How to play as Zofia in Rainbow Six Extraction — Skills and abilities

Arriving as part of the first post-launch DLC for Rainbow Six Extraction that includes the Spillover Crisis Event and the new Auto Turret gear item, Zofia now joins the ranks as the game’s 19th Operator. Fans of the franchise will already be familiar with her from Rainbow Six Siege, while newcomers might be interested to hear that she’s Ela’s older sister. Equipped with a KS79 Lifeline double-barrelled launcher that fires impact and stun grenades, Zofia can certainly pack a punch in close-quarters combat, similar in style to the likes of Nomad when it comes to clearing a path.

Best Weapons for Zofia

Zofia currently only has access to one secondary weapon, the solid, if unspectacular, RG15 semi-automatic handgun, so you only have to choose a favorite for her primary loadout spot. In fairness, her starting LMG-E is arguably as good as it gets, with decent damage, tight recoil, and 150 bullets in a single clip meaning you won’t need to duck out of the action to reload very often — with the optional 2.5x scope taking it from medium to longer-range combat.

At Level 3 you can swap for the M762 assault rifle, which might be a little more potent, but the recoil can be tougher to manage, so you might not be getting the same kind of hit rate. At Level 6 you unlock the Scorpion Evo 3 A1, which is a bit of a ‘spray and pray’ weapon, but the high fire rate can be great up close. Last up is the FO-12 combat shotgun, available when Zofia reaches Level 9. It’s not quite as meaty as some of the other shotguns in the game, but this is compensated for by a quick reload, though overall we still preferred the original LMG-E.

How to use Zofia’s KS79 Lifeline ability

Zofia’s twin-launching KS79 Lifeline can be useful in a number of offensive and defensive situations. The impact and stun grenades work much the same as the throwable variants, with two of each available at the start (and interchangeable on the fly as with Capitao’s crossbow bolts). This is quickly increased to three at Level 2, with a maxed-out Zofia able to recharge one round of each type every two minutes.

As with Nomad’s Airjab launcher, there’s little subtly about using Zofia’s Lifeline, although the stun grenades will at least go largely unnoticed. The prime benefit is in affecting multiple enemies within a three-meter radius, whether you’re on the front foot or holding a defensive line. Whatever the situation, it’s a great way to put a stop to an onrushing crowd, giving you time to reload your primary weapon or cut a quick retreat to safety.

How to use Zofia’s Withstanding ability

One bonus feature of Zofia’s armory is her Withstanding ability. In effect this works the same as a Revive Kit, offering up a single-use recovery when you get put down. Best of all, it’s an active ability that doesn’t count as an inventory item, simply appearing as an on-screen button prompt when you’re DBNO. It does work a little slower than a standard revive, but it’s essentially a free extra life that also gives you the option to use a different gear item where you might previously be packing the safety net of a Revive Kit. Initially, the ability only revives you with 5% of your health restored, but when you hit Level 7 this gets a welcome bump to 70 health points.

Coupled with Resilient Revival — the ability to revive yourself if you get enough kills when downed, shared by the likes of Finka, Smoke, and Capitao — and a much greater resistance to blinding effects, Zofia is certainly capable of holding her own as part of a well-oiled squad. With her KS79 keeping enemies in check and the LMG-E laying them to waste, we can imagine her becoming a popular all-around choice across most mission types.