[Lurtz_Of_Orthanc]

Given that there's constant confusion over the "16" endings and what choices have significance, I "have compiled a list," as our favorite Nilfgaardian ambassador would say. Every choice listed ignores the minor stuff - killing trolls, Adam Pangratt, Malena, etc. - and focuses on choices with important political and cultural ramifications. At the end follows a heavily-discussed conclusion on what ending, all morality aside, leaves the most stable North to face the Nilfgaardian invasion.

Prologue

SPARE ARYAN: He survives through to Chapter 3 and La Vallete Castle remains Temerian.
KILL ARYAN: La Vallete Castle becomes Nilfgaardian, surrendered by Mary Louisa La Vallete.

Chapter 1

GIVE SWORD: Hand Iorveth his sword and a nonhuman pogrom occurs in Flotsam. Margot lives. Derae dies.
HELP ROCHE: Iorveth is captured and a festival occurs in Flotsam. Margot dies. Derae lives.

CHOOSE IORVETH: Abandons the Temerian cause for the Pontar Valley. Dethmold is now guaranteed to die. Unlocks SAVE MOTTLE/PURSUE LOREDO
CHOOSE ROCHE: Abandon nonhumans for the Temerian cause.

SAVE MOTTLE: Save the elves from the tower to get sexytime with Mottle later on, and earn Iorveth's gratitude. Loredo sells Flotsam to Kaedwen.
PURSUE LOREDO: Chase Loredo into the town square and butcher him. Mottle and her friends die and Iorveth is bitter. Loredo perishes and Flotsam stays Temerian.

Chapter 2

Iorveth Path

SPARE STENNIS: Stennis never faces justice and become King Stennis I of Aedirn, stabilizing the country and opposing Saskia's Pontar.
LYNCH STENNIS: Stennis dies, Aedirn collapses into anarchy, but Saskia's new nation is unopposed.

Roche Path

KILL HENSELT: The Blue Stripes get vengeance, but Kaedwen collapses into chaos, like Temeria.
SPARE HENSELT: Roche is bitter, but Geralt gives him a bro pep talk and Kaedwen stays a strong Northern realm under the cured Henselt.

Chapter 3

SAVE TRISS (Iorveth): The Nilfgaardian plot is destroyed, with the death of Renuald, Shilard and their entire party. The Council and Conclave is successfully restored, assuring a strong Northern network of magic users. Temeria is partitioned or dissolved. Iorveth is horribly wounded.
GO WITH PHILIPPA: The Nilfgaardians start a witch hunt and all mages are implicated. However, Saskia established her authority as an unopposed Queen of a free realm in the Pontar Valley. Iorveth is Geralt's best bud, and Triss survives anyways.

SAVE TRISS (Roche): The Nilfgaardian plot is destroyed, with the death of Renuald, Shilard and their entire party. The Council and Conclave is successfully restored, assuring a strong Northern network of magic users. Temeria is partitioned or dissolved. Dethmold escapes, Roche takes Anais into exile.
SAVE ANAIS: The Nilfgaardians start a witch hunt and all mages are implicated. Roche and Geralt are bros. Triss survives anyways. Dethmold dies horribly. Unlocks GIVE ANAIS TO RADOVID/GIVE ANAIS TO NATALIS

GIVE ANAIS TO RADOVID: Radovid takes Temeria, either fully or partially depending on Henselt's status. He claims he is merely holding it as a protectorate, but it essentially becomes part of his dominion, and Anais will likely never be Queen. Roche takes up the Redanian Red.
GIVE ANAIS TO NATALIS: Temeria survives independently, Anais aspires to be a Warrior Queen, and all Temeria, from Vizima to La Vallete Castle bows down to her. Roche remains a Blue Stripe.

SAVE SILE: Sile tells you Yennefer's location and departs. The Lodge retains a strong member.
LET SILE DIE: Sile dies horribly and the Lodge is terribly crippled.

SPARE SASKIA (Iorveth-Save Triss): The Lodge is strengthened, able to retain control over Saskia, with the fleeting hope of using the dagger Iorveth acquired at some future point. The realm of the Pontar Valley retains its leader, despite being influenced by the Lodge.
KILL SASKIA (Iorveth-Save Triss): The Lodge's plans are utterly wrecked, their trump card destroyed forever. However, the last dragon in the world is likely dead, and the Pontar Valley lacks a leader.
DISENCHANT SASKIA (Iorveth-Go With Philippa): Saskia is freed of the spell, the Lodge's plans ruined and their captive unshackled. The Pontar Valley stays strong and is truly free of outside control. Geralt earns the gratitude of Saskia and Iorveth alike.

