In your opinion, which faction is the strongest in Heroes 5? Let's discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each faction.

Besides, the penalty could be removed by monks, saving a hero's turn, while the hero could, for example, resurrect lost creatures or, if the losses aren't significant, cast Holy Word (judging by the situation, this seems to be a late-game battle with summons available). This would be even better; the damage is like that of paladins, but it affects all enemies, like a vengeance spell. And why cast the penalty on paladins if it can be easily removed after the first hit? It would be better to cast Berserk.