4th Edition - Paladin

[MoonZar]

• Fills the "Defender" role, along with the fighter.
• Mentioned that paladins can be of other alignments other than lawful good.
  • On paladin mounts appearing from nowhere: "No".
• Mentioned in a playtest report.
• "Divine Power" ability mentioned, directed at enemies.
• Smite mentioned.
• Reference to the paladin's healing ability.
• From [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Presents-Classes-Michele-Carter/dp/0786948019"]Wizards Presents: Races & Classes[/ame]: Still have smite ability but there are more types of smites (different form of attacks). Paladins and fighters are both defenders, but paladins rely on divine powers. There are evil paladins.
• The paladin also has a power called "divine challenge" which makes monsters attack the paladin rather than someone else.
• The paladin has "a strike...that heals bloodied allies." (Bloodied, at our best guess so far, means half hit points).
• Their powers are being completely redone, as the designers felt they were lacking in 3E (notably the Smite ability). Unsurprisingly, they will possess several different kinds of smiting abilities.
• The paladin's smite ability is the subject of the latest Design & Development article. Another crunchy preview, this one shows us three different smites. Safeguard Smite is the basic, entry-level smite which deals double base damage plus the paladin's Charisma modifier whilst simultaneously granting an AC bonus to nearby allies. Renewing Smite is a 13th level ability which again deals double damage, and heals a friend within five squares. The Binding Smite, for epic level (27) paladins again dishes out the double damage, and prevents the target from attacking anyone but the paladin for the next round. Smites are described as per-encounter abilities, and the attack rolls vary - the first two (Safeguard and Renewing) use "Charisma vs AC", whilst the Binding Smite uses "Charisma vs. Will".
• Rich Baker comments on optional paladin mounts and paladin multiclassing restrictions:
  
  We're leaning toward making paladin mounts optional, not a built-in part of the class. So you might gain access to a cool mount by deciding to take the right paragon path or spending the appropriate feat. Paladin players who don't want the complexity of a mount can avoid it easily enough, but those who do want the mount can still make the decisions to get a unique mount.
  
  Paladin multiclassing restrictions are gone.

• "...nifty synergies between elf abilities and paladin abilities, like the additional movement that lets me get away with heavy armor and not lag behind the rest of the party. "
• In response to a poster asking whether WotC considered changing the name of the paladin in light of the fact that paladins can be of any alignment, Rich Baker had this to say:: "Yes, the question was considered, but ultimately it boils down to this: We want one class in the job of "holy warrior", not nine...Currently the text in the Player's Handbook says something to this effect: Paladins are almost always lawful or good. Chaotic or evil paladins