- Clicking Mouse 1 makes Ava meow.
- Ava can pounce by hitting the melee key. This can break boxes and statues, but deals no damage.
- Ava can enter vents in the map. If Ava's duration runs out in a space too small to transform back, Calico can activate the transformation and be pushed to the nearest walkable area. If she does not transforms back, she starts rapidly taking damage until she leaves the space.
CalicoGive feedback
  | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Information | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Calico is a Hero in Deadlock, a former monster hunter turned hired assassin. Possessing her cat, Ava, Calico uses the shadows to her advantage to surprise her foes, slinging Gloom Bombs and attacking with a Leaping Slash for damage and healing. By Returning to the Shadows, she can turn any fight to her advantage, disappearing after a fight or engaging again when the enemy least expects her.
As a contract killer, Calico is glad to finally be earning significant money by assassinating other people. Despite the good that the Baxter Society did by slaying monsters, it simply didn't pay well enough for her.
Calico was added to Hero Labs on October 24, 2024, and officially released on January 17, 2025.
Weapon
Sweetest Lie
Spreadshot
Close Range
79 Damage Per Second
Falloff Range
20m ➞ 58m
Abilities
Gloom Bombs
Gloom Bombs
3m
14s
Throw a cluster of bombs that detonate after a delay, dealing 
spirit damage.
Enemies hit by multiple bombs take 65% damage.
spirit damage.Enemies hit by multiple bombs take 65% damage.
4
Bomb Count
x0.644
45
Damage
1-3s Cooldown
2Per Bomb Touch : -6% Melee Resist for 6s
53 Bomb Count
Leaping Slash
Leaping Slash
9m
13s
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.
melee damage. If the ability hits at least one hero,
heal a small amount of health.
x0.8
60.4
Impact Damage
On Hero Hit:
x1.4
40
Heal Amount
125 Heal Amount
2Heros killed within 3s grant +200 souls
5+60 Damage & On Hero Hit: 50% Cooldown Refund
Benefits from melee items (e.g. Melee Lifesteal)
Healing amplified by Healing Booster and affected by healing reduction
Healing triggers Healing Tempo's unique effect
Disabled by Slowing HexAva
Ava
30s
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.
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.
30%
Min Move Speed
65%
Max Move Speed
15s
Buff Duration
4s
Time for Max Bonus
6s
Interrupt Cooldown
115s Buff Duration
2+15 Health Regen & +40% Max Move Speed
5Gain Damage Amp over time, up to 18%. Lingers for 6s
Disabled by Slowing HexReturn to Shadows
Return to Shadows
3s
7.5m
115s
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.
bonus move speed, and dealing spirit damage.After a delay, return from the shadows, dealing
spirit damage again.
x0.609
150
Damage
20%
Move Speed
3s
Channel Duration
1-20s Cooldown
2+75 Damage and +20% Move Speed
5On Completion: Heal for 450 and refund all ability cooldowns
Healing amplified by Healing Booster and affected by healing reductionHealing triggers Healing Tempo's unique effectDisabled by Slowing HexBackground
See Calico/Lore for more story content.
“Once a decorated member of The Baxter Society, Calico left the august order once she realized that killing monsters for free was less profitable than killing people for money.
Now an in demand contract killer, Calico is living her best life ending someone else's.
Lore
Calico has been an assassin for at least 5 years, as she was hired to kill 
Pocket 5 years before the events of the ritual.[1] Pocket survived the assassination attempt due Calico's bullet missing their heart.[2] It's implied that this failed assassination earned Calico a reputation for "sloppy work" amongst other assassins.[3]
Calico is nicknamed as "the most dangerous woman on the planet".[4][5] She's currently being hunted by the International Police,[6] Scotland Yard,[7] and the OSIC.[8][9] She once assassinated someone named "Siegfried" under 
Mirage's nose.[10]
Calico's motivation in the ritual is vague, but she seems to want to be the "Apex Predator" by wishing for power and protection.[11][12]
Ava is Calico's cat familiar.[13] Calico adores Ava and refers to herself as "mummy" when talking to Ava.[14][15]
Calico has knowledge about the Deep,[16][17] the Troubadour,[18] and Oathkeeper.[19] She's implied to know something about 
Victor's origins.[20]
Calico learned Return To Shadows while she was in the Baxter Society.[21]
Calico has a son.[22]
Character interactions
- Most characters like Ava,[23] with the main exception of
Billy.[24]
- As the assassin hired to kill Pocket, Calico enjoys "tying up loose ends" when she kills Pocket in-game.[26] She also mentions that Maximilian Fairfax will "have questions".[27] Pocket, naturally, dislikes Calico for almost killing them.[28][29]
- Calico used to work with
Grey Talon in the Baxter Society. While Grey Talon is disappointed in Calico for becoming an assassin,[30] he doesn't resent her and was content to leave her alone.[31][32][33] Calico views Grey Talon as a "relic of a bygone era",[34] but also says she will mourn his death if she kills him in-game.[35] - Calico has respect for
Paradox.[36] She also loves the Paradox Museum.[37] - Calico wants to be friends with
Wraith.[38][39] - Calico has history with
Raven and likes him.[40][41] - Calico compares
Holliday's introverted personality to Grey Talon's.[42] 
Venator knew Calico from when she was in the Baxter Society, but loathes her now that she's an assassin.[43] Venator believes that, for the right price, Calico would be willing to kill Ava.[44] When killing Calico, Venator mentions that it was "for Grey Talon".[45]
The Doorman is familiar with Calico and likes her.[46][47] He loves Ava and says he'll treat her "like a queen" at the Baroness Hotel.[48][49]- Mirage believes Calico is beyond redemption.[50]
Haze has been ordered to kill Calico. If they're on the same team, Haze says she's going to kill Calico before the day is out.[9]
Update history
View the full update history: Calico/Update history
| Update | Changes |
|---|---|
| |
|
Gallery
-
Calico portrait -
Calico icon -
Calico in-game render -
Calico's select background -
Calico reference sheet -
Calico name typography -
Calico weapon - Sweetest Lie -
Calico in the January 2025 update art -
Previous Calico portrait -
Nano portrait (Neon Prime) -
Nano (Neon Prime) -
Gloat portrait for Calico. -
Critical health portrait for Calico.
