Throughout their journey, the Inquisitor has the opportunity to recruit several agents to work for the Inquisition. Many of them can be missed and some might disappear if they are not recruited immediately.
Once they have been recruited, they will work for Cullen, Josephine, or Leliana and will count as perks for the purpose of unlocking other perks within the relevant category (Forces, Secrets, or Connections). They will also reduce the time it takes for the relevant advisor to complete war table missions by five percent.
On some occasions other than the ones listed here, the graphic "Agent Acquired" may show but a new agent will not be added to the perks list. Influence may still be gained in these cases.
After the encounter with the Grey Wardens near the entrance, go to the nearby house to find Jana. Solas can convince her to join the Inquisition instead of the Grey Wardens, or the Inquisitor can choose an alternate conversation option if they have the Nobility Knowledgeperk. After speaking to the Mayor of Crestwood, Jana will move from her house to the top of the stairs outside the Mayor's house.
Possible approval changes during recruitment:
Solas Approves (If asked to help or if Nobility perk is used)
Sera Slightly Disapproves (If Solas asked for help)
Dorian Slightly Approves (If Nobility Knowledge perk is used)
Sera Approves (If Nobility Knowledge perk used)
Cole Approves (Gained whether he's in the party or not)
If you tell Jana to not join the Grey Wardens when you first encounter her (the bottom option in the conversation wheel), then Blackwall Slightly Disapproves, whether he's in party or not. This is not necessary to recruit her as an agent.
Note: If you do not persuade Jana to join the Inquisition, she will be used as a blood sacrifice at Adamant Fortress during Here Lies the Abyss.
Talk to Michel just outside of Sahrnia, then complete Call Me Imshael by defeating Imshael. Return to Michel to recruit him to the Inquisition. Do not make a deal with Imshael, or Michel will be killed.
Speak to Sky Watcher and close the Fade rift next to him before completing Lost Souls. After defeating the Avvar leader, speak to Sky Watcher again to recruit him. Do not leave the Fallow Mire before recruiting Sky Watcher, or he will disappear forever.
After completing Storvacker Caged and Hakkon Wintersbreath, Storvacker can be judged by interacting with her. During this judgment, Storvacker can be recruited as an agent.
Talk to her after completing Praise the Herald of Andraste. Ask that her followers spread the word of the Inquisition to recruit her for Josephine or ask that they listen and gather information to recruit her for Leliana.
Speak to him at the Gull and Lantern in Redcliffe Village during In Hushed Whispers and he will ask to join the Inquisition. He will not be available for recruitment if Champions of the Just is completed before speaking to him.
After rescuing her during Strange Bedfellows, but before turning in the quest, she can be convinced to join by a dwarf Inquisitor, Varric, or by the Underworld Knowledge perk. It is possible to encounter and recruit Ritts before obtaining the related quest.
Begin the quest Business Arrangements and use Cassandra, Varric or an Inquisitor with the Underworld Knowledge perk to get her to join. Recruiting her finishes the quest.
Alexius can be judged at Skyhold after the events of In Hushed Whispers. He can be recruited via the Arcane Knowledge perk to research magic for the Inquisition.
If Florianne does not survive, the Inquisitor can judge her remains. Sentencing them to community service makes her an agent.
Note: If Florianne survives and the Inquisitor has the Nobility Knowledge perk, she can be recruited so Josephine can put her guile to use for the Inquisition. However, though the game states "Agent Acquired", Florianne does not appear in the Inquisition perk list and does not affect advisor war table operation completion times.
After Lost Souls, Movran can become an agent if the Inquisitor sentences him and his clan to exile in Tevinter. He can also be conscripted into the Inquisition under the care of Abernache, if the latter survived Champions of the Just.
If Servis is allowed to live in the Western Approach, he can be made into an agent by recruiting him as an informant.
Note: The Underworld Knowledge perk will give an option to recruit Servis as a smuggler, but he will not appear in the list of agents if this is chosen, despite the "Agent acquired" notification.
To recruit the Blades, you must first craft and equip Mercy's Crest which will allow you free passage to challenge their leader. Once he is defeated, the mercenaries will join the Inquisition.
After speaking with Revered Mother Hevara and the clerics during The Threat Remains, the Inquisitor can speak to the merchant, Belle. She expresses her wish to join the Inquisition and if the Inquisitor accepts her offer she becomes an agent.
Note: Belle will disappear if you speak with Fiona before her.