Hoyoverse is apparently quick to confirm leaked characters, and the latest is Candace, Guardian of Aaru Village. Here's what we know, and assume, about Genshin Impact Candace.
Officially confirmed via the Genshin Impact Twitter account, Candace appeared as 'Kandake' in some rumours during the last beta test. She is a tall female with long blue hair, dressed in shades of purple and glowing gold jewellery. She is seen to wield a Polearm and a shield, ready for battle.
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When is the Genshin Impact Candace release date?
Candace will appear on Cyno's new 5-Star banner, in Version 3.1.
She is a 4-star character, with a Polearm weapon and a shield move, and a Hydro vision.
click to enlargeWhat is Candace's Elemental Vision?
Candace's Vision has finally been confirmed as Hydro. This would make her the first Hydro Polearm user in Genshin Impact. As such, she is sure to make a splash.
What are the best weapons for Candace?
Candace wields a Polearm as her weapon. She appears to be a decent damage character, and can create excellent reactions with Pyro, Electro, Cryo, and Dendro users.
For now, here are the weapons we would recommend to equip Candace with. Of course, this could well change once we get to try her out!
| Weapon | Rarity | Stats | Skill | How to obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calamity Queller | 5-Star | ATK% + 3.6% | Gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus. Obtain Consummation for 20s after using an Elemental Skill, causing ATK to increase by 3.2% per second. This ATK increase has a maximum of 6 stacks. When the character equipped with this weapon is not on the field, Consummation's ATK increase is doubled. | Wishes |
| Staff of Homa | 5-Star | CRIT DMG + 14.4% | HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an ATK Bonus based on 0.8% of the wielder’s Max HP. When the wielder's HP is less than 50%, this ATK Bonus is increased by an additional 1% of Max HP | Wishes |
| Prototype Starglitter | 4-Star | Energy Recharge + 7.5% | After using an Elemental Skill, increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 8% for 12s. Max 2 stacks. | Forged |
What are the best Artifacts for Candace?
We can safely say that the Heart of Depth Artifact set would work wonders for Candace, given her Hydro affinity. Items like the Noblesse Oblige buff Elemental attacks and give a boost to party members' attack stat, so will also be a solid choice. If you don't have many 5-star sets, The Exile works well, too.
| Artifact Set | 2-piece bonus | 4-piece bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Heart of Depth | Hydro DMG Bonus +15% | After using Elemental Skill, increases Normal Attack and Charged Attack DMG by 30% for 15s. |
| Noblesse Oblige | Elemental Burst DMG +20%. | Using an Elemental Burst increases all party members' ATK by 20% for 12s. This effect cannot stack. |
Which team comps should Candace be used in?
We're still very much in the experimental phase given that Candace only just released, but it seems like the following characters will work very well with her abilities:
| Character | Element |
|---|---|
| Cyno, Fischl, Dori | Electro |
| Yelan, Ayato | Hydro |
| Ayaka, Ganyu | Cryo |
| Zhongli, Yun Jin | Geo |
| Kazuha, Sucrose | Anemo |
| Yoimiya, Bennett | Pyro |
Who is Candace?
Travelers are now able to meet Candace in the Sumeru desert, and discover who she is!
She is based on Egyptian culture, specifically a Kandake, a queen mother in Meroe of Ancient Egypt. Candace is the Latinised spelling of the same word. We can see that Sumeru takes a lot of inspiration from Egypt and surrounding areas, with Cyno resembling Anubis, and Nilou potentially representing the river Nile.
In her announcement on Twitter, Candace is described as "a true descendant of King Deshret". Deshret, in real life, was the formal name for Lower Egypt's Red Crown. How this translates to a ruler in Genshin lore, we're not sure yet, but we expect some very interesting stories.
That's it for our look at Candace in Genshin Impact! While you're here, feel free to also check out our AFK Arena tier list and Wild Rift tier list. They'll help set you up in two other popular gacha games. Of course, we've also got a Genshin Impact tier list to keep things in Teyvat if you prefer!
For more articles like this, take a look at our Guides and Genshin Impact page.