Beckett already had a background appearance a while back, but I'd be happy to see more of him.

Using the monster design rules to scale a given monster's level up/down is stupid easy (source: I did it and I'm a scatterbrained fool), if the hellhound would otherwise be appropriate.

I'll freely admit to being no expert (been a while since I 5e'd), but it seems to me like the spell's target is either the paladin himself or his weapon. As such would spell immunity of a target matter?

I'd venture because for full Intel, folks might like the Hydra, but yes this ship is great.

I'd say your best bet is to talk to your GM, explain what it is you want the character concept to do, and tell them when the Palatine archetype happens, you'd like to at least explore it as a possibility to flex into that.

Check AON for the Hallowed Necromancer Archetype, very strong undead-fighting vibes there. (Never played it but man, it looks neat to me!)

I'm seeing drow (obvs), but maybe half-elