The role of a paladin is a big unclear to the player base right now. They aren't primary tanks - warriors can't even hold up for long under some circumstances, and paladins don't have anything on a warrior in that regard besides Lay of Hands once per hour. They aren't primary healers - they can heal for half as much as a priest can, per heal, and get 3, maybe 4 heals per bar of mana. They aren't DPS - they only have one ability that really relates to their damage. They aren't CC - they can't even tank mez something they can't get aggro on. Paladins are very versatile and useful, but not at any one thing that a group would need them for. Their utility really doesn't justify much other than they can back-up rez since there aren't enough priests to consistently get two in a group.
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Only the exceptions can be exceptional.