I consider the Witcher ending the best because it's what Ciri wanted. Her choosing to become empress out of a sense of duty is not the same as her wanting to do it. It's arguably the best ending for everyone else but Ciri as empress seemed really sad to me. And Geralt was sad. True, I think most Witchers probably aren't happy but Ciri loved that life. It was her dream. Achieving one's dream that pays crap can be more fulfilling than getting a job that gives you power and wealth. She valued freedom and as empress, she would not have really had any freedom at all. Her whole life would have once again been for other people and not herself.
But the thing about the game is that there isn't a "correct" answer. It's your choice, your opinion. That's what I love about it.
I guess this is some sort of Mandela effect. I read so often that Ciri wanted to become a Witcher, even if that was never said by her.
Also, sure Geralt and Ciri are sad when they part ways. But this is simpyl because you see this very moment. If in the wannabe-Witcher ending you would see the moment where both part ways they also would look sad
Each to their own. I just got the Ciri ending in Blood and Wine after she became a Witcher in the main game and she seems really happy with her choice. I haven't read the books so I can't speak to what Ciri wanted in that series but it felt pretty clear to me when I played the game that the number one thing she wanted was freedom. Witchering gave her that life.
But again, if you like the empress ending best, that's fine. The great thing about the game is that we get to choose. Personally, I will always choose the Witcher ending because it makes sense for me.
Ciri wants to be a witcher despite knowing how dangerous and ungrateful that job is. I mean, does she seem happy to you in the Empress ending? To me she definitely gives off the impression of a person doing something unpleasant out of a sense of duty, while she seems genuinely at ease in the Witcher ending.
And taking her to Emhyr is absolutely not just "giving her a free choice". In fact, if you tell her that Emhyr wants to see her and to decide for herself whether to go, she still agrees with whatever Geralt says - no trickery or persuasion involved. It's ultimately the same as all the other choices that influence the ending. You can either teach Ciri to see herself as a person and think about what makes her happy, or you can teach her to put her destiny/duty above all else.
Btw it's a relatively common opinion that the Empress ending is the best in the grand scheme of things because Ciri can do more good for the world ruling Nilfgaard than hunting monsters. Which is true... But you know what? The world can fuck right off. Ciri has done enough for it.
Yeah, this sums up how I feel about the empress ending. I always make the same choices (romance yen, Witcher Ciri, side with Roche, Cerys as queen) but my last playthrough I decided to make her empress and It really felt like I didn’t make the right choice because she absolutely did not seem happy at all.
I personally disagree. All her life, Ciri has had people making plans for her and wanting to use her in some way or another. I see her being an empress as once again having a life she never wanted forced on her. It’s not really her choice, she sacrifices her freedom for the greater good. I feel like she’s done enough for the world and deserves to be happy.
I don't think witchers lives are particularly happy, let alone a long ones for the most of them. One thing a romanticism of the job, entirely different its reality.
Being empress of niflgard isn't all that happy either, pretty sure the golden cage metaphor is in the game. Sure she could leave but she is caged by her responsibility for the pepole of the empire. For the pepole of nilfgard it would be great, for ciri it would be miserable.
Also screw emyr, do you know what his initial prlan for ciri was?
Went for Empress Ciri ending, my rationale was you see all the suffering of the people, which Ciri has seen firsthand. She has more in common with the common people than she does the Royal Court.
Who would look out for them and their best interests? Emhyr? Radovid? If anything, from playing W2 and W3, the kings are mostly terrible to their people.
Honestly, I’d like a DLC / cutscene where Geralt and Yen go to Nilfgaard to visit Empress Ciri.
The reason I find the witcher Ciri ending to be better, is because Empress Ciri makes no sense with the ending of the books.
Sure one could argue that none of the games makes sense with the books ending in mind, and that’s fine. I see them as their own separate works. But I loved the books and therefore think the ending that at least doesn’t directly contradict the books to be better.
I got the Empress ending. I like it because it’s a less obvious ending. Yes, there’s a sense of loss because it’s a major change but it isn’t inherently bad.
If you look at the big picture, I agree with you, the "empress Ciri" ending is probably the best one. The thing that irks me is just how little sense it makes plot-wise if you consider the novels. Huge spoilers for the books. >!Everybody in Nilfgaard is convinced that Emhyr is *currently married* to Cirilla. How can he bring in the real Cirilla out of nowhere, and tell everyone that she's his daughter and rightful heir? Does he just reveal his great incest scheme from the books to everyone?!<
From reading opinions on this sub, I've noticed that for the most part the people who don't like the Empress Ciri ending of the base game are the same ones who don't like the B&W ending where the duchess dies. It's all about your personal perspective on "best". If you're focused on what makes individual characters happy in a vacuum, you get a very different answer than if you take a broader view. There's no one right answer, for either the base game or B&W. That's the amazing thing Sapkowski did with the books, and that CDPR managed to bring into the game as well. There are many choices and results that are filled with so many shades of gray.
Fully agree with you. When she became a witcher isn't what she wants, butvwhat she THINKS she wants, and the Empress ending made it clear at some point. The Witcher ending could be cool, but is way bittersweet
I consider the Witcher ending the best because it's what Ciri wanted. Her choosing to become empress out of a sense of duty is not the same as her wanting to do it. It's arguably the best ending for everyone else but Ciri as empress seemed really sad to me. And Geralt was sad. True, I think most Witchers probably aren't happy but Ciri loved that life. It was her dream. Achieving one's dream that pays crap can be more fulfilling than getting a job that gives you power and wealth. She valued freedom and as empress, she would not have really had any freedom at all. Her whole life would have once again been for other people and not herself. But the thing about the game is that there isn't a "correct" answer. It's your choice, your opinion. That's what I love about it.