Trivia
- Calico was called Nano in Neon Prime.
- At one point in development, Calico's gameplay style was inspired by Dota's Broodmother.
- Calico was an arms dealer in her original background.
- Ava is a Sphynx cat.
- "Playing With Ava in the Hideout" is displayed as one's status in the in-game Friends List when playing as Calico in the Hideout.
- When in the Hideout's Atrium, switching to Ava and then running near the smaller version of her will cause the kitten to follow you for the duration of the spell.
References
- ↑ Pocket's background: "Arin Fairfax, the eldest heir to Fairfax Industries, has been living in hiding for the past 5 years after being shot and left for dead on their 18th birthday."
- ↑ Pocket and Calico conversations
- ↑ Calico And Vyper Conversation 2 -
"Word on the street is that you do sloppy work." - 
"Excuse me?" - "There was something about... like a hit, that went bad? I don't remember all the details, honestly, Wisconsin hooch is top-shelf."
- ↑ Holliday's in-game voice line (killed Calico) - "'Most dangerous woman on the planet', my ass!"
- ↑
Yamato's in-game voice line (killed Calico): "Ha! This is "the most dangerous woman on the planet"?"
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (upgrade Return To Shadows): "If Interpol hasn't caught me, what chance do they have?"
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Holliday) - "A small-town sheriff couldn't accomplish what Scotland Yard has been trying to do for years. Surprise, surpise."
- ↑ Haze's in-game voice line (killed Calico) - "Calico could only evade me for so long."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Calico And Haze Conversation 1 - "I'm going to kill you before the day is out, so making small talk seems a little pointless."
- ↑ Calico And Mirage Conversation 3
- ↑
The Hidden King's in-game voice line (Calico start): "You're a dangerous woman, Calico, but you are not the apex predator. Summon the Hidden King... and he can protect you."
- ↑
The Archmother's in-game voice line (Calico start): "Your past will catch up with you eventually, Calico. But if you complete the ritual, Mother can prevent that from happening."
- ↑ Calico And Vindicta Conversation 3 -
"How long have you had your familiar?"
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (upgrade Ava): "Thanks for joining mummy at her job, Ava!"
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (upgrade Ava): "I love you, Ava!"
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Fathom) - "Ugh, creatures of the Deep."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Viscous) - "The Deep should have chosen a more competent emissary."
- ↑ Calico And Holliday Conversation 2 - "You ever hear of something called "The Troubadour"?" - "Enough to know to stay away from it."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Lady Geist) - "Only a fool would make a deal with Oathkeeper."
- ↑ Calico And Victor Conversation
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (upgrade Return To Shadows): "The Baxter Society has given me many gifts."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (unselect) - "It's like I told my son, you are free to make all the horrible decisions you'd like."
- ↑ Calico's other character interactions
- ↑ Billy's in-game voice line (killed Calico): "I hope your cat eats your corpse, then I hope the cat gets eaten by a chupacabra, or a spider, or anything that'll make that cat suffer!"
- ↑ Calico And Vyper Conversation 3 - "Three bucks for your cat." - "She's not for sale." - "Tell you what, I'll bump it up to a crisp Lincoln."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Pocket) - "I love tying up loose ends."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Pocket) - "I'm sure Maximilian will have questions."
- ↑ Calico And Pocket Conversation 1 - "Go to Hell."
- ↑ Pocket's in-game voice line (ally Calico killed): "Calico got what she deserved!"
- ↑ Grey Talon's in-game voice line (Killed Calico): "She gave up on her ideals for something as pointless as money."
- ↑ Grey Talon's in-game voice line (Killed Calico): "I was content to leave you alone, Calico. Why did you have to come here?"
- ↑ Grey Talon And Calico Conversation 3 - "I don't have many breaths left, Calico... I'm certainly not going to waste them on your problems."
- ↑ Calico And Vindicta Conversation 2
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line - "You're a relic of a bygone era, Talon."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line - "The Baxter Society will mourn him, as will I."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line - "Oh, I've always wanted to go toe-to-toe with Paradox."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Paradox): "Love your museums, by the way."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Wraith) - "And here I hoped we could be friends."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Wraith) - "Wraith, we could have had so much fun together."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Raven) - "Always a pleasure seeing you again, Raven."
- ↑ Calico's in-game voice line (killed Raven) - "He was fun."
- ↑ Calico And Holliday Conversation 3 - "You're not much of a talker, are you?" - "No." - "God, you and Wesley would get along famously."
- ↑ Calico And Venator Conversation 2
- ↑ Calico And Venator Conversation 3 - "Seeing you dote on that cat is nauseating. <-> You and I both know that for the right price you'd slit her throat."
- ↑ Venator's in-game voice line (killed Calico): "That was for Grey Talon."
- ↑ Calico And The Doorman Conversation 1
- ↑ The Doorman's in-game voice line (killed Calico): "I liked her."
- ↑ Calico And The Doorman Conversation 3
- ↑ The Doorman's in-game voice line (taunt Calico): "Look on the bright side, Calico: when your body rots, I'll take care of your cat."
- ↑ Calico And Mirage Conversation 1
Navigation
Heroes
