It's not possible. You can't combine the three options - The Empire winning, Ciri visiting the Emperor, and Ciri becoming a witcher. If Ciri has visited the Emperor, the only way she can become witcher is if the Empire loses.
There are two decision points for Empress (assumiing she survives, of course). One is the visit, the other is something in the next Novigrad segment.
Soon after you go back to Novigrad, you will have an encounter with Djikstra. Near the end, there's a decision point to attack him or bargain with him.
If you attack him, that will stop a certain quest from starting, and removes the Empress ending from those available.
Alternatively, if you bargain with him instead, you will be asked by Djikstra to take part in something he's planning.
When asked:
You can refuse or accept. If you refuse, Ciri will NOT become empress. If you accept because you want to do the quest, there's one more decision point later
If you really want to do this quest, then at the end of it you get to the final decision point:
You will be given the choice of picking sides between Djikstra and Roche. If you pick Djikstra, Ciri will NOT become empress
I've tried to avoid too many spoilers in this, but the decision points will be fairly obvious when you reach them. If you want more detail, just ask.
Ciri will become empress if you take her to see Emhyr and make "positive" choices with her, she becomes a witcher if you don't take her to see the Emperor and still make the "positive" choices
the choices being
snowball fight over drinking with Geralt
taking Ciri to see Skjall's grave or not
Letting her deal with lodge of Sorceresses on her own or speaking for her
trashing Avallach's lab or not
Also Radovid must be killed and you must side with Roche against Djikstra
So these people that said it happened just lied? It didn't seem like they were lying.
Maybe if the empire losses and she sees the emperor, then she becomes a witcher anyway. But then either Radovid or Djikstra must win.
This game and it's not perfect solutions get on my nerves! That's not how I am used to play RPGs!
I don't care if the empire falls, Ciri shall become a witcher that she likes, not an empress of a backstabbing empire that has no point. It's like putting her to be the king in game of thrones.
She enters the White Frost no matter what in every playthourgh. Her fate will depend on the decisions you made along the way since The Battle of Kaer Morhen.
one thing i wish they reworked in W3 ending is the whole Djikstra vs Roche situation.. there is just no way to side with Djikstra even if his goals are reasonable.. but letting him kill Roche and Ves after they helped you fight the Hunt, while Djikstra refused... that's just never gonna happen... i wish that choice was a bit more grey, maybe without the resulting confrontation and death of either of those two.. becase as it is, i would rather let Radovid live than betray Roche like that...
^Yes I always feel awful about the Djkstra choice, primarily because he is such a great character. However, there is just no way that I'm going to pick him over Ves, Roach and Thaler...
The more I think about it the more I'm convinced Nilfgaard winning the war is the best outcome especially with Cirilla on the throne.
Temeria is restored, our bro Roche is alive, Radovid die and the war is over.
I appreciate Djkstra and really respect the cunning and his political skills but ultimately he is just too ruthless to pass as optimal decision. To betray your brothers in arms is vile. I cannot condone this.
snowball fight over drinking with Geralt
taking Ciri to see Skjall's grave or not
Letting her deal with lodge of Sorceresses on her own or speaking for her
trashing Avallach's lab or not
