After toying with some ideas in the Paladin - Some Defensive Options thread, I started to think of the paladin's defensive role more as a rescuer, since that offered interesting offensive possibilities that could help make up for the paladin's perceived shortcomings in offensive capability. At the top of the [Design Focus] Paladin Upgrade thread:
(Note that the paladin should not, generally speaking, equal the fighter unless the circumstances are favorable to the paladin).
I started thinking about circumstances that depend on the paladin's allies. I think most people's paladin concept includes something like the knight in shining armor rescuing the damsel in distress, so I wondered if the paladin could get circumstantial boosts triggered by the distress of others.
I realize that this idea is a little odd compared to what has been discussed so far, and coming this late in the paladin discussion, any merits it might have are unlikely to get hashed out, but for what it's worth, I thought I'd post a few ideas as amateur examples of what might be possible.
Hope of the Helpless (Su): Beginning at 1st level, while an ally is helpless (bound, sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, or otherwise at the mercy of an enemy coup de grace), the paladin gains a +3 heroic bonus* to all attack rolls, saving throws and checks, +1 to movement (+2 mounted), and the ability to activate a smite evil as an always-on effect, as long as the paladin's actions are directed at rescuing the ally from the helpless state as soon as possible, and while there is any hope of reaching the ally within three rounds. If the ally dies and the paladin becomes aware of the fact while the bonus is in effect, the heroic bonus ends immediately, and the paladin is stunned for one round and shaken for another, unable to smite evil or maintain an aura. Any optional smite effect that can normally be activated by the paladin may be kept always-on while the bonus is in effect.
* A heroic bonus stacks with bonuses of any other type.
Indignant Defender (Ex): Beginning at 11th level, a paladin is allowed an immediate attack of opportunity in response to any attack against an adjacent ally from an enemy within range of the paladin. If a 5-foot step would put the paladin in range, a 5-foot step is also allowed. The paladin's counter-attack is resolved before the enemy's attack. If the paladin's attack hits and the enemy survives, the enemy still must succeed at an opposed charisma check or the attack on the ally is negated. The paladin can apply her shield bonus (including magical enhancement) to the check. This ability counts normally against the paladin's available attacks of opportunity in that round, and is not possible if all such attacks have already been spent. The paladin may add smite evil or the effects of divine bond to the attack as usual.