exactly where they are breaching. That’s why Echo is one of the most overpowered operators in the game. His Yokai drones are tricky to find, super-fast, and very irritating to most attackers.

Why Echo is a Strong Defender:

• Echo’s Yokai drones can spot enemies and are very difficult to locate
• One of the few defenders who still has an ACOG sight
• His Yokai also release a disorienting sonic burst and makes it near impossible to see for several seconds
• The Yokai drone’s sonic burst cancels enemies’ actions, including breaching charges, bomb defusers, and even retracts Montagne’s deployed shield
• Echo’s deployable shield and 3 armor make him one of the best anchors

Best Loadout for Echo:

• Primary: MP5SD
• Weapon: Submachine Gun
• Why it’s the best: Echo’s submachine gun deals a decent 30 damage per shot, but is one of the few defenders who has access to an ACOG sight making it perfect for spawn killing

• Secondary: Bearing 9
• Weapon: Machine Pistol
• Why it’s the best: Echo’s Bearing 9 is an extremely powerful headshot machine. This machine pistol has 33 damage and a fire rate of 1100. Don’t even bother with his P229 handgun

• Unique Gadget: Yokai Drones (2x)
• Item: Deployable Shield
• Why it’s the best: Echo’s Yokai drones are exceptionally useful on defense. They are almost impossible to see and have an unlimited number of sonic bursts, making it one of the most overpowered unique gadgets. The deployable shield is also very useful at creating your own hiding spot while you terrorize the attackers with your Yokai

Tips for playing Echo:

• Be sure to scatter your Yokai drones near choke points and heavy traffic areas. This way even if you die, your teammates can still take advantage of the drone’s camera feed
• Use the deployable shield to hide yourself. Since you will spend a great deal of your time controlling the Yokai drones, it’s important to keep yourself as covered as possible
• Follow one of your roaming defenders with a Yokai drone. Hitting the attackers with a sonic blast is a great way to ensure your teammate gets the kill
• When playing bomb, you can always interrupt someone who is planting the bomb diffuser with a Yokai’s sonic blast. This is most useful in 1v1 situations when the clock is about to run out
• Instead of “spotting” enemies with your drones, callout enemy locations with your teammates. This way the attackers aren’t notified that you know their location

Defender Rating: 8/10

Echo Trailer

How to Play Echo Effectively

2) Maestro

In the Pro League Season 9 Finals, Maestro was picked 60.4% of the time and had a ban rate of 7.3%.

Maestro’s play style is comparable to Echo’s, but with a lot more fire power. He is most effective as an anchor and near the objective room. His Evil Eye gadgets allow for more map visibility for both you and your teammates and can even inflict a little extra damage to your enemies. If utilized correctly, the Evil Eye can be a very effective distraction.

Why Maestro is a Strong Defender:

• Maestro’s Evil Eye gadgets serves as both a camera and a weapon
• The Evil Eyes are also indestructible (when closed) to most attackers
• Like Echo’s Yokai drones, the Evil Eyes zapping ability can interrupt enemy actions such as planting breaching charges or the bomb diffuser
• His ALDA 5.56 LMG is incredibly strong, has a high fire rate, and an impressive magazine size
• The LMG also has access to an ACOG sight, making it very effective at long range
• As a 3 armor, Maestro is able to hold angles and can take a lot of damage

Best Loadout for Maestro:

• Primary: ALDA 5.56
• Weapon: Light Machine Gun
• Why it’s the best: This LMG deals a mighty 35 damage per shot and has a fire rate of 900 RPM making it severely overpowered. The magazine also holds a solid 80 rounds, so you won’t need to reload after each firefight

• Secondary: Bailiff 410
• Weapon: Handgun
• Why it’s the best: Maestro’s Bailiff 410 is basically a shotgun packed into a revolver. This gun is perfect for blasting walls into rotation holes or flanking unsuspecting attackers

