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Calico

Calico

Calico Beginners Playstyle Guide - fully annotated

Author Bald Paige PhantomPhantom 6 · Updated Dec 20, 2025 · Favorites 8,038

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Skill order

Order set by the author · gold is the ultimate

Gloom Bombs
◆
1
2
3
Leaping Slash
◆
1
2
3
Ava
◆
1
2
3
Return to Shadows
◆
1
2
3

Item order

Stages top to bottom, items left to right

  1. 1

    Laning

    11,200 Souls

    NOT IN ORDER. Read annotations

    1. Melee LifestealMelee LifestealMUST BUY IN LANE 1st or 2nd item, after Spirit Strike.
    2. Spirit StrikeSpirit StrikeBuy this item earlier if you think you are in a good lane
    3. Spirit SnatchSpirit SnatchCombined with Cold Front for your spirit spike.
    4. Cold FrontCold FrontDeals damage, slows, just what calico needs. Upgrades into a powerful T4 item.
    5. Enchanter's EmblemEnchanter's EmblemBuy 99% of the time, the exception is if most of their team is gun
    6. Veil WalkerVeil WalkerI get it now. omega good item even after the nerfs, good for movespeed in ava form and map presence lategame
    All item notes
    • Melee Lifesteal — MUST BUY IN LANE 1st or 2nd item, after Spirit Strike.
    • Spirit Strike — Buy this item earlier if you think you are in a good lane
    • Spirit Snatch — Combined with Cold Front for your spirit spike.
    • Cold Front — Deals damage, slows, just what calico needs. Upgrades into a powerful T4 item.
    • Enchanter's Emblem — Buy 99% of the time, the exception is if most of their team is gun
    • Veil Walker — I get it now. omega good item even after the nerfs, good for movespeed in ava form and map presence lategame
  2. 2

    Optional Laning

    Optional4,800 Souls
    1. RebuttalRebuttalBuy as one of your first items against Puddle Punch Viscous or in brawly lanes.
    2. Reactive BarrierReactive BarrierIf they have tooooo many stuns and vs bebop in lane
    3. Healing RiteHealing RiteBuy when you are low hp in lane, when you activate it go get some boxes in Cat Form.
    4. StalkerStalkerBuy if you won the lane and want to gank a lot
    All item notes
    • Rebuttal — Buy as one of your first items against Puddle Punch Viscous or in brawly lanes.
    • Reactive Barrier — If they have tooooo many stuns and vs bebop in lane
    • Healing Rite — Buy when you are low hp in lane, when you activate it go get some boxes in Cat Form.
    • Stalker — Buy if you won the lane and want to gank a lot
  3. 3

    Mid game

    24,800 Souls

    Roughly in order

    1. Sprint BootsSprint BootsDelay until Enduring Speed if you don't run boxes
    2. Enduring SpeedEnduring SpeedYou run faster in Cat Form and have slow resist
    3. Spirit SapSpirit SapREALLY good combined with Spirit Snatch, since the resist shred and Spirit steal stack.
    4. Torment PulseTorment PulseOne of your biggest damage sources.
    5. Compress CooldownCompress Cooldownthis item technically reduces all of your cooldowns since ult T3 refreshes abilities. If you are fighting a lot get this earlier. Imbue ult
    6. Superior CooldownSuperior CooldownReduces the cooldown of everything, just op on a lot of heroes.
    7. Arctic BlastArctic BlastYou either first use your bombs and then this for bonus damage, or Arctic Blast then bombs for guaranteed but lower dmg. This item stops abilities like Flame Dash, Grapple, its extra good against them
    8. Focus LensFocus LensUse this BEFORE you start andengage. Full combo is: Focus Lens-Leaping Slash-Arctic Blast-Bombs-Ult-Bombs-Slash. Get some light melees in between these for even more damage, but don't be predictable.
    All item notes
    • Sprint Boots — Delay until Enduring Speed if you don't run boxes
    • Enduring Speed — You run faster in Cat Form and have slow resist
    • Spirit Sap — REALLY good combined with Spirit Snatch, since the resist shred and Spirit steal stack.
    • Torment Pulse — One of your biggest damage sources.
    • Compress Cooldown — this item technically reduces all of your cooldowns since ult T3 refreshes abilities. If you are fighting a lot get this earlier. Imbue ult
    • Superior Cooldown — Reduces the cooldown of everything, just op on a lot of heroes.
    • Arctic Blast — You either first use your bombs and then this for bonus damage, or Arctic Blast then bombs for guaranteed but lower dmg. This item stops abilities like Flame Dash, Grapple, its extra good against them
    • Focus Lens — Use this BEFORE you start andengage. Full combo is: Focus Lens-Leaping Slash-Arctic Blast-Bombs-Ult-Bombs-Slash. Get some light melees in between these for even more damage, but don't be predictable.
  4. 4

