I thought about the 2. option as well. I think the empress ending was unnecessarily depressing and the game could have pointed out the fact that Ciri can actually be with her mother in Nilfgaard. (Also: IMO it was drama for the sake of drama to have them say "maybe they'll meet again" when Ciri can literally travel anywhere in a blink.)
Does the epilogue actually mention anything about Yennefer if you romance Triss?
While we're at it, is there any way to let Ciri become a witcher WITHOUT having her visit Emhyr?
Seems to me if you decide to bring her to Emhyr, she becomes Empress no matter what.
Seems to me if you decide to bring her to Emhyr, she becomes Empress no matter what.
Yes there is.
If Nilfgaard loses the war, Emhyr is deposed and can't appoint her as his successor. In order for Redania to win the war, you must not do the quest Reason of State, or refuse to help Roche, Ves and Thaler when Dijkstra double crosses them.
Thank you. I actually worded my question wrong. But I think you answered me anyway.
As I understood it, if you allow Ciri to visit Emhyr, she becomes Empress. If you do NOT visit Emhyr, she comes a witcher. But I never thought it was that black-and-white so what you're saying makes sense.
No unfortunately this is another hole in the ending. It doesnt say anything about Yen if you romanced Triss or other way arround.
The romantic in me loves the Ciri becoming witcher ending .....Geralt's love interest did not matter . ( Did both ways ) I am a fan of Triss though because of previous knowledge game wise .
Now here is a kicker I thought of while reading all of this when the game ends you are only able to return to the point before the finale battle world wise . The way the game makes it sound is Ciri could in theory travel through time so if she doesn't like an outcome poof try another . If this was a Geralt ending I would think it would involve something like I don't know Ciri , Triss/Yen and himself living a family type life . The endings seem clearly choices for Ciri and the type of life she would like vs the destiny placed on her . Follow your dream will live out over forced responsibility for me but the sense of duty may win out the next play through .
Now here is a kicker I thought of while reading all of this when the game ends you are only able to return to the point before the finale battle world wise . The way the game makes it sound is Ciri could in theory travel through time so if she doesn't like an outcome poof try another . If this was a Geralt ending I would think it would involve something like I don't know Ciri , Triss/Yen and himself living a family type life . The endings seem clearly choices for Ciri and the type of life she would like vs the destiny placed on her . Follow your dream will live out over forced responsibility for me but the sense of duty may win out the next play through .
Both Ciri and Geralt become Witcher. I do not want to think a guy like Geralt can settle in one place !!! And Ciri too !
I think this one was discussed/debated at length on some other thread that I cant find now, but my personal opinion when going through the dialog options after the battle of Kaer Morhen is, that Geralt has to talk Ciri into visiting her father as she, at least to me, is quite vehemently against it. It could be argued, that the decision to go see Emhyr is actually Geralt influencing Ciris decision making and therefore it not being truly her choice.
To me, personally, the witcheress ending rings the truest for the character.
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I got the ending with Ciri becoming a witcher and Geralt settling down with Yen, but I think the bad ending doesn't get as much appreciation as it should. I mean it does its job in a very good way, it portrays loss, bitterness and grief. If we rate the "Bestness" of a ending by quality I think it should be up here as well.
I've got the Ciri-witcheress/Geralt alone ending. After watching all the different endings, I still consider that the best possible ending for me, despite the obvious appealing of a happy life in couple.
I've thought a lot about Triss/Yen/alone outcome but for me the simplistic "and they lived happily ever after" doens't fit well with Geralt character, a character always struggling between witcher neutrality and apathy and his kindness and emotions. In any case a person who doesn’t fit well in the lazy husband role. Furthermore, I candidly loved both in the game: Triss because she cares so much about the witcher, she is very sincere in this game and I find her timid crush on Geralt heartmelting and Yen because she is like a wife for Geralt and all the love she shows for Ciri is underwhelming. In addition, I think that Geralt HIMSELF has loved and still love them both in a sort of different way, like Triss suggested before the “threesome incident”. I know that from books it’s clear without doubts the different scale of values between Triss and Yen but the games are set after the books and they evolved in their way and if ppl want to consider them canon, then the “books reason” is not a valid statement anymore. If ppl didn’t consider games canon, than this entire discussion is pointless.
So, I still consider this ending the best ending for him and for Ciri, both living how they always wanted to live, free and wild like a lone wolf and a swallow. In addition, I think that lots of ppl misunderstood the "alone" ending. In my opinion it does not exclude that Geralt will eventually have further contacts and involvements with Triss or Yen, and this without being forced to live for feasts that he actually doesn’t like so much (Triss) or without the need of banishing himself away from the world to make little talks with Yen.
I've thought a lot about Triss/Yen/alone outcome but for me the simplistic "and they lived happily ever after" doens't fit well with Geralt character, a character always struggling between witcher neutrality and apathy and his kindness and emotions. In any case a person who doesn’t fit well in the lazy husband role. Furthermore, I candidly loved both in the game: Triss because she cares so much about the witcher, she is very sincere in this game and I find her timid crush on Geralt heartmelting and Yen because she is like a wife for Geralt and all the love she shows for Ciri is underwhelming. In addition, I think that Geralt HIMSELF has loved and still love them both in a sort of different way, like Triss suggested before the “threesome incident”. I know that from books it’s clear without doubts the different scale of values between Triss and Yen but the games are set after the books and they evolved in their way and if ppl want to consider them canon, then the “books reason” is not a valid statement anymore. If ppl didn’t consider games canon, than this entire discussion is pointless.
So, I still consider this ending the best ending for him and for Ciri, both living how they always wanted to live, free and wild like a lone wolf and a swallow. In addition, I think that lots of ppl misunderstood the "alone" ending. In my opinion it does not exclude that Geralt will eventually have further contacts and involvements with Triss or Yen, and this without being forced to live for feasts that he actually doesn’t like so much (Triss) or without the need of banishing himself away from the world to make little talks with Yen.
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For me the best ending was Ciri as witcheress.(sending Ciri into the belly of the beast(Nilfgaard) is something i found very depressing)
For Geralt for me the best ending was with Triss in Kovir, still doing the odd contract here and there.
For Geralt for me the best ending was with Triss in Kovir, still doing the odd contract here and there.
Big fan of Ciri becoming a witcher. I feel like that is what she truly wanted, not to be empress. The girl just saved the universe from becoming a block of ice, what more does she really owe the world? And, in her witcher ending, she still knew it was on the table for her to go be empress, she just chooses not to. I feel that if you take her to the Emperor, the only reason she decides to become empress later is because she is manipulated and guilted into it.
And I think Geralt deserves a break. Hope to see him relaxing with Yen somewhere in the Witcher 4
And I think Geralt deserves a break. Hope to see him relaxing with Yen somewhere in the Witcher 4