• Unique Gadget: Evil Eye (2x)
• Item: Deployable Shield
• Why it’s the best: Maestro’s Evil Eye is a great way to keep tabs on the attackers’ locations. You can also distract them easily and deal a decent amount of damage while using the zapping ability. The deployable shield is useful in creating a safe space for you to monitor your cameras

Tips on Playing Maestro:

• Use your Evil Eyes to distract your enemies. Only zap them when their backs are turned and try to get them to devote all their attention on trying to destroy your gadget
• Communication is key. Callout to your teammates when you’ve bated an enemy attacker, so they can move in for an easy kill
• Place your Evil Eyes in strategic locations near choke points and the objective. Remember you can always stop someone from planting the diffuser by zapping them with the Evil Eye
• Use his Bailiff 410 shotgun revolver to create rotation holes or an exit when the enemy has you pinned
• Use his LMG and ACOG to your advantage by holding long angles down hallways. Most attackers won't expect you to have just as powerful sights

Defender rating: 8.5/10

Maestro Trailer

How to Play Maestro Effectively

1) Mira

In the Pro League Season 9 Finals, Mira had a combined pick/ban rate of 99.5%.

If you haven’t noticed, the 3 best defenders have all been anchors. Their ability to soak up damage, hold angles, and choke points are what makes them the best defenders. In this case, Mira is the best of the best when it comes to anchoring. She has 3 armor and her Black Mirror gadgets give her the upper hand in any firefight situation. She is also the most banned player (87.5%) in the pro leagues.

Why Mira is a Strong Defender:

• Mira’s Black Mirror allows for her and all her teammates to see unsuspecting attackers on the other side of walls
• Her Vector .45 ACP submachine gun has a ridiculously high hire fire rate which almost guarantees you’ll get a headshot
• While utilizing the Black Mirror, Mira and her teammates can peak around corners and walls to kill enemies effortlessly
• Her shotgun can remove walls and create rotation holes with ease
• As a 3 armor, she can take a significant amount of damage before she goes down

Best Loadout for Mira:

• Primary: Vector.45 ACP
• Weapon: Submachine Gun
• Why it’s the Best: The Vector allows for Mira to utilize the Black Mirror the most effectively. It also has a fire rate of 1200 rounds per minute. Although the ITA12L shotgun is strong, the Vector is more effective when peaking around walls

• Secondary: ITA12S
• Weapon: Shotgun
• Why it’s the Best: Most useful at breaking down walls around your Black Mirrors and for creating cycling holes

• Unique Gadget: Black Mirror (x2)
• Item: Deployable Shield
• Why it’s the Best: Mira’s Black Mirrors benefits the whole team by giving them the ability to look through walls. The deployable shield is extremely useful at blocking doorways and preventing Twitch drones from entering and shooting out your Black Mirrors

Tips on Playing Mira:

• Avoid breaking open your Black Mirrors, especially if they are near the objective. Breaking open your Black Mirror is the equivalent to Hibana’s X-KAIRO launcher busting a hole in your reinforcement
• If you do happen to break a Black Mirror, be sure to inform your teammates. There is nothing worse than getting killed because you didn’t realize the mirror was broken
• You can ping through your mirrors to point out an enemy or to make prefiring enemies even easier
• Place you Black Mirror facing choke points, doors, and windows
• When firing the Vector, shoot in short bursts to help control the kickback and prevent yourself from burning through the whole clip
• Do not place your Black Mirrors at the very beginning of the round. This lessens the chance of a Twitch drone breaking it open

Defender Rating: 9/10

Mira Trailer

How to Play Mira Effectively

Also be sure to check out these articles:

• Rainbow 6 Siege Tier List 2019 (R6 Best Operators)
• Rainbow 6 Siege Attachment Guide (R6 Best Attachments For Every Weapon)
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• [Top 5] Rainbow 6 Siege Best Attackers 2019
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• Rainbow 6 Siege Roles Explained And How To Play Each One
• [Top 10] Rainbow 6 Siege Best Players