SPARE DRAGON (Roche-All): The Lodge retains its weapon, whose sole purpose is to serve their bidding as a weapon of destruction given the fall of Vergen.
KILL DRAGON (Roche-All): The Lodge loses its weapon, and Kaedwen need not fear a counterattack by a vengeful Saskia on its newly conquered Lormark.

SPARE LETHO: Foltest gets no justice and Geralt breaks his promise to Roche. The School of the Viper may spring up as a powerful tool against the Wild Hunt, or Nilfgaard may try to use Letho more in the future. Letho and Geralt settle their debt of friendship and blood.
KILL LETHO: Geralt disregards Letho's perspective and delivers bloody justice for Foltest and keeps his oath to Roche. The School of the Viper is likely doomed and Nilfgaard loses a potential pawn.



One path for greatest Northern stability is as follows (with a couple *minor choices tossed in due to their relevance). Credit to Lord_Roose for promoting this path for Geralt. Note: you may have conflicting opinions about the path of most stability for the North, and we can't really gauge the true realities of this until Witcher 3 details become more clear. For the time being, I'll leave this up here - obviously it will become irrelevant once TW3 is out, as there will be choices that didn't matter or choices we couldn't anticipate mattering. But here it is all the same.

SPARE Aryan so La Vallete stays a Northern property.
Help ROCHE so Flotsam stays a stable, functioning town.
Side with IORVETH (Dethmold inevitably perishes, eliminating a rogue necromancer a danger to all around him.)
SAVE Mottle so Kaedwen's dominion increases to include Flotsam.
SPARE Stennis so Aedirn becomes a strong nation again.
*KILL the Nilfgaardian mages at the end of Secrets of Loc Muinne so Nilfgaard loses all 4 of its mages in the North over the course of the game: Vanhemar, Assire var Anihid, Adalbert and Cynthia.
SAVE Triss so mages spread throughout the North in positions of power and support, boosting every realm's government.
KILL Sile so the Lodge is crippled and causes less future chaos.
KILL Saskia so the Lodge loses its trump card and Vergen falls back into the hands of the rightful King Stennis.
*LEAVE Iorveth to die in a Kaedweni jail so the Scoia'tael are less effective at undermining the Northern Kingdoms.
KILL Letho so that Nilfgaard cannot use him in further endeavors, and there is nobody to resurrect the School of the Viper - for we've seen how Nilfgaard uses witchers against the North.

IN SUMMARY, we have

• a strong Redania under Radovid gaining new Temerian territory,
  
• a strong Kaedwen under Henselt gaining Flotsam and Temerian territory,
  
• a La Vallete bastion against Nilfgaardian incursion,
  
• a crippled Lodge and strong, loyal network of mages supporting the monarchies of the North,
  
• a united Aedirn under the new King Stennis I to form a bulwark in the southeast,
  
• a suppression of nonhuman dissent, and
  
• the ENTIRE Northern Nilfgaardian expeditionary force slaughtered to a man - Renuald, Shilard, Assire var Anihid, Cynthia, Adalbert, Vanhemar and all their retinue.

***not saying that this is the most SATISFYING or HAPPY ending for the characters - it stays pretty darn neutral and screws over a lot of people. I myself like siding loyally with Saskia, or restoring Anais to the Temerian throne, but those paths leave a weaker North overall against the onslaught of the Black Ones.



If you're looking to do another playthrough and want to characterize your Geralt in a fresh new way, try out these character archetypes as a basis.

GERALT, FREEDOM FIGHTER: This Geralt fights for nonhumans and freedom. He is benevolent and patient.

Prologue
SPARE ARYAN: You sympathize with his cause.
GIVE SWORD: Iorveth's your bro.
CHOOSE IORVETH: Roche's vendetta is petty.
SAVE MOTTLE: For the people.
Chapter 2
LYNCH STENNIS: Aedirn is free.
Chapter 3
GO WITH PHILIPPA: Only way to save Saskia, Free Peoples' Queen.
LET SILE DIE: Sile and the Lodge seek only to control Saskia and pervert the freedom of the people.
DISENCHANT SASKIA: Duh.
SPARE LETHO: His murder of kings ultimately strengthens the freedom of Saskia's new realm and anyone like her. No reason to kill.

