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Heroes / Calico / How to play
Field manual · Sep 29 patch

How to play CalicoHow to play

48.1% win rate · #24 of 44 · Tricksy · Slippery · Burst Damage

Updated 2026-10-30 01:19 UTC · n = 3,827,247 matches

How to play Calico

Ava1AvaLeaping Slash2Leaping SlashGloom Bombs3Gloom Bombs

Your combo: Approach unseen as Ava (hidden on the minimap), leap in with Leaping Slash, which heals you if it hits, then throw Gloom Bombs that explode after a delay.

Don’t waste: Return to Shadows makes you untargetable: keep it to escape a dive that goes wrong.

Edge: Taking a hit as Ava resets your speed, so stay out of sight on the way in. Disappearing from the map makes enemies expect you.

From community hero guides, Oct 2026 patches, checked against deadlock.wiki. The same combo from the other side is on how to counter Calico.

Your kit

Gloom Bombs
Gloom Bombs
Ability 1 · 14s cooldown

Throw a cluster of bombs that detonate after a delay, dealing spirit damage.Enemies hit by multiple bombs take 65% damage.

Leaping Slash
Leaping Slash
Ability 2 · 13s cooldown

Dash forward before slashing all enemies in a circle, dealing melee damage. If the ability hits at least one hero, heal a small amount of health.

Ava
Ava
Ability 3 · 30s cooldown

Turn to shadows and possess Ava. You gain bonus move speed that increases over time, and become hidden on the minimap. Taking damage from an enemy hero resets your bonus move speed and puts Ava on a brief cooldown.

Return to Shadows
Return to Shadows
Ultimate · 115s cooldown · ultimate

Instantly turn to shadows, becoming untargetable, gaining bonus move speed, and dealing spirit damage. After a delay, return from the shadows, dealing spirit damage again.

Skill order

Max first:Return to ShadowsReturn to Shadows›Gloom BombsGloom Bombs›AvaAva›Leaping SlashLeaping Slash

From the most common upgrade order (74k matches): the order abilities reach their last tier.

10m22m33m43m54m66m76m88m912m1013m1115m1219m1325m1427m1530m
Gloom BombsGloom BombsAbility 1IIIIII
Leaping SlashLeaping SlashAbility 2III
AvaAvaAbility 3IIIIII
Return to ShadowsReturn to ShadowsUltimateIIIIII

unlock I II III upgrade tiers · column labels are the average minute of each step

Build path with timings

Early
Mid
Late

Items that win most on Calico

Diviner's Kevlar
+11.3 pp · 2% buy itSpellslinger
+11.3 pp · 0% buy itSpirit Burn
+10.5 pp · 27% buy itColossus
+10.3 pp · 1% buy itSilencer
+9.8 pp · 1% buy itFrenzy
+9.6 pp · 0% buy it

Lanes you win

Lanes to play safe

When they counter you

−7.1 ppGraves

Buy against Graves:

−6.0 ppPaige

Buy against Paige:

−5.4 ppRat King

Buy against Rat King:

Best teammates

Rat King
56.5% togetherGraves
55.3% togetherPaige
54.1% togetherSeven
52.8% togetherKelvin
52.2% togetherVictor
52.1% together

Notes from the best builds

Билд в кулак, спирит и грин 3 в 1S

Билд строится на заполнении всех инвестов и последующей игрой через кулаки, спирит и скорость. Бегаем по линиям помогаем союзникам, при возможности отпушиваем линии и немного пофармливаем лес, хоть у нас и трофик но урона нормально с кулачка.

51.3% over 4.0k games · open build →
2bStron9er ~ [PRO] ~ META CALICO ~ [ENG] [RU]S

by 2bStron9er ~ Deadlock Aura YT twitch.tv/2bStron9er >>>[RU] - "изменить", листаете описание вниз<<< ~[ENG] MeleeLifesteal = 2nd spell heals 150, harass enemy (light melee in 2nd spell). Ava 2nd skillpoint = go gank if possible / farm boxes (if mate can def waves). Buy Reactive + EH vs Wraith/MoKrill etc. Dispel later anyways (or EShift) ~[RU] Зеленый кулак = 150 хила под второй, по кд выигрываем размены. Кошка в 2 = ганги/бьем боксы (если тиммейт может дефать вышку) Реактив=добираем Диспел/Е

L - R: Green invest chose: HP+Reactive or Dispel/CS (if Reactive = buy Dispel after Arctic~)

51.0% over 2.0k games · open build →

Calico stats and buildsHow to counter Calico