To be honest: i don't know. I normally play wit the spellcasters (druid, sorceress and necromancer). It really depends on your personal preference. I know the paladin uses auras. Just read their stats and see what works best with your fighting style. I'll start a paladin and comment again.

Love the spellcaster.But i specialise in the barb.Very powerful.Nd just jumps in2 a fyte.Nd the assasin.Experimenting with her.I built up a fairly gud 1.But i tink my save file got corrupt or sumthing

The very first character i played with was a barbarian, but i was dumb then. It took me 2 weeks to defeat diablo in normal. I started the paladin last night, its a very strange character (in my opinion). Its strong tho. Killed bloodraven very easily. I can suggest something tho. I assign all the skills to my f-keys. The game allows you to use f1 to f8, but you can go to configure controls and add another eight b*ttons. I use f9 to f12 and 5 to 8 (next to the belt-potion b*ttons). Now what i do is: F1-4 i use for the 4 skills i like/ use the most in the top skill list (if you press T you see your skill list, there are three groups. Top middle and bottom), f5-f8 for the middle and f9-12 for the bottom. 5-8 i use for armor/ defence spells,like shiverarmor and enchant. Paladin will be different tho. Still working on it.

I love those function keys.Works great on my spellcasters.What skills u using on ure pal.I use a combination Of sacrifice and prayer its kinda kewl.Sacrifice.Adds much 2 the damage u do.And prayer gives u health at the cost of mana.

I'm only level five now, i use prayer when my health runs low, but i don't use sacrifice. I use the shield bash-thing when i get surrounded. I have the other aura which increases your attack. Like i said, i only started lastnight so my style might change as i go on. I started all of the characters from scratch. I'm going to use all the characters eventually. I take one to nightmare and then start another. Eventually i will have them all completed in hellmode. But thats gonna take ages. LoL. Do you have the v1.11 beta patch?

I had it.Had 2 format my pc.I have no idea if my multiplay chars will work again.I got a barb thats just itching 2 duel.Nd starting out with a necro.Just love the necro.Hardly gets touched by a monster.Let the minions do the dirty work

Thats why i like the spellcasters. I usually stand asside and lett the minions get the hammering. All my previous characters had some for of character edited thing, either stats or items. I had a sorceress with level 50 skills. Hectic. I want to do 2 druids, one elemental and one tank.

I'm leveling up like crazy! I'm starting to like the paladin. LoL. My spellcasters will loose in those one on one ducks tho.

I mean duals LoL. I'm really starting the like the paladin now. I like charge and zeal. The resistance auras are also very helpful. I have a hint for you guys. The mercenary you get in stage 2 (lut golein or something). There are 3 types. Offence, defence and combat. They have auras. The combat hat the life rejuv aura (think its called prayer), offence the increase attack rating aura and defence obviously the increase defence aura. They compound if you use an aura as well. You can also use other auras like thorns and they will both work. The merc is also a pikeman so it doesn't have range. This is annoying on occation but it also means that the monsters attack it rather than you. I think this is really cool tho.

Having played with it for a while, i came to the conclusion that a paladin is very cool. Zeal, charge and convert is cool as attacks. I dont use the auras that often, i use the one that damages closeby enemies with fire mostly. I use the resistant auras when i'm fighting enchanted monsters. My regeneration auras i use when i'm not fighting. I'll amend my answer once i'm complete with normal mode

I have a pal. its 89lvl, i hav finished hell. :) i used zeal on first mouse key, and defence aura on 2nd. my def was 20000

Thats cool. Have you contemplated leveling it up all the way to L99?

I think it is impossible, as i play with no mods or cheats. monsters in hell r extremely hard, and i dont have the best equipment..

Neither do i, i'm sure its possible though