GERALT, WAYWARD WITCHER: This Geralt has no time for any distractions save for his Witcher duties and romantic interests. He does not maintain allegiances and will readily kill his opponents.

Prologue
KILL ARYAN: He challenges you and you show him his foolishness.
Chapter 1
HELP ROCHE: Iorveth has given you little reason to trust him.
CHOOSE IORVETH: Seems like the fastest way to save Triss and find the Kingslayer.
PURSUE LOREDO: Can't leave any loose ends.
Chapter 2
SPARE STENNIS: A Witcher has no place inciting riots.
Chapter 3
SAVE TRISS (Iorveth): Triss is your goal, your rock, and your steadfast ally. She cannot be abandoned.
SAVE SILE: You need to resolve your quest for Yennefer. Sile's tidbit of info is worth letting her live.
KILL SASKIA (Iorveth-Save Triss): Witchers do not kill dragons, but she left you little choice.
KILL LETHO: Witchers shouldn't play politics, and if anyone's going to do it, it's going to be Geralt alone.

GERALT, TRUE TEMERIAN: This Geralt is the savior of Vizima and friend to Foltest. He is honorable and interest in the survival of the Temerian state above all.

Prologue
SPARE ARYAN: Temeria must stay strong and united.
Chapter 1
HELP ROCHE: Iorveth is a danger to the state.
CHOOSE ROCHE: Roche is Temeria's last hope.
Chapter 2
SPARE HENSELT: Roche must not dishonor Temeria with more kingsblood.
Chapter 3
SAVE ANAIS: Last hope for Temeria's bloodline.
GIVE ANAIS TO NATALIS: Temeria must not splinter.
SAVE SILE: Dethmold was your enemy, not Sile.
SPARE DRAGON (Roche-All): The Dragon helped Aryan once, it might help him again. Aryan is wild but still a Temerian.
SPARE LETHO: Killing him will not bring Foltest back. And if Anais wishes to avenge her father one day, Letho will still be out there.

GERALT, BUTCHER OF BLAVIKEN: This Geralt is not human but a Witcher. He is bred to be a killer, and revels in combat and violence.

Prologue
KILL ARYAN: Nobody challenges a Witcher.
Chapter 1
HELP ROCHE: Nobody commands a Witcher.
CHOOSE ROCHE: Loredo must die screaming.
Chapter 2
KILL HENSELT: Blood for blood.
Chapter 3
SAVE TRISS (Roche): The Nilfgaardians must pay.
LET SILE DIE: Nobody orders the death of a Witcher.
KILL DRAGON (Roche-All): Nothing can stop a Witcher.
KILL LETHO: All crimes end in blood.

[Lord_Roose]

One of the trickier areas is Stennis's Aedirn. Does he have an army? There might be a point somewhere in the game where it's confirmed that Aedirn doesn't. Vergen does, but it's very small. So how easily would Stennis retake it? There could be a civil war that destabilizes the country again.

However, it's also possible that upon being crowned, Stennis is easily able to call on his lords for an army which crushes Vergen's forces, resulting in the desirable united Aedirn.

[Lurtz_Of_Orthanc]

The lords are total pushovers, as demonstrated by the Henselt POV from the beginning of Chapter 2 - and apart from the dwarves, who are stated to be few in number, the humans favor Stennis. And Geralt's Ch3 flashback implies that Stennis manages to usurp Saskia's legacy as one "sympathetic" to the plight of the common folk, becoming "just that."

[Poohunter]

Hmm, I would, But I hate Henselt and Kaedwen WAY too much for this.

[Gibb_Geralt]

Well apparently Nilfgaard win in the end anyway, so you'll likely just build a North that retains independence for a little bit longer. Unless CDPR oppose the book canon, which i hope they do.

[steelbom]

Thanks for the list, it's interesting... my choices were as follows:


Spare Aryan
Help Iorveth
Side with Iorveth
Save Mottle
Spare Stennis

Save Saskia (instead of going after Triss -- this was a hard decision)
Save Sile
Cure Dragon
Spare Letho

[dragonbird]

You've one missing minor option:

Quote

Give Anais to Radovid: Radovid takes Temeria, either fully or partially depending on Henselt's status. He claims he is merely holding it as a protectorate, but it essentially becomes part of his dominion, and Anais will likely never be Queen. Roche takes up the Redanian Red.

