this was ironic. The discussion about whether paladins are or are not overpowered has been mushed over time after time after time. It is clear that you speak with no knowledge whatsoever about all the things you mentioned. My con never actually reached 25.. you want to know why ? Because I was bashed to death, time after time after time. I enlarge, they enlarge, I reduce, they reduce. True, shield paladins can reduce the bash of lag, but that happens rarely, and, having played a shield paladin, I know what I am talking about. Furthermore the fact that you have 9 ranks above me clearly shows the biggest disadvantage of playing a paladin. Apart from the occasional fire ap, your range consists of higher level players. The fact that you you could not kill me, might perhaps have nothing to do my being overpowered, but with yourself lacking skill. As I said, I died a lot. And I mean a lot. Also, for your information, it took the virtue-handing-out Shokai about 250 hours to finally granting me my first, and only virtue. I say this not to whine about Shokai, on the contrary. Virtues should be earned. And they are, as should be. Also, your armgument about the 'fact' that everyone becomes Maran in a blink is oh so very false. At this moment, there are about 3 Marans 'regularly' (at least once ever two days) showing up - as you said-. The rest is squire/scribe. At hero range that means 3 Maran against what, 10 hero Imperials ? Even if it's only 6 imperials, it's still double. It took this character and others at least 100 hours to become Maran (for others it might be a bit less because I tend to play in blocks of 6 and more hours a day, making me age quicker than the 'average' player in a week). And, I have a feeling that at this moment - since Rogardian and Vynmylak are back again - standards to become Maran have risen, since there is more .. 'control' as to who can and who can not become Maran. I can imagine that, when Shokai had to run the Fort on his own, he made people Maran a tad quicker.
Oh well. I suggest you play a paladin and try to become Maran. I wish you the best of luck and fun.