+1

I agree with Xia's sentiment and giving neutral champions an army would be one interesting solution.

I'd actually like to see champions not locked to faction. I don't see any good gameplay advantage to having champions locked to a faction. It would be far more interesting to implement a system that checks for affinity (race, alignment, maybe might vs. magic) between the champion and the sovereign trying to hire them and bases their price on a combination of the potential champion's power/level and their affinity.

This system would give the player interesting choices between killing a potential champion with a different alignment to farm them for XP and to deny them to the enemy versus waiting until you can afford their outlandish hiring price.

I see it as a way of denying the champion to another faction.

... which is what the AI was doing to me, end result is that I have one sovereign and one champion. I'll be pumping troops this game.

Mostly, I just don't find it a fun game mechanic.  I think enemy champions, even when free agents, should provide a challenge.  Just standing there waiting to be murdered, just isn't fun.  I'm fine with them staying in one place, and killing them to prevent other factions from using them, I just want defeating them to be more fun and interesting.

The optimal solution would be if they TALKED! Then they could, even briefly, explain their hostility towards the player, like "Ho, ho, er... give me your... er... salted pork or die!", or "I am your long lost uncle Marrr-Hagma, and I still hold a grudge for the bottle of apple wine you stole from me. Die!", or "I am booored, let's spar a bit. I promise I won't use the sharp side of the hammer... much"

I think that champion locations should be allegiance neutral. Kingdom players will always get kingdom champions from them and Empire players will always get Empire champions from them. Also while some should just cost gold other champions should ask you to do a quest before they join you.

I would like to see champions put up more of a fight when you attack them.   At least put them at the level of your highest champion in the army.  That would be fun.  

What? Emperor with a conscience? Why Lord Xia! I never thought you had it in you!

It would make recruitment more amusing, and I agree that adding armies to standing champions would be fun. But what would happen if you hire the champion? Do you get the army? Can you imagine that...

"Ho there mighty warrior, want to join my case?"

"Sure, me and my fellow knights stand ready to join you oh mighty King."

"Fellow knights are not invited." 

"Well then Merry Men, be on your way. I, your Glorious Leader, will now follow this King, You go home. Shoo! Shoo! Away with you!"

If I were King, I'd have an army with the champion please.

I like when my victims fight back.

My only issue with getting rid of the imbue mechanic, is that it's an important part of the lore of the game.  There aren't suppose to be hundreds of channlers running around, there are suppose to be a few, and those few start kingdoms/empires and then their champion can use magic through the Sovs.  

I have a few issues with champions in general, but this issue doesn't bother me so much.

It could me made more compelling if there was a serious diplo hit with every slaughtered champion, although since there is basically no diplomacy whatsoever at this point, it would be a worthless mechanic.  And if an enemy murders one of your potential hires, there should be a pop-up saying such.

Maybe you should be able to kidnap enemy heroes and hold them for ransom, so you can gain the money they were originally seeking.

Haha, that's true.  And I agree that gameplay trumps lore.  I was more being the devils advocate.  I imagine that would be one maini reason given as to not just make all champions casters.

I kill them all, less champions for the enemy factions. You can click on them for equipment details too, you always get the weapon they are using in my experience, sometimes this is really high level stuff. Can be nice to have a Boreal Blade or Spell Staff, some are really unique too like the mace that casts shrink (at 100% every time I think).