Could being unempowered mean that you have access to all of your supplications and skills, but use them at some reduced rate. Like you said, if there was no empowerment priest classes would get universally toned down. Well, what if they start toned down and when they are empowered they get toned up. Maybe there could be just a handful of supps you don't get, or maybe they could all cost more mana until your empowered, maybe enemies could save easier against them until your empowered, maybe mend wounds heals less... whatever.

What do you think?


P.S I personally have no issues with the current empowerment system, but lots of other people seem to.