Help with Unsanctioned Knowlege - adding Bard / INQ spells to a Paladin...

[grandpoobah]

My paladin is about to hit 7th, and I'm considering Unsanctioned Knowledge. This lets me add a single BARD/INQ/CLR spell to my list at each level.

I already have max UMD, and a collection of scrolls for utility (I've used at least four scrolls of fireball already in my career). So what I'm looking for is a spell I would regularly cast.

I'm a STR build two-handed weapon (bonded weapon) build, focusing on melee damage. My defense isn't good (13 CON, 8 DEX, full plate and no shield) - so I'm looking at good defense spells.

level 1:
no good ideas. Was thinking Grease for fun, but maybe Vanish could come in handy. I wouldn't cast it on myslelf (my goal is to draw aggro away from squishies), but a fellow party member in need could benefit from it.

Level 2:
Thinking Blur, Mirror Image, or Alter Self. Keep in mind my caster level is 3 less as a paladin, so MIrror Image is less appealing (less iamges), plus in PFS you can kill images with a "near miss".
Most likely will go with Blur unless someone has a better idea.

Level 3:
This is a long way off, and I really hadn't thought of it.

Any thoughts/recommendations?

Thanks!

[Fromper]

I haven't had a chance to play my bard yet, so I don't know how well this works out in practice, but the 1st and 2nd level bard spells Timely Inspiration and Gallant Inspiration from the Advanced Players Guide look very cool.

They're buffs you can cast as an immediate action right after an attack roll or skill check fails. This retroactively applies a bonus to the failed roll, and changes its outcome if it was a close enough miss and your bonus is high enough. They're ranged, so you can cast them on your allies within 30 feet to help them in combat, or with skill checks.

I'm actually a little unclear about whether these can be cast on yourself, since the target is "one creature". Even if they're only good for aiding allies, though, it seems like a spell that could help put your allies' attacks over the top to hit a tough AC or whatever.

And I love that this is the only buff I've seen that doesn't require a standard action to activate it. I'm sure there are others, but being new to Pathfinder, I don't know about all of them.

[spalding]

1st
Remove Sickness can be useful, but if you have the mercy not as much.
Feather Fall could be a nice choice
Adoration could help with hard checks
Timely Inspiration is all sorts of helpful
Touch of Graclessness can slow enemies down and make them easier to hit.
Unseen Servant is extremely useful for getting armor on, off or other things.
Vanish

2nd
Find Traps
See Invisibility
Gallant Inspiration
Silence
Glitterdust
Calm Emotion
Distracting Cacophony

3rd
Arcane Sight
D. Anchor
Invisibility Purge
Good Hope
Feather Step, Mass
Haste
Invisibility Sphere
Jester's Jaunt

4th
Divine Power
Detect Scrying
Freedom of Movement
Air Walk
D. Door
Echolocation
Primal Scream

I realize you didn't ask for fourth level but figured someone else might need it too.