How to play Thorn in Rainbow Six Siege explained

Thorn used to be one of the worst trap operators in Rainbow Six Siege... but she's one of the most meta operators in the game right now; in fact, we could say Thorn is one of the strongest defenders in the game nowadays.

Her position in Rainbow Six Siege's meta was drastically improved with the release of the Y10S4.2 Patch. In this update, Ubisoft improved Thorn's Razor Bloom Shells by reducing their trigger and activation time, adding a debuff effect, as well as adding a fourth mine. Following these changes, she quickly arose as one of the best trap operators in the game, even ahead of defenders like Kapkan or Trap.

The magic behind Thorn right now is that her Razor Bloom Shells can be hidden unlike other deadly traps such as Frost's mats or Kapkan's lasers. Additionally, the reduced trigger and activation times also make Thorn's Razor Bloom Shells gadgets that can be used to stop the attackers' plant attempts. While these aren't as effective as C4s, the possibility is on the table.

Moreover, Thorn isn't only strong because of her traps: she's also strong because of her weapon loadout. The UZK50GI is one of the best weapons on defense and she can combine it with the C75 Auto, making her loadout one of the best, if not the best, for a roamer in Rainbow Six Siege. Players can also equip her with the M870 Shotgun to hold specific corners or rooms. If that wasn't enough, she can also bring a Deployable Shield. Isn't that impressive?

Although this already makes Thorn a strong operator, it's important to know how to play her. Therefore, in this article you will find some tips that will help you master the Irish defender.

Place the Razor Bloom Shells next to gas pipes

Placing Thorn's Razor Bloom Shells next to Gas Pipes is a great and easy way to get kills in Rainbow Six Siege. When triggered, the gadget explosion will also detonate the gas pipe, killing all enemies arround it and burning those that walk through the flames.

This is something that you can put in practice on every modernised map. However, we would say the best map for this tactic to work is Clubhouse.

Always consider default plant spots

You should also place Thorn's Razor Bloom Shells next to default plant spots. All bomb sites have a bunch of these, so placing traps there will at least make attackers feel very uncomfortable. If enemies don't shoot the charges first, they will likely have to move and find another spot to plant the defuser if there's not much time left.

Combine mines with barbed wire

Combining Thorn's Razoor Bloom Shells with Thorn's barbed wire is also a smart move to consider. An attacker that is walking on barbed wire is automatically slowed down; therefore, if there's a mine nearby, there are more chances of getting a kill.

Use the map to your advantage

Thorn's Razoor Bloom Shells are very easy to break. In fact, it only takes one shot to destroy one of Thorn's mines. To make it harder for attackers to find them, make sure to use the map to your advantage. Thorn's Razoor Bloom Shells are small, meaning you can easily hide them by making a small whole on surfaces or even furniture. The picture above is a good example!

Do you think Ubisoft should nerf Thorn? For more information about Rainbow Six Siege and its esports scene, make sure to check out Siege.GG.