There was a change made to recruiting that lacks adequate UI feedback.  NPCs, like notable locations and quests, have a spawn rating. Previously, you could recruit NPCs of any spawn rating level but the cost was multiplied by the difference between your NPC spawn level and their spawn level. 

Now, however, it prevents you from being able to recruit. However, there is no visual cue as to why you can't recruit them. This behavior has been classified as a bug and will be addressed in a slipstream update tomorrow.

I just hit the same problem.  I raised my Adventure level with Heroes/Champs to max, raised my CHA, have a ton of money, raised my level, and under my Kingdom window where it lists World NPC LV 4 Our NPC LV 3 I still can't recruit anyone that was there from the getgo. 

I just moved a bit further East on the map, and there are multiples of the same person there.  Same look, same stats, same everything.

At this time, should we be able to recruit people?

Are we talking about sandbox/skirmishes, or Campaign?  I haven't tried camp, but sandbox I can't get anyone recruited.  Also, the action Tab has no icon like it did before.

DEVS!!!  Is there a way I can open an XML and fix it somehow real quick???

Ummmh anymore guidance on this issue would be helpful. I am trying to understand what you have done on the hero, So my question again is how do I recruit a hero - is it tied to research (we know its no longer tied to money)?

Hello,

I've tried many scenarios to get this to happen except the campaign.  It is all in sandbox.  The only person I've seen that I can recruit is Rilis.  She is able to be recruited now, and was able to be before.

Others, and I mean just about all of them who do not have an extra ability like Rilis does, crushing blow or something I think, are not able to be recruited. They all show up as champions.  Have no interaction button listed on the Action tab, and their name is gone except for in the Back story.  One in particular that I can think of is Arussa.

This happens on regular sandbox created maps.  I was using large maps.  Each time I tried was a new game.  Nothing custom.  Any difficulty.  As I said the only one I could recruit so far is Rilis.  Every other NPC I have seen has no name, it only says Champion, the dialog box shows up when moused over, but has a red slash through it, the Action tab is void of the dialog action.

On top of that, when buying items from a shop to equip my Soverign, weapon damage has all been seriously decreased, costs raised.  Didn't know if that was supposed to happen either.

If you need any other info, I'll be glad to provide it.

I had the reverse, I was unable to recruit Rilis (and she's my favourite hero, too).  I was able to recruit some others, though, such as Jasper Tilmin.

I've played one game since the new patch. The only champion I could recruit was Rilis. I'm still seeing the debt piling up on certain factions as well. On top of that, my sovereign or any of my sovereigns children cannot access armor in the shop. All weapons are there, but not armor. This is only happening with champions with a direct relation to the sovereign. Champions from other factions (through arranged marriages) do not have this issue.

EDIT: Trading armor to said champions does not work either. The gear shows up on the trade screen but not on the equip screen.

Clinton,

I had something like that happen from release.  The boots and cloak that give +1 move were able to be bought/used by anyone but the Sov or their kids.  Then one time I was able to use it, then it never happened again.

The game has a mind of its own!

Weird, in the first game I stared I could recruit most of the heroes. I started a new game though and can't recruit anyone anymore either

Happens for me in sandbox mode - I've tried medium and large maps, new games, kingdom or empire its all the same.