HoYoverse couldn’t have predicted the Phineas & Ferb memes that came out of their latest character’s announcement. Candace, whose name might be an allusion to the African queen Kandake (and not a cartoon teenager), surprised fans as one of the new characters coming to the game with Cyno and Nilou. Genshin Impact fans thought they knew who to expect with the major leaks before the 3.0 update, including Dendro archer Tighnari and Dendro Archon Kusanali. However, it seems like HoYoverse still had a couple of characters up its sleeve.
Here’s what we know so far about Candace, the Guardian of Aaru Village.
When will Candace come to Genshin Impact?
Candace will probably come to the game in the next update, Genshin Impact 3.1. According to leakers, she will be one of the four-stars on the upcoming banners. HoYoverse introduced her with Cyno and Nilou, who leakers predict will be the next two five-star characters.
As a reminder, the estimated release date for Genshin Impact 3.1 is September 28, 2022.
What are Candace’s skills and abilities?
Candace only leaked about three days before HoYoverse posted her preview. Leakers expect her to be a four-star Hydro polearm user, but everything else is still a mystery. We’ll be sure to update this section with more of her abilities once the information is available.
What is Candace’s backstory in Genshin Impact?
Some rumors call Candace a terrifying protector. Others claim that she’s gentle and caring. Someone from a group called The Eremites described her as such:
The guardian with different-colored eyes has received the blessing of the gods and is able to summon a sandstorm that engulfs all enemies instantly. A former member of the Treasure Hoarders, who recently claimed to have quit, added that Candace can also summon the power of the desert. Every grain of sand is her scout and no one can escape from her grasp.
Meanwhile, an adventurer described a version of Candace who brought food and water to a hungry Treasure Hunter and arranged a room for an exhausted mercenary.
Candace holds the peace of her village above all else. In short, you’re welcome so long as you’re a guest. If you’re an enemy, then she gets scary. “As long as they abide by the rules of Aaru Village, anyone can seek refuge here and receive the help they need,” reads the official description.
Candace is the Guardian of Aaru Village, a location that hasn’t been described in detail yet. HoYoverse also called her home the “Great Red Sand,” implying that Aaru Village might be in the desert portion of Sumeru. For context, Sumeru is known for both its rainforests and deserts. Sumeru and Collei live in the former, while Candace likely lives in the latter.
She’s also described as the “true descendant of King Deshret,” which implies there might be some ruling class in the area she lives.
What do other characters say about Candace?
Candace doesn’t seem to have many connections besides Dehya the Flame-Mane. HoYoverse hasn’t formally introduced Dehya yet, but she has appeared on promotional materials with other Sumeru characters like Tighnari.
"I once gave Candace some jewelry and told her to learn to enjoy life and find happiness outside of work. She replied that seeing the village in peace was enough to make her happy... Well, this guardian really has a unique way of enjoying life..." Dehya said of Candace.
Genshin Impact is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android. It’s currently in development for Nintendo Switch.