There's also a slight variation here depending on TW1 choices.
If Adda is alive, Radovid claims to be holding it as protectorate, and that he will eventually hand it over to Anais, but if Addis dead, he declares his intention to marry Anais when she's old enough, thus uniting the two kingdoms. And in at least one conversation, he describes himself as King of Temeria, not Protector - a Freudian Slip?
Also, if Radovid has Anais, he doesn't share Temeria with Henselt, does he?

I made it fourteen distinct endings, as in different combinations of the status of Temeria, Kaedwen and Aedirn, plus whether or not the Mages Council is created. Double this to 28 if you include the Aryan decision, which CDPR say is important but which doesn't show up in the game.

Roche Path:
Henselt Dead / Henselt Alive (2 choices)
Anais to Natalis / Anais to Radovid with Adda alive / Anais to Radovod with Adda dead / Rescue Triss (4 choices)
Total - 8

Iorveth Path:
Stennis Alive / Stennis Dead (2 choices)
Rescue Philippa / Rescue Triss, Saskia Alive / Rescue Triss, Saskia Dead (3 choices)
Total - 6

As to which is the best, this all depends on CDPR. I think it's possible to argue in favour, or against, any combination. My personal view is that one of the ones which is least satisfying personally would be best for the kingdoms - Roche Path, Henselt Alive, Rescue Triss.

(Oh, and with my modersator hat on, I think anyone would guess this has spoilers from the title, but I'm moving it anyway)

[Sforza-il-Moro]

Poohunter said:

Hmm, I would, But I hate Henselt and Kaedwen WAY too much for this. ›››

Thats what I really like about many of the choices; they are really morally grey and difficult ones, that will carry consequences. Although Henselt is pretty dark, I agree!
But then sometimes curiosity gets the better of me

Thanks to all for the info above!

[Costin Moroianu]

Okay, several things, you have no proof to indicate Stennis is behind the poisoning, nor do you have anything to indicate that Stennis opposes Saskia. ( That he saw the plight of his subjects is bloody irrelevant ).

Joining Roche means you abandon the Scoia'Tael cause not the nonhuman one ( they are not the same thing, despite what some might claim, since quite a few nonhumans dislike the Scoia'Tael ).

Regardless of whether Henselt is alive or not giving Anais to Radovid will always result in him taking full control of Temeria.

In regards to a neutral path Geralt can take in the game, it's siding with Roche since that means you are not helping the rebels in Upper Aedirn and thus getting yourself involved up to your neck in that cause.

The way I see it, the best neutral path is: Side with Roche ( clearing and Act ), save Iorveth in Act 2, spare Henselt, save Triss. Let SIle, Saskia and Letho live.

But as far as Northen Stability goes it is again siding with Roche. Sparing Henselt, Saving Anais and giving her to Radovid. Letting Iorveth die in Vergen, killing Sile, Saskia and Letho.

The reason why Roche is better is that while Aedirn will remain without a leader in this case Kaedwen will be strengthened, not losing so many men at Vergen, and likely establish dominance over Aedirn. Also more importantly Temeria will be a lot stronger then it would be if it was divided between Henselt and Radovid.

[steelbom]

Costin Moroianu said:

Okay, several things, you have no proof to indicate Stennis is behind the poisoning, nor do you have anything to indicate that Stennis opposes Saskia. ( That he saw the plight of his subjects is bloody irrelevant ). ›››

Actually I think you do.

During the riot(?) you can find out that Olcan ordered a copy of Saskia's goblet from a shady dwarf, and you also find out from a witness that Olcan said to Stennis to have everyone out of the kitchen at a certain time (discussing poisoning her). On top of that, when you speak with Stennis prior to the Riot (or during), he absolutely refuses to give even one drop of his blood to save Saskia's life.

I think the fact that he refuses to save her is evidence enough that he wants her dead, and maybe even that he did actually poison her -- but the other two things is definitive afaic.

[Random drowner]

Nice OP, but it is not possible to know what will produce the strongest north( against Nilfgaard).
Its not possible to foresee. Its possible a free Pontar valley with Saskia ruling or the lodge "proxy ruling" it through her will be stronger then Aedirn under kin Stennis. But then again, Aedirn under Stennis might function as a buffer taking the main hit from Nilfgaard. And so on and so forth.

