[BB Shockwave]

Originally Posted by ckdamascus

Ah, looks like a single race can have a fairly healthy mix of units.

I am so used to using the neutrals like dragons and trolls (I love them). Trolls are so grossly powerful especially with that ogre club.

And the Ogre sandals. They are a must, if you fight during the day.

After doing the math, it looks pretty bad for the Paladin class.

Even with the +40% damage, a warrior with the right items, will out damage the Paladin using paladins, but has more flexibility due to triple weapon slots.

What items? The drill is one, but I did not use it much - it decreases speed (or initiative?) which is not a good thing.

I really really really want to use orcs or demons this time around.

- Oh yeah, my next walkthrough will be with elves, but afterwards it's an all-demon army for me too (and Demonologists, of course).

Undead look a little more interesting, but alas, the idea of using eviln bores me to the bone. (No pun intended).

I played them in the Legend with a little "cheating modding" to get no-loss: I created a new "Raise Dead" spell from the useless spell "Last Hero" which functions the same way as Resurrection, but only works on Undead and is a Chaos spell. I think it'd work in AP too. Evlins are indeed complicated to use for resurrection, specially for slow troops who have no dead bodies next to them.

Can someone still give me a reason to use the Paladin Class? I would like to run with a blonde heroine, but I see no compelling reason. I'm not interested in the solo stack / revive or the one man armageddon trick either.

I'd never go with a solo stack myself. IT's the equivalent of someone in HOMM running around with nothing but 7 stacks of Black Dragons, casting armageddon. You can do it, but where's the fun in that? I like playing the whole game with one unit setup, in order to test every unit against every other unit. One day I'll write an unit guide...

Back to your question - the Paladin has some great skills, and the Mind runes to use them.
-Adrenaline is a very, very neat thing to have, and it works every round regardless of combat fatigue. Can make your slow units like Knights or Droids get to the enemy much faster. It's random, sure, but it's always nice to have.
- Resurrection. It helps you minimize losses, plus it increases the Rune Mage's similar ability now!
-Holy Armor (new skill) - Again, helps to reduce damage taken by your units, saving those 5-th level units from dying very often.
-Holy Anger: Not only do Demons on Lava have less defense/attack now, but this great skill makes you gain mana and rage by the dozen on every hit you make against Demons and Undead! And you'll meet these enemies quite often!
-The Power of Spirit - gives you Attack AND defense for less might runes then the Might skills. Two in one!
-Neatness: free runes and crystals from those not needed items! Need I say more?
-Persuasion/Voice of the Dragon: gives morale to troops you could not increase morale otherwise (neutrals, Demons) and what's more - frees up your artifact slots so that you can use better items instead of morale boosters.
-Glory: Early on, Leadership is vital, and the paladin can take this the easiest.
-Learning: Again, makes you gain XP faster, and a paladin can get this easier.

Plus, the medals: Purifier is easy to get and raises defence, while Holy Warrior is again, not hard to get (I am level 9 and already have II. level) and makes Inquisitors/Paladins much more potent.

The regalia artifacts the Paladin is so fond of can be quite usefull, but even if not, he can still use shields/belts/artifacts instead of them.