To keep Ciri alive in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, make at least three supportive choices across five key moments in the story. The simplest route to her Witcher ending is to start a snowball fight after Kaer Morhen, skip the visit to Emhyr, let her meet the Lodge alone, let her vent in Avallac’h’s laboratory, and go with her to Skjall’s grave. If you do visit Emhyr, refuse his payment.
Spoilers: The choices below determine Ciri’s main-game ending.
How the survival choices work
Ciri’s fate is determined by pivotal conversations and actions, not by winning or losing a combat encounter. Make at least three supportive choices to ensure she survives; three or more negative choices lead to her death. The Emhyr visit affects which surviving ending is possible, but visiting him is not required for survival.
The five decision moments include a conditional payment choice: it appears only if you take Ciri to see Emhyr in Vizima. If you skip that visit, the payment moment does not occur. The walkthrough mechanics are summarized in the Steam-hosted ending guide and the detailed endings guide.
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- Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
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Make these choices to support Ciri
1. After the Battle of Kaer Morhen: have a snowball fight
When Ciri is discouraged because Avallac’h’s lesson is going badly, choose the response that offers to lift her spirits. This starts a snowball fight and counts as supportive. The alternative leads to a drink and counts against her. A quest walkthrough covers this scene in its Kaer Morhen walkthrough.
2. Before Bald Mountain: decide whether to visit Emhyr
Going straight to Velen instead of taking Ciri to Vizima counts as a supportive outcome. The visit is optional for her survival, but it is required for the Empress ending. Visiting Emhyr does not automatically make Ciri Empress or doom her to die.
3. If you visit Emhyr: refuse the payment
If you bring Ciri to Vizima, refuse Emhyr’s payment. Accepting the money counts against her; refusing it is supportive. This choice only appears after the visit.
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4. In Novigrad: let Ciri meet the Lodge alone
When Ciri says Philippa and Margarita want to speak with her, let her go in by herself. Accompanying her counts as a negative choice.
5. At Avallac’h’s laboratory: let Ciri vent
Choose to let Ciri destroy the laboratory instead of telling her to calm down. Supporting her in this moment counts positively.
6. At Skjall’s grave: go with her
Agree to visit the grave together. Refusing to accompany her counts negatively.
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The list has six numbered instructions because the Emhyr visit and its conditional payment are separate choices. The game’s survival tally has five decision moments: without a visit to Emhyr, the payment moment is skipped.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to get each surviving ending
First, make enough supportive choices for Ciri to survive. Her specific surviving ending then depends on whether she visited Emhyr and whether Nilfgaard won the war.
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| Outcome | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Ciri becomes a Witcher | Ciri survives and does not meet Emhyr, or Nilfgaard loses the war. |
| Ciri becomes Empress | Ciri survives, visits Emhyr in Vizima, and Nilfgaard wins the war. |
These conditions are distinct from the survival threshold: the Empress route requires the right war outcome as well as the visit, but neither route is available if Ciri dies.
A straightforward route to Ciri’s Witcher ending
- After Kaer Morhen, choose the snowball fight.
- Skip the trip to Vizima and go straight to Velen.
- Let Ciri meet the Lodge without you.
- Let her destroy Avallac’h’s laboratory.
- Agree to accompany her to Skjall’s grave.
This route avoids the conditional Emhyr payment choice and gives Ciri supportive outcomes at the other key moments.
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