This thread is the 'these skills are good and synergize well and succeed fairly often' versus the 'these skills suck balls and this is the list of reasons why' thread.

Paladins, especially the ones who seem to shit rainbows and breathe sugar, are a special case for any class. My issue with paladins has never been how tough they are on other people, except in relation to it prevents them from being killed.
physically sick seeing Dupmasione running around after Tailin, Unalethekai and etc. etc. etc. there has been at least one 2 or sometimes 3 virtue paladin in hero range in Fortress for years, and when one dies another one pops up to replace them.

Plus I don't know what you're talking about with Temperance, fully all but 2 paladins I remember fighting out of some vague number in my head like 6 or 10 at hero had it. The only way to get around Counterstrike is to use a spell that doesn't fail due to saves.