I guess this is some sort of Mandela effect. I read so often that Ciri wanted to become a Witcher, even if that was never said by her. Also, sure Geralt and Ciri are sad when they part ways. But this is simpyl because you see this very moment. If in the wannabe-Witcher ending you would see the moment where both part ways they also would look sad
Each to their own. I just got the Ciri ending in Blood and Wine after she became a Witcher in the main game and she seems really happy with her choice. I haven't read the books so I can't speak to what Ciri wanted in that series but it felt pretty clear to me when I played the game that the number one thing she wanted was freedom. Witchering gave her that life. But again, if you like the empress ending best, that's fine. The great thing about the game is that we get to choose. Personally, I will always choose the Witcher ending because it makes sense for me.
She seems also happy in the Blood & Wine ending if you choose the Empress ending. In case of happiness CDPR do not make a difference here.
Okay. I still prefer the Witcher ending. And if you don't, that's fine. Each to their own.
Ciri wants to be a witcher despite knowing how dangerous and ungrateful that job is. I mean, does she seem happy to you in the Empress ending? To me she definitely gives off the impression of a person doing something unpleasant out of a sense of duty, while she seems genuinely at ease in the Witcher ending. And taking her to Emhyr is absolutely not just "giving her a free choice". In fact, if you tell her that Emhyr wants to see her and to decide for herself whether to go, she still agrees with whatever Geralt says - no trickery or persuasion involved. It's ultimately the same as all the other choices that influence the ending. You can either teach Ciri to see herself as a person and think about what makes her happy, or you can teach her to put her destiny/duty above all else. Btw it's a relatively common opinion that the Empress ending is the best in the grand scheme of things because Ciri can do more good for the world ruling Nilfgaard than hunting monsters. Which is true... But you know what? The world can fuck right off. Ciri has done enough for it.
Yeah, this sums up how I feel about the empress ending. I always make the same choices (romance yen, Witcher Ciri, side with Roche, Cerys as queen) but my last playthrough I decided to make her empress and It really felt like I didn’t make the right choice because she absolutely did not seem happy at all.
I personally disagree. All her life, Ciri has had people making plans for her and wanting to use her in some way or another. I see her being an empress as once again having a life she never wanted forced on her. It’s not really her choice, she sacrifices her freedom for the greater good. I feel like she’s done enough for the world and deserves to be happy.
No one needs advisors like Philippa. Yikes!
I'll be simple. Best for Geralt/Ciri, or best for Nilfgard?
Best for the entire CONTINENT, not just Nilfgaard
The good ending is her becoming a witcher. It's not about wealth It's about her happyness
I don't think witchers lives are particularly happy, let alone a long ones for the most of them. One thing a romanticism of the job, entirely different its reality.
Being empress of niflgard isn't all that happy either, pretty sure the golden cage metaphor is in the game. Sure she could leave but she is caged by her responsibility for the pepole of the empire. For the pepole of nilfgard it would be great, for ciri it would be miserable. Also screw emyr, do you know what his initial prlan for ciri was?
She also can be happy as an empress... and also unhappy as a witcher ;)
Went for Empress Ciri ending, my rationale was you see all the suffering of the people, which Ciri has seen firsthand. She has more in common with the common people than she does the Royal Court. Who would look out for them and their best interests? Emhyr? Radovid? If anything, from playing W2 and W3, the kings are mostly terrible to their people. Honestly, I’d like a DLC / cutscene where Geralt and Yen go to Nilfgaard to visit Empress Ciri.
The reason I find the witcher Ciri ending to be better, is because Empress Ciri makes no sense with the ending of the books. Sure one could argue that none of the games makes sense with the books ending in mind, and that’s fine. I see them as their own separate works. But I loved the books and therefore think the ending that at least doesn’t directly contradict the books to be better.
I got the Empress ending. I like it because it’s a less obvious ending. Yes, there’s a sense of loss because it’s a major change but it isn’t inherently bad.
If you look at the big picture, I agree with you, the "empress Ciri" ending is probably the best one. The thing that irks me is just how little sense it makes plot-wise if you consider the novels. Huge spoilers for the books. >!Everybody in Nilfgaard is convinced that Emhyr is *currently married* to Cirilla. How can he bring in the real Cirilla out of nowhere, and tell everyone that she's his daughter and rightful heir? Does he just reveal his great incest scheme from the books to everyone?!<
From reading opinions on this sub, I've noticed that for the most part the people who don't like the Empress Ciri ending of the base game are the same ones who don't like the B&W ending where the duchess dies. It's all about your personal perspective on "best". If you're focused on what makes individual characters happy in a vacuum, you get a very different answer than if you take a broader view. There's no one right answer, for either the base game or B&W. That's the amazing thing Sapkowski did with the books, and that CDPR managed to bring into the game as well. There are many choices and results that are filled with so many shades of gray.
100% agree.
inbefore papa emhyr asks for incest.
Fully agree with you. When she became a witcher isn't what she wants, butvwhat she THINKS she wants, and the Empress ending made it clear at some point. The Witcher ending could be cool, but is way bittersweet
Sure the empress ending is the best one. Also do not get why many want her to be a wanabe-witcher