Temporary body change type debuffs should be removed from the game. The idea of a necro being able to "zombifie" someone or a druid being able to "bramblefy" and they just, get better is ludicrous and just blurs the type-specific flavor.
I think you getting hung up too much on the under the hood details here. Allowing Paladins to activate their slay ability on all mobs makes sense. Thematically they are not actually transforming people into zombies or skeletons rather they are cleansing a sinners soul through divine judgement. The Paladin subjugates their target forcing them to confess their atrocities causing the target to beg for forgiveness which the Paladin delivers with their cleansing blade.
Your grasp of the lore is horribly broken if you think this fits at all. What you suggest would more fittingly be ascribed to an evil-type Knight like an Inquisitor where breaking the laws of their faith is punishable by torture & death. Kindness, Forgiveness, not Vengeance & Punishment. The key difference is what happens if the Foe asks for a chance to live if they repent. A Good Paladin will grant them clemency if they are willing to change their course and make amends for their mis-deeds. An Inquisitor would demand a confession of sin & then render their god's justice with a swift death should they confess immediately, or torture a confession out of them prior to despatching them. And since the undead cannot be redeemed, they must be destroyed, the living must be given a chance to continue living.
uh. hm. how to ask…have you played the paladin class in EverQuest? have you encountered much kindness or forgiveness in their quests or game play? That class abilities are church-ey themed doesn't make paladins good in that fashion.
EQ Paladins are not "good knights" always there are a multitude of examples where Paladins in EQ kill to uphold the letter of the law rather than the spirit. Example 1: Soulfire Quest. Toward the end of the quest you are sent down into the prison of the Paladin guild to execute a criminal (Guard Wallia) however when you hail her she begs for her life and repents. Yet despite this you must kill her Example 2: Lord Inquisitor Seru. Seru and the city he built is a city of mostly Paladins who refused to cooperate with any of Norath's evil races. Seru and his politics are very hard line with no tolerance and draconian punishments. Example 3: Sir Lucan. One of Freeports Warrior guildmasters Lucan used to be a Paladin. One of their best paladins he was put in charge of protecting the city. However when the paladins went off on their crusades Lucan was left shorthanded and began employing men of less ethical standing. This infuriated the paladins which ended in Lucan killing a fellow paladin causing him to be cursed. While he remains in good standing with the citizens of his city the Paladins always look for way to see him dead. There are other examples. Paladins in EQ are not good Samaritans but rather religious zealots who look to force their faith on the other inhabitants of Norath.
One thing that bothered me wayyyyy back, was that the only way to get a good paladin weapon, the Ghoulbane, was to kill another paladin for it. Verant later on added a quest for it because of the complaints. (I still killed the shin lord anyway.)
