[alexti]

I think that idea of dormant/imprisoned pretenders not giving bless sounds better and better. If dormant pretender awakes at turn 13, it still in time to benefit from sacred blessed troops while giving time other strategies to prepare. So dormant pretender will still make sense with blessing strategies. Of course dormant/imprisoned pretenders are useful in other cases too. Rainbow mage is probably practical dormant, if one takes a pretender to cover missing magic or to cast big spells later, imprisoned pretender look attractive. SC pretender can also be dormant while the required spells and items are being prepared.

So it seems, that there would be plenty of options and everything would have some use if non-active pretenders wouldn't provide blessing effects. Or if they were providing only minimal effects as it was suggested.