    Debuff Remover and Counterspell

    Optional8,000 Souls
    1. Debuff ReducerDebuff ReducerBuy somewhere after laning if you plan on building Debuff Remover mid game.
    2. Dispel MagicDispel MagicThis item is bought in most matches if your enemies have debuffs. Especially good against Vindicta, Infernus, Bebop, Mo and Krill, Holliday etc.
    3. CounterspellCounterspellBuy if you know how to use it
    All item notes
    • Debuff Reducer — Buy somewhere after laning if you plan on building Debuff Remover mid game.
    • Dispel Magic — This item is bought in most matches if your enemies have debuffs. Especially good against Vindicta, Infernus, Bebop, Mo and Krill, Holliday etc.
    • Counterspell — Buy if you know how to use it
  5. 5

    Late Game Options

    57,600 Souls

    better items on the left, buy situationally

    1. ScourgeScourgeJust a really good item on Calico. Gives a huge spirit resist, max HP% damage and works even if you are in your ultimate (just remember to cast it beforehand).
    2. Transcendent CooldownTranscendent CooldownBuy if you have a lot of actives on long CD.
    3. Spirit BurnSpirit BurnBuy it for the healing reduction, or ultra late game when you have gazillions of souls
    4. JuggernautJuggernautBuy this for Slow Resist, Fire rate slow or if you want to upgrade Enduring Speed super late game
    5. Phantom StrikePhantom StrikeFor flyers/disarm
    6. Boundless SpiritBoundless SpiritI don't buy this usually since Calico has bad Spirit Power scaling, only buy this if you don't want to build other T4s from this category for some reason
    7. SpellbreakerSpellbreakerAgainst big burst damage abilities. Keep in mind that it has a really small threshold of 150 damage
    8. Plated ArmorPlated ArmorThis is the late game defence against gun characters, especially Haze, Infernus, Wraith and Vyper. juggernaut is better though :P
    9. Ethereal ShiftEthereal Shift
    All item notes
    • Scourge — Just a really good item on Calico. Gives a huge spirit resist, max HP% damage and works even if you are in your ultimate (just remember to cast it beforehand).
    • Transcendent Cooldown — Buy if you have a lot of actives on long CD.
    • Spirit Burn — Buy it for the healing reduction, or ultra late game when you have gazillions of souls
    • Juggernaut — Buy this for Slow Resist, Fire rate slow or if you want to upgrade Enduring Speed super late game
    • Phantom Strike — For flyers/disarm
    • Boundless Spirit — I don't buy this usually since Calico has bad Spirit Power scaling, only buy this if you don't want to build other T4s from this category for some reason
    • Spellbreaker — Against big burst damage abilities. Keep in mind that it has a really small threshold of 150 damage
    • Plated Armor — This is the late game defence against gun characters, especially Haze, Infernus, Wraith and Vyper. juggernaut is better though :P
  6. 6

    Optional

    9,600 Souls

    Feel free to ignore this

    1. FortitudeFortitudeAva T3 Buff made this useless, but you can still buy it if you think you need it
    2. Hunter's AuraHunter's Aurafor 1v1 heroes and helps your team in teamfights but isnt very helpful for your damage
    3. Silence WaveSilence Wave
    All item notes
    • Fortitude — Ava T3 Buff made this useless, but you can still buy it if you think you need it
    • Hunter's Aura — for 1v1 heroes and helps your team in teamfights but isnt very helpful for your damage