And it seems like Saskia did let Stennis go (was he not in the dungeons in Vergen if he was not lynched and awaited being judged by Saskia when she recovered).

[Costin Moroianu]

Quote

During the riot(?) you can find out that Olcan ordered a copy of Saskia's goblet from a shady dwarf, and you also find out from a witness that Olcan said to Stennis to have everyone out of the kitchen at a certain time (discussing poisoning her).

The witness states he heard two people talking in Stennis room, and he only recognized Olcan talking about clearing the kitchens.

Quote

I think the fact that he refuses to save her is evidence enough that he wants her dead, and maybe even that he did actually poison her -- but the other two things is definitive afaic.

That he refuses to save her is circumstantial evidence at best. Someone who doesn't jump into a river after a person who fell and is drowning is not necessarily the person who pushed them.

[Random drowner]

Costin Moroianu said:

The witness states he heard two people talking in Stennis room, and he only recognized Olcan talking about clearing the kitchens.



That he refuses to save her is circumstantial evidence at best. Someone who doesn't jump into a river after a person who fell and is drowning is not necessarily the person who pushed them. ›››

But it does tell us he does not want to save her. Its no direct evidence, but it gives us a good understanding on motive.

[Costin Moroianu]

So by not caring for Saskia's fate he is automatically guilty?

Also on another subject matter. Dethmold is not a rogue necromancer, he is a very loyal servant of Henselt and Henselt takes control of Flotsman regardless of whether you killed Loredo or not on Iorveth's path.

[Mariusmssj]

Anyone is up to make a clear decision tree with me???

[.Max]

I'm looking forward to the way CDPR will make the decisions count in The Witcher 3. I know for certain they read the forums and take them into consideration, and you've presented here their own plot outcomes after a game. I just hope the decisions will have a bigger impact on the game than a simple mention in the journal or a single character appearing at a certain point somewhere (like mass effect series, or even worse - witcher 1 to witcher 2 transition). For me, they could add even a year or two in the development process to make this happen.

[steelbom]

Costin Moroianu said:

The witness states he heard two people talking in Stennis room, and he only recognized Olcan talking about clearing the kitchens.

I'm sure he said he heard Stennis and Olcan talking, I don't remember exactly though but I can't find the dialog between Willy and Geralt online.

Quote

That he refuses to save her is circumstantial evidence at best. Someone who doesn't jump into a river after a person who fell and is drowning is not necessarily the person who pushed them.

That's an entirely different scenario. All he needed to do was give a small amount of his blood to heal her -- his life was never in jeopardy, and in fact it was barely an inconvenience, yet he outright refused and spoke about Saskia very poorly. That aside, he had previously said she was the only loyal commander that he had left, yet he's not interested the slightest in saving her.

I'll go through that bit in the near future and take notes.

EDIT: That reminds me, I believe he goes on somewhat of a rant about how she's just some peasant girl, and complaining about what she was doing.

So he had motive, his right hand man did the deed, he outright refused to shed even a drop of blood to save her life even though he previously praised her as a loyal commander, and he speaks disrespectfully about her, and his entire attitude with Geralt was incredibly defensive. It all adds up.

[Lord_Roose]

Costin Moroianu said:

In regards to a neutral path Geralt can take in the game, it's siding with Roche since that means you are not helping the rebels in Upper Aedirn and thus getting yourself involved up to your neck in that cause. ›››

I think you can be neutral on both paths; you just need to justify siding with Iorveth as an attempt to save Triss and recover your memory. If you then spare Stennis, save Triss, and kill Saskia, you demonstrate that Geralt never cared about the rebels' cause; it was always about Triss and/or his memory.

[Costin Moroianu]

That is all again circumstantial evidence, remember how he told Olcan to fuck off in the beginning? You have no real evidence to prove Stennis is guilty.

I believe Phillipa did it to gain control over Saskia.

As for the conversation with the peasant, here it is: My link

[Aver]

Saving Aedrin is pointless. Stennis told Geralt that Aedirn doesn't have regular army anymore because they lost it during Saskia's rebellions. So only forces they can gather are common folks but they hate Stennis.

Also Keadwen lose their army when you side with Iorveth.