There are well over 50 numbered bad endings in Road to Empress 2, and this complete all bad endings list is your definitive guide to finding—or skillfully avoiding—every single one. Each failure is a direct result of a specific choice, a failed Quick Time Event (QTE), or a critical political miscalculation. Unlike other choice-based games, Road to Empress 2 punishes indecision and poor strategy with unique, often abrupt, conclusions to your ambition.
This guide breaks down the most significant and common bad endings by the chapter in which they occur, detailing the exact choices that trigger them. Whether you're an achievement hunter aiming for 100% completion or a cautious player determined to see the true ending, you'll find every fatal misstep cataloged here.
The Prologue's First Fatalities: BE 1, 2, 5, & 6
Your journey can end before it even truly begins. The prologue, "Make-or-Break Choice," throws you into an immediate confrontation with your rival, Liu Xi. Your handling of this encounter and the subsequent QTEs determines your initial survival. These are the easiest bad endings to get and serve as a harsh lesson in the game's unforgiving nature.
How to Trigger the Prologue Bad Endings
Right at the start, you're given a choice to "Return to the palace and claw to the top" or "Leave this place for another life." Choosing to leave immediately puts you on the path to failure by confronting you with Liu Xi's Terms. From there, the paths to ruin are simple:
| Bad Ending | Triggering Choice/Action |
|---|---|
| BE 1 | During "Liu Xi's Terms," choose to "Beg her not to mess up your face." This also unlocks the "All Part of the Experience" achievement. |
| BE 2 | During "Liu Xi's Terms," choose to "Give up to keep the Prince of Wei safe." |
| BE 5 | After choosing to "Seize the hairpin and take Liu Xi out," fail the subsequent QTE. |
| BE 6 | After passing the first QTE, you'll face another called "Clutch Moment." Fail this second QTE to unlock this ending. |
To avoid these endings, you must choose to seize the hairpin from Liu Xi and successfully pass both QTE challenges. This is the only path that allows you to progress out of the prologue with your ambitions intact.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Ganye Temple's Point of No Return: BE 9, 10, & 26
Many players get tripped up in the side chapters, particularly "Ganye Temple, No Escape." After the dramatic events concerning Liu Xi's death, your choices about the aftermath are critical. A wrong move here doesn't just earn you a bad ending; it can lock you out of significant story branches later on. This section of the story tests your ability to think strategically under pressure.
How to Trigger the Ganye Temple Bad Endings
The pivotal moment comes after Liu Xi's demise. You are presented with several options for how to proceed. Two of them lead directly to failure.
- Bad Ending 9: Triggered by choosing to "Hide the body and stay at Ganye Temple." This choice is a dead end, resulting in your capture.
- Bad Ending 10: Triggered by the choice to "Shift the blame and pass it off as the work of a killer." While seemingly clever, this plan backfires spectacularly.
Later in the Ganye Temple arc, you'll face a QTE during a "Fight Back" sequence. Failing this straightforward challenge leads to another premature conclusion.
- Bad Ending 26: Unlocked by failing the QTE when you are prompted to fight back against your captors.
To survive the Ganye Temple arc, you must select the third option: "Dress as Liu Xi and slip away into the night." This is the canonical path forward. You must also successfully complete the Fight Back QTE to secure your escape and the "Ganye Temple, No Escape" achievement.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Courting Disaster: Palace Intrigue and Political Suicide
Once you're established in the palace, the threats become less physical and more political. Your interactions with the Emperor Li Zhi, his consorts, and the struggle for succession offer numerous ways to fall from grace. These bad endings are often more subtle, resulting from a series of seemingly minor miscalculations that culminate in your downfall.
Mismanaging Imperial Favor (BE 18 & 19)
In the chapter "A New Era," your interactions with Emperor Li Zhi are a minefield. When asked "What Do You Want?", your answer reveals your ambitions and can lead to ruin.
- Bad Ending 18: Choose "Let me gain status by bearing your child." This is seen as overly ambitious and transparent, leading to a swift end to your courtly career.
- Bad Ending 19: Choose "Your Majesty should see Consort Xiao more." While this appears strategic, it aligns you with the wrong faction and ultimately results in your being outmaneuvered.
Breaking the Alliance (BE 40 & 41)
Later, your involvement in the succession of the Crown Prince, Li Zhong, becomes a pivotal test. Your attempts to manipulate the court can either secure your power or see you cast out.
- Bad Ending 40: Triggered by the choice to "Prevent Li Zhong from becoming Crown Prince." Actively working against the Emperor's apparent wishes is a fatal error.
- Bad Ending 41: Achieved by choosing to "Make Li Zhi favor Liu and rile the Empress against her." This complex plot is too risky and results in the Empress turning her full political might against you.
To navigate the court successfully, you must balance your ambition with subtlety. When speaking with Li Zhi, the correct choice is to advise him to see the Empress more, which earns you Strategy points. In the matter of succession, you must support Li Zhong's ascension to Crown Prince to maintain favor.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Late-Game Failures: The "Another Life" Endings
Even near the story's conclusion, particularly in the Side Chapters "Another Life," the risk of a bad ending remains high. These final failures are tied to your relationship with Li Tai and the handling of crucial evidence that could change the fate of the empire. Making the wrong choice here can lead to some of the most tragic outcomes in the game.
Betrayal and Confession (BE 50 & 51)
The key decision point revolves around a piece of evidence you uncover. Your choice of what to do with it determines the story's final direction.
- Bad Ending 50: Unlocked by choosing to "Leave evidence." Abandoning this crucial leverage leaves you powerless and at the mercy of your enemies.
- Bad Ending 51: Triggered by the choice to "Confess to Li Tai." While it may seem like an honest path, this confession is a strategic blunder that he cannot forgive, leading to a sorrowful end.
The correct path to the true ending in this arc is to "Take the evidence." Securing this leverage is the only way to ensure you have the power to dictate the final terms of your rise to Empress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many bad endings are there in total?
There are over 50 numbered bad endings (BEs) scattered throughout the main story and side chapters of Road to Empress 2. Unlocking them all is required for the "Hard-won Fight" achievement (Get 100 endings total).
What happens if I fail a QTE?
In almost every case, failing a Quick Time Event (QTE) will immediately trigger a specific bad ending. The game is designed so that these action sequences are mandatory for progression. Examples include BE 5, BE 6, and BE 26.
Do I need multiple playthroughs to get all the endings?
Yes. Due to the game's branching narrative, it's impossible to see every ending in a single playthrough. You will need to make different choices at pivotal moments. The "Storyline" map is essential for this, as it allows you to revisit chapters and explore different paths without starting the entire game over.
The Final Word on Failure
Mastering Road to Empress 2 isn't just about finding the one true path to the throne—it's about understanding all the ways you can fall. Each bad ending is a lesson in the game's core mechanics of strategy, decisiveness, and political maneuvering. For completionists, this list is a roadmap to 100%. For everyone else, it's a guide on how to avoid the many pitfalls on the treacherous road to becoming Empress. Use it wisely.