Tavern recruiting is predictable and delayed. Rival poaching is immediate when it succeeds, but cost, loyalty, renown and roster-protection rules can stop it before the roll. Start from party coverage and a real free bed, then choose the market that fits the deadline.
Tavern
Known pool, delayed arrival
The pool holds 5 + Tavern level candidates. A signing travels for one day, so the contract does not solve today's fixture. Fees rise with CA, accelerate sharply above 90 CA, add a PA premium above 130, and multiply monstrous heroes by 1.3 before recruitment discounts.
Quartermaster and Guildmaster recruitment modifiers multiply separately. The staff modifier cannot fall below 0.5. In the top three divisions, ordinary Tavern recruits provide depth; rare prodigies remain possible. Power Fantasy and Dungeonborn are exempt from that pool restriction.
Rival Guild
Hidden risk, immediate join
Poach cost starts from role rating, ability and Veterancy, then rises for talent above your standing and every poached hero already on your roster. Higher renown now adds a floor to that premium. A target guild in crisis cuts cost to 60% and refusal chance to 40% of normal. In the current web bundle, success adds the hero to your roster immediately rather than putting them into travel.
This current executable behaviour differs from the earlier patch-note sentence that grouped signed and poached arrivals together.
Scout before you bid
Information changes the decision, not the roll
Scouting reveals Loyalty, Consistency, Mettle and Adaptability. Its cost is50 + 12 × Veterancy, discounted by Scry bonuses up to 40%. Loremaster skill therefore makes information cheaper; scouting itself does not improve the poach chance. Loyalty is the refusal input worth revealing before a large bid.
Why the button is locked
Check these gates before chasing a formula
01You are about to face that hall in a cup tie.
02Your patron or Dungeonborn rules exclude that recruit.
03You cannot pay the quoted gold cost.
04Your Hall has no free roster bed.
05The hero already refused during the current implementation bucket.
06The Rule of Nine would leave the rival with six or fewer effective heroes.
07The target’s ability stars exceed your attraction threshold by two or more, unless the target is former guild or crisis eligible.
