The Paladin class had great improvements but some skills did not receive the proper attention. The smite skill, for example, should have a larger multiplier, 496% at level 15 for a Rank 6 skill is too weak. For example Vertical Slash which is a rank 4 skill has a multiplier above 1000% and still scales with several debuffs, this because the Highlander class still has several other skills, while Paladin only has Smite and Conviction to sustain its damage. Being highly dependent on these two skills, Smite could have a slightly larger multiplier and / or more overheats as several classes had an increase in various skills. Improve the skill restoration, make it work, give it an attribute that will restore an HP percentage per second even if it is a circle 3. Paladin has everything to be a great class and is my favorite, please more love the Paladins!
sorry to break your heart, but paladin is a cleric class. any higher dps will make cleric imba.
Restoration skill does add some bonus to heal
the only issue with paladin is conversion.
The idea is not to transform the class into a dps class but to make it efficient with what it already has, I know the interaction between healing and restoration, and it is very weak. Another thing they could add is to allow Paladin to enter guard mode as well as peltastas and rodeleros, since as you yourself said, it is a defensive class is not it?
I have a cleric c3 - pally c3 - pd c2, with a decent shield and some cons you should be able to block most physical attack automatic more than 50% chance. Yeah i dont use smite unless you go inqusitor.
It serve as a defensive role with barrier mdef which add ard 1388 mdef and reduce range atk, with resist elements the dmg get reduce alot. Barrier and resist elements is paladin signature skill.
Anyway with full cons its around 70k without soup buff, high block chance, safety zone, barrier mdef.
If you go priest c2, you get mass heal/revive
Dps comes from pd c2, lv 17 heal tiles, cure.
Its strong enough as a defender with just the barrier alone. Any stronger they going to nerf paladin again. I rather they fix the conversion, its anothed sginature skill but buggy.