Rainbow Six Siege’s Operation Shadow Legacy is now on the live servers and with that comes Sam “Zero” Fisher, the newest operator on Team Rainbow.
With every new operator comes changes to the meta and optimal ways to play that character. Here are some of the specifications and playstyles you’ll want to employ as Zero.
Zero comes with two primary weapons: the MP7 and the SC300K.
The MP7 will be comfortable for older Rainbow Six players. The gun has made an appearance once before on defender Bandit and is widely beloved for its fierce 900 RPM fire rate and solid 32 damage. The MP7 isn’t the most optimal choice for an attacker, though, since its lack of ranged scope beyond the 1.5X limits the length of angles Zero can hold. But in close-quarters engagements, the gun is a demon. If you’re planning on taking gunfights early and often, or are playing on a frag-heavy map like Coastline, consider taking the MP7.
The SC300K is the weapon of choice for Zero players, despite the smaller magazine capacity. Its mobility statistics are the same as the MP7 and its fire rate is only a little lower. With the 45 damage the SC300K deals, you won’t be missing the fire rate or the larger magazine. In addition, the SC300K has relatively easier recoil to control and has access to the new weapon sights, making it the best all-around pick for enterprising Zero mains.
Zero’s primary gadget is the Argus Launcher, a dart gun of sorts that shoots two-way cameras into nearly any surface in the game. They have a laser on them that can only be used once and only for minimal damage to other operators. But the laser can destroy most gadgets. When your Argus Launcher is equipped, you’ll notice white lines appearing around the initial crosshair. A white line below your crosshair means a one-way camera can be attached to that surface. White lines above and below mean the camera can clip between two perspectives to see two separate rooms. You can only view one room at a time, though. The camera can be flipped from one side to the other using the spacebar.
Zero isn’t the strongest attacking operator in a heads-up fight, but his guns ensure that he’s no slouch. His utility is extremely strong and is best in the hands of intel-heavy players. He’ll be stronger on maps with larger areas to cover, like Villa or Clubhouse.
The tendency for Zero players will be to use his Argus Launcher cameras like vertical Twitch Shock Drones to employ on Mira’s incredibly powerful Black Mirrors and Goyo’s Vulcan Shields. But he’s better used elsewhere.
To get the most out of Zero, think of him as a Valkyrie on defense. Use his gadget as you would use flank drones and fire a camera at anywhere you think a lurking Vigil or Caviera would swing on your teammates from. The laser function of the Argus works on utility in a pinch, but his true power lies in resetting the drone economy, allowing for more liberal usage of “hot droning,” or droning a room while your entry fragger follows close behind for an easy intel-based kill.
Zero’s secondary gadget, frag grenades, also aids his playstyle. To emphasize the usage of cameras to hold flanks, you don’t have to burn their lasers on utility, specifically because you have frags. Is there a pesky deployable shield in your way? Is an Evil Eye spam-spotting you? Instead of burning your valuable intel utility, huck a frag at it. It’s wise to use your cameras on the flanks as Zero and not to mindlessly spam them at the site.
Zero is now available for Year Five pass holders and will go on sale for everyone else a week after his release on Sept. 17.
