Races of the Wild (3.0) page 36 wrote:
Paladin: As with monks, few elves become paladins because of the alignment requirement. Those who do choose this path often worship a deity associated with some other race, because the elven gods include no lawful good deities. Some follow Vandria Gilmadrith, even though she is a lawful neutral deity, since many aspects of her dogma appeal to the paladin’s nature.
Such a career choice often effectively severs an elf paladin from his community because he tends to seem rather staid. Like elf fighters, elf paladins are most effective with ranged weapons, and they tend to avoid melee combat. For alternative options for the elf paladin, see the elf racial substitution levels on page 155



And Elf Paladin
Races of the Wild (3.0) page 155 wrote:
ELF PALADIN
Though elves typically tend toward chaos and freedom
over law and order, an elf paladin can become a beacon
of righteousness. He gives up some of his single-minded
dedication in exchange for abilities that work well with his
racial aptitudes.
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To take an elf paladin substitution level, a character must be
an elf about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 5th level of paladin.
Class Skills
Elf paladin substitution levels grant the same class skills as
the standard paladin class, plus Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifi er (or four times
this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are features of the elf paladin’s racial
substitution levels.

Ranged Smite Evil (Su): An elf paladin can only deliver his smite evil attacks with a longbow (or composite longbow) or shortbow (or composite shortbow). The target must be
within 30 feet for the paladin to use this ability. This ability otherwise functions identically to the normal smite evil class feature described on page 44 of the Player’s Handbook. This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s class feature of smite evil. At each level at which the paladin would normally gain an additional daily use of smite evil, the elf paladin instead gains a daily use of ranged smite evil.
Aura of Freedom (Su): A 3rd-level elf paladin radiates an aura that helps his allies resist effects that would influence their minds. Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against enchantment effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead.
This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s ability of aura of courage.

Unicorn Mount (Sp): A 5th-level elf paladin gains the service of a unicorn to serve him in his crusade against evil. This ability is identical to the paladin’s special mount class feature, except that the paladin is treated as six levels lower than normal for the purpose of determining the mount’s bonus HD, natural armor adjustment, and Strength adjustment (but not other special abilities). The unicorn serves as a loyal steed regardless of the paladin’s gender. For example, an elf paladin’s unicorn mount doesn’t gain the adjusted statistics of a 5th-level paladin’s mount (+2 HD, +4 natural armor adjustment, and +1 Strength adjustment—see page 45 of the Player’s Handbook) until the paladin is 11th level. It gains the other special abilities of a paladin’s mount
at the normal levels (empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, and share saving throws at 5th level, improved speed at 8th level, command at 11th level, and spell resistance at 15th level). The unicorn mount may only use its command ability
on horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. This substitution feature replaces the standard paladin’s class feature of special mount.



Disclaimer: Races of the Wild is for the default setting (Greyhawk) though Forgotten Realms uses lots of stuff from Greyhawk (even some of its gods).