Paladin

The Paladin (パラディン) is a horse-mounted unit who uses different types of physical weaponry, depending on the game.

Promoted from Cavalier, the Paladin works in exactly the same way as their lower class. These units rely on their superior movement abilities to support their allies rather than attack head on. Because they have no real statistic strengths, Paladins and Social Knights are often used to aid characters from a distance, quickly block a wave of approaching enemies or (when applicable in the later Fire Emblems) use the rescue command on an injured or slow ally to bring them into/out of the battle.

Paladins are also capable to substitute for generals in sheer evasive abilities, speed and strength. They are very effective in disrupting enemy troops long enough for your units to get into position. Paladins are generally the center of attention when using this tactic and thus must either retreat or be rescued regularly later on in the game. If there is a 'Jeigan' character at the beginning of the game, they usually occupy this class, with some exceptions.

In both Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War and Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, there are female Paladins who promote from Troubadours. They wield swords and staves, rather than lances and axes. They were the precursor of the Valkyrie class.

In Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Paladins are divided into the separate Axe Paladin, Lance Paladin, Blade Paladin and Bow Paladin classes. Lance and Bow Paladins promote into Silver Knights, while Axe and Blade Paladins promote into Gold Knights.

Combat

 * See Cavalier.

In WiFi battles, Paladins have a defense cap of 30 and a speed cap of 25. This allows them to survive being attacked one-on-one by any other unit (excluding critical hits and forged poleax/ridersbane). Their 10 movement is the highest of any obtainable class. These traits make Paladins one of the best classes for WiFi. Reaching their caps is very difficult in Shadow Dragon, but is considerably easier in Shin Monshō no Nazo ~Hikari to Kage no Eiyū~.

Promotions
Paladins are the promoted versions of Cavaliers. Paladins usually can't be promoted any further. However, in Fire Emblem Gaiden they can be promoted to Gold Knights, and the promotions of the divided Paladin classes in Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn are Gold Knight and Silver Knight.

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 20
 * Skl: 20
 * Spd: 20
 * Lck: 20
 * Def: 20
 * Res: 20
 * Wlv: 20

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

 * HP: 80
 * Str: 24
 * Mag: 20
 * Skl: 24
 * Spd: 24
 * Lck: 30
 * Def: 24
 * Res: 20

GBA Fire Emblem Games

 * HP:60
 * Str:25 (M) 23 (F)
 * Skl:26 (M) 27 (F)
 * Spd:24 (M) 25 (F)
 * Lck:30
 * Def:25 (M) 24 (F)
 * Res:25 (M) 26 (F)

Path of Radiance

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 26 (M) 25 (F)
 * Mag: 20
 * Skl: 26
 * Spd: 27
 * Lck: 40
 * Def: 27
 * Res: 25 (M) 26 (F)

Shadow Dragon

 * HP: 60
 * Str: 25
 * Mag: 21
 * Skl: 28
 * Spd: 25
 * Lck: 25
 * Def: 30
 * Res: 25
 * Sword: A, Lance: A

Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi

 * Camus - General of Grust and the leader of the Sable Order of Knights
 * Jagen - Veteran knight of Altea who acts as Marth's guardian and later becomes his advisor
 * Arran - Knight of Altea
 * Midia - Knight Akaneia loyal to Nyna and the lover of Astram
 * Sternlin - Boss (Ch. 18)
 * Orridyon - Boss (Ch. 21)
 * Promotion for: Cain, Abel, Hardin, Roshea, Vyland, and Matthis

Fire Emblem Gaiden

 * Matilda- a legendary knight of Zofia who gets captured by Dozah.
 * Promotion for: Clive

Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem

 * Arran- knight of Altea who takes Jagen's place
 * Abel- knight of Altea who is forced to betray his country
 * Roshea- member of the Wolfguard
 * Vyland- member of the Wolfguard
 * Sirius- a masked knight who is heavily implied to be Camus
 * Promotion for: Rody, Luke, Cecil, Cain, and Matthis

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

 * Oifey - A member of House Chalphy who serves as Sigurd's tactician and later fights alongside Sigurd's son, Seliph
 * Eldigan - Lord of Nordion castle in Agustria and direct descendant of the crusader Hezul. Half-brother of Rackesis and the father of Ares
 * Ridale
 * Promotion for: Alec, Noish, Ethlyn, Nanna, Janne, Ares

