Liri wrote:
At F2, a priest can create a holy symbol. I don't think it has any other application. (I hope someone will correct me if this is wrong.) Most priests are at F2, I suspect.
Most regular members are at F1 (non-priest, non-high-follower).
As I understand it, if you're a priest and blemished, you can't use any prayers over Initiate level, you can't recall, and you need to atone for your actions. I think the only effect on F1 followers is that they can't recall.
Basically there are these levels:
F3: High follower
F2: "Favored" follower (I've heard this called many things)
F1: Follower
F0: Blemished follower
Any of these flags can be applied to anyone of any class (assuming they are classes allowed within the religion).
Priests are not supposed to automatically become F2 just because they are priests, this just happens because people are desperate for symbols and only priests that are F2 or higher can create them. Ideally, one should work up from F1 status, usually with the traditional tests of your religion. One, regardless of class, should work to get F2, and then from the pool of "Favored" followers, high followers are chosen.
As far as being blemished goes, it essentially returns you to a state of not having a religion. So if you are a priest, paladin or hellion who rely upon your religion to gain access to your spells, then those spells no longer work. The idea behind disabling recall on "non-clergy" members was to give a tangible punishment to blemishment for them.