Heh, Paladin's Quest sticks out like a sore thumb listed next to those greats. What was it about PQ that you liked so much? (without spoiling it for other people). It's often called average at best or even below average. Just curious what you liked so much about it to lump it in there with those classics.
I wouldn't recommend Lufia to an RPG newbie trying to get into the genre. It's a bit repetitive and had some annoyances that will likely drive away someone trying to find his place in the genre.
Best to go with Chrono Trigger or Super Mario RPG first.
Lufia is one of those games you trek through after you become a big fan of the genre.