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776

 * Fred- knight of Freege and Olwen's deputy
 * Amalda- knight of Freege who opposes the Child Hunt
 * Conomore- general of Alster
 * Promotion for: Carrion, Nanna

Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi

 * Marcus - Knight of Pherae
 * Perceval - The Knight General of Etruria
 * Zelots - Lord of Edessa in Ilia and leader of the Ilian mercenaries. Husband of Juno.
 * Eliwood - Marquess of Pherae and father of Roy. One of the three main character of Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken.
 * Reis - Boss of Ch.15
 * Arcard - Boss of Ch.17. Noble of Etruria who betrays his country and sides with Bern.
 * Promotion for: Lance, Alan, Treck, Noah

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken

 * Marcus- Knight of Pherae
 * Isadora- Knight of Pherae and lover of Harken
 * Eagler - Boss of Ch.9. The Knight Commander of Caelin who was forced by Lundgren to fight Lyn and her companions.
 * Cameron - Secondary boss of Ch.19E/20H
 * Eubans - Boss of Ch.21E/22H
 * Pascal - Boss of Ch.25H
 * Maxime - Boss of Ch.26E/28H
 * Promotion for: Sain, Kent, Lowen

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

 * Seth- Knight of Renais
 * Orson - Boss of Ch.16. Former knight of Renais who betrayed his country.
 * Possible promotion for: Franz, Kyle, Forde, Amelia as a Cavalier.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

 * Titania- deputy commander of the Greil Mercenaries
 * Geoffrey- Lucia's younger brother and one of Elincia's allies
 * Mackoya - Boss of Ch.11
 * Petrine - Boss of Ch.23. One of the Four Riders of Daein.
 * Rikard - Boss of Ch.24
 * Bertram - Boss of Ch.26. One of the Four Riders of Daein who is actually a mind warpped Duke Renning of Crimea.
 * Promotion for: Oscar, Kieran, Astrid, and Makalov

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

 * Titania (Axe Paladin)- deputy commander of the Greil Mercenaries
 * Geoffrey (Lance Paladin)- commander of the Crimean Royal Knights
 * Oscar (Lance Paladin)- former member of the Crimean Royal Knights, member of the Greil Mercenaries and the older brother of Boyd and Rolf
 * Kieran (Axe Paladin)- sub-commander of the Crimean Royal Knights
 * Astrid (Bow Paladin)- former noble of Begnion and member of the Crimean Royal Knights
 * Makalov (Blade Paladin)- Marcia's older brother and member of the Crimean Royal Knights
 * Lombroso - Boss of Ch.3-5
 * Sergei - Boss of Ch.3-10
 * Yuma - Boss of Ch.4-P
 * Promotion for: Fiona

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

 * Jagen- Veteran knight of Altea who acts as Marth's guardian and later becomes his advisor
 * Midia- Knight Akaneia loyal to Nyna and the lover of Astram
 * Arran- Knight of Altea
 * Heimler - Enemy in Chapter 12
 * Dejanira - Boss of Chapter 12x
 * Sternlin - Boss of Chapter 18
 * Camus - Enemy of Chapter 20. General of Grust and the leader of the Sable Order of Knights
 * Orridyon - Boss of Chapter 21
 * Promotion for: Cain, Abel, Frey, Hardin, Roshea, Vyland, and Matthis

Fire Emblem: Shin Monshō no Nazo ~Hikari to Kage no Eiyū~

 * Arran- knight of Altea who takes Jagen's place
 * Abel- knight of Altea who is forced to betray his country
 * Roshea- member of the Wolfguard
 * Vyland- member of the Wolfguard
 * Sirius- a masked knight who is heavily implied to be Camus
 * Promotion for: Rody, Ruke, Cecil, Cain, Matthis, Frey, Belf, and Leiden

Fire Emblem: Awakening

 * Equus- one of the twelve Deadlords
 * Possible Promotion for: Stahl and Sully
 * Possible class swap for: Chrom, Frederick, Ricken, Lucina, Brady, Kjelle, and Morgan.

Etymology
The paladins were the first 12 warriors of Charlamegne's court.