Candace is a Hydro character who has both damage absorption and offensive support capabilities.

When Candace casts her Elemental Skill, she raises her shield to absorb DMG and launches a strong counterattack.

After unleashing her Elemental Burst, Candace increases the Elemental Damage of team members' Normal Attacks and unleashes a rippling wave attack on opponents when characters take the field. She can also infuse the attacks of characters who wield Swords, Claymores, and Polearms with Hydro.

This guide is based on the Community Character Builds by the Genshin Helper Team.

Talent Priorities

Burst > Skill > Basic Attack

In some teams, Candace's hold Elemental Skill cooldown is too long for rotations to work properly, so if Candace isn't C4, it's recommended to avoid getting hit and to do a tap Skill as quickly as possible.

Candace is a 4* Hydro Support that specializes in providing off-field Hydro application with her HP% scaling Burst, infusing the autos of melee allies (Sword/Claymore/Polearm) with Hydro via her Burst's Prayer of the Crimson Crown effect, and providing defensive utility with her Elemental Skill.

It is worth noting that Candace will never be the strongest option for your teams; at the cost of having different kinds of utility options in one kit, she will never be the best at them. Her damage contribution will be surpassed by other offensive-type Hydro supports like Xingqiu and her defensive capabilities are outclassed by the healing capabilities of the other Hydro healers.

Thus, it is recommended to focus on her strength as a consistent Hydro applier by getting as much Energy Recharge as possible, which will help her maintain a consistent uptime on her Burst (her main source of Hydro application). For this reason, Candace's weapon and artifact rankings will focus on getting the highest amounts of Particle/Energy generation and Recharge.

Constellations

Best Constellations: C1, C2, C4 & C6

C1: Returning Heiress of the Scarlet Sands
The duration of Prayer of the Crimson Crown effect triggered by Sacred Rite: Wagtail's Tide is increased by 3s.

C2: Moon-Piercing Brilliance
When Sacred Rite: Heron's Sanctum hits opponents, Candace's Max HP will be increased by 20% for 15s.

C3: Hunter's Supplication
Increases the Level of Sacred Rite: Wagtail's Tide by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.

C4: Sentinel Oath
Shortens the Hold CD of Sacred Rite: Heron's Sanctum to be the same as that of the Tapping CD.

C5: Heterochromatic Gaze
Increases the Level of Sacred Rite: Heron's Sanctum by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.

C6: The Overflow
When characters (excluding Candace herself) affected by the Prayer of the Crimson Crown caused by Sacred Rite: Wagtail's Tide deal Elemental DMG to opponents using Normal Attacks, an attack wave will be unleashed that deals AoE Hydro DMG equal to 15% of Candace's Max HP.
This effect can trigger once every 2.3s and is considered Elemental Burst DMG.

Recommended Weapons

1. Favonius Lance (4✩)*
2. Engulfing Lightning (5✩)*
3. Staff of Homa (5✩)*
   ~= Deathmatch (4✩)*
   ~= "The Catch" (4✩)*
4. Prototype Starglitter (4✩)
5. Skyward Spine (5✩)
6. Black Tassel (3✩)

1) Favonius Lance (ATK: 565 • Energy Recharge: 30.6%)
[Refinement 5] CRIT Hits have a 100% chance to generate a small amount of Elemental Particles, which will regenerate 6 Energy for the character. Can only occur once every 6s.

Note: This is going to be Candace's BIS option because of her drastically high ER requirement. If she's the only Hydro character in one team, Candace will need nearly 300% ER to maintain a consistent burst uptime. With another Hydro character to help her out, this ER requirement is lowered down to the 200-250% ER range. This kind of ER requirement is difficult to reach with most polearms, but Favonius Lance makes it possible because each proc of its passive cuts down this requirement by 20% (1 proc --> -20% ER req). Note that with this polearm equipped, Crit Rate also needs to be prioritized on Candace to ensure that its passive is constantly proc'd.

2) Engulfing Lightning (ATK: 608 • Energy Recharge: 55.1%)
[Refinement 1] ATK increased by 28% of Energy Recharge over the base 100%. You can gain a maximum bonus of 80% ATK. Gain 30% Energy Recharge for 12s after using an Elemental Burst.

Note: This polearm offers a large amount of ER%, which makes it the next best option for Candace after Favonius Lance.

3) Staff of Homa (ATK: 608 • Crit Damage: 66.2%)
[Refinement 1] 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.

Note: These weapons can be considered if you want Candace to have high personal damage.

4) Prototype Starglitter (ATK: 510 • Energy Recharge: 45.9%)
[Refinement 5] After using an Elemental Skill, increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 16% for 12s. Max 2 stacks.

5) Skyward Spine (ATK: 674 • Energy Recharge: 36.8%)
[Refinement 1] Increases CRIT Rate by 8% and increases Normal ATK SPD by 12%. Additionally, Normal and Charged Attacks hits on opponents have a 50% chance to trigger a vacuum blade that deals 40% of ATK as DMG in a small AoE. This effect can occur no more than once every 2s.

6) Black Tassel (ATK: 354 • HP: 46.9%)
[Refinement 5] Increases DMG against slimes by 80%.

Recommended Artifacts

1. Emblem of Severed Fate (4)*
2. Emblem of Severed Fate (2) / +15% Hydro DMG Bonus set (2) / Noblesse Oblige (2) / +20% HP set (2) [Choose Two]

1) Emblem of Severed Fate
2-Piece Bonus: Energy Recharge +20%
4-Piece Bonus: Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 25% of Energy Recharge. A maximum of 75% bonus DMG can be obtained in this way.

2) Emblem of Severed Fate (2) / +15% Hydro DMG Bonus set (2) / Noblesse Oblige (2) / +20% HP set (2) [Choose Two]

Note: With Candace, the only "necessary" stat from her artifacts is the 20% ER you get from EOSF's 2-piece effect. Emblem of Severed Fate's 4-piece effect allows her to better capitalize on the high amounts of ER% that you'll be equipping on her, which makes it her strongest option. However, EoSF is a highly contested artifact set and thus you can end up using the 2-piece + 2-piece alternatives listed above.

Team Compositions

Reverse Vaporize Team

Candace: Off-field Support
Xingqiu: Driver
Bennett: Healer + Buffer / Driver
Xiangling: Off-field DPS

Bloom Team

Candace: Off-field Support
Nilou: Bounty Bloom Creator
Nahida / Other Dendro characters: Dendro Off-field DPS
Yaoyao / Dendro MC: Driver

Burgeon Team

Candace: Off-field Support
Kamisato Ayato: Main DPS
Nahida / Other Dendro characters: Dendro Off-field DPS
Thoma: Pyro Off-field DPS

Mono-Hydro Team

Candace: Off-field Support
Yelan: Hydro Off-field DPS
Xingqiu: Hydro Off-field DPS
Zhongli / Jean: Driver