Minor Update - 07-28-2026 · Jul 28, 2026
- Ava T2 reduced from +45% Move Speed to +40%
- Ava T3 reduced from +20% damage amp to +18%
Assassin · Medium to play · Spreadshot
Calico build & counters
Calico is a assassin in Deadlock (“Wreaks havoc from the sidelines”). Since the 10-05-2026 patch Calico has a 47.9% win rate over 97,403 games, which is C tier across all ranks and C tier in Phantom to Eternus games. The most-bought Calico items after the first shop are Stalker, Spirit Snatch and Arctic Blast. Most players max Return to Shadows first. Calico's hardest matchup is Paige.
- Tier
- C
- Win rate
- 47.9% −0.8
- Pick rate
- 17.8%
- KDA
- 3.28
- Souls / game
- 42,058
- Games
- 97,403
Tier by rank
- All ranksC47.9%
- Initiate – AcolyteB49.6%
- Sentinel – RitualistB49.7%
- Emissary – OracleB48.2%
- Phantom – EternusC48.0%
Best Calico items
The items Calico players buy most at each shop tier this patch, with the win rate of the players who bought them. Late items show higher win rates because winning players can afford them, so compare items within a tier.
Tier 1 · 800 souls
Melee Lifesteal99% buy · 48.0% win
Spirit Strike97% buy · 48.0% win
Sprint Boots80% buy · 48.0% win
Extra Spirit41% buy · 51.0% win
Tier 2 · 1,600 souls
Stalker96% buy · 48.1% win
Cold Front93% buy · 48.1% win
Trophy Collector68% buy · 48.7% win
Improved Spirit67% buy · 49.6% win
Tier 3 · 3,200 souls
Spirit Snatch95% buy · 48.3% win
Torment Pulse45% buy · 50.4% win
Hunter's Aura43% buy · 50.1% win
Superior Cooldown42% buy · 53.2% win
Tier 4 · 6,400 souls
Arctic Blast83% buy · 50.4% win
Boundless Spirit57% buy · 54.0% win
Transcendent Cooldown28% buy · 56.3% win
Escalating Exposure27% buy · 56.5% win
Abilities and skill order
1. Gloom Bombs
Throw a cluster of bombs that detonate after a delay, dealing spirit damage. Enemies hit by multiple bombs take 65% damage.
2. Leaping Slash
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.
3. Ava
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.
4. Return to Shadows · 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.
Most common skill order
- 2
- 1
- 3
- 3
- 3
- 4
- 4
- 4
- 4
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 3
- 2
- 2
Numbers match the abilities above: each box is one ability point, left to right. This exact order wins 52.9% of 14,450 games. Almost every common order maxes Return to Shadows first.
Calico counters and matchups
How to counter Calico
Enemies that lower Calico's win rate most
Percentage points against Calico's overall win rate of 47.9%, all ranks, pairs with at least 300 games.
Recent official changes
About Calico
Calico uses the shadows to her advantage, weaving in and out of combat to hunt down her enemies one by one.
From the hero description in the game files.
FAQ
What is the best Calico build?
By purchase rate this patch: tier 1: Melee Lifesteal, Spirit Strike; tier 2: Stalker, Cold Front; tier 3: Spirit Snatch, Torment Pulse; tier 4: Arctic Blast, Boundless Spirit. Percentages above show how often Calico players buy each item and how often they win when they do.
How do you counter Calico?
Pick heroes Calico struggles against. Calico wins least often when the enemy team has Paige, Graves and Kelvin. Win rates compare games with that enemy against Calico's overall 47.9%.
Updated Oct 13, 2026.