The last of your meelee skills is gained at level 40. This is the disarm skill. This allows you to knock a weapon from your opponents hands. Not only does it cause you to take less damage but it also allows you to pick their weapon off of the ground and use it or steal it. Paladins can use most of the weapons in the game and can also wear most of the armor including platemail.
Paladins also get some very special weapons in the form of their holy swords.
The first of these swords is ghoulbane. This is really subjective. They pay for this however in the form of an experience penalty. High elves can also be paladins however they have low base strength and this can hurt when it comes to the warrior side of things. When all is said and done most paladins are human.