Why Hoid didn’t bond a spren pre-recreance

[basement_boi he/him]

Some people have been asking why Hoid didn’t bond a Radiant spren when he was around before the Recreance. I think the answer is obvious. He was still trying to figure out how to get off world. He needed some kind of power he didn’t previously have. We see him in Mistborn era 2, which is after SA era 1. He had figured it out by the time he bonded Design, that’s why he finally decided to bond a spren.

[LewsTherinTelescope]

It's also possible that, during the craziness of the Desolation period (even if a Desolation was not currently on), it was difficult to find a spren willing to bond without getting involved in some manner in the war effort (whether fighting for one side or another, or trying to work to establish a neutral faction), or at least there may have been steps taken to prevent any spren from bonding otherwise (some types seem to collectively decide on who will bond and who they will bond). He also might really not want to be on Roshar while Odium's forces were so active, lol.

[teknopathetic he/him]

Hoid says the gods of Roshar are/were very strict. With Honour dead, bonding may have become easier for people such as him. It is also possible Hoid now believed some of the other rules might be relaxed or might soon relax. 

Edited February 2, 2021 by teknopathetic

[Leuthie]

Opportunity. We saw how he bonded a spren. Elhokar's death while saying the first Oath stranded Design in the Physical Realm. Wit took advantage of the situation to get Design to bond with him. He didn't bond with a spren previously because such an opportunity hadn't come up.

[ScadrianTank he/him]

A meta reason is that the plot needed it to happen, so Fortune made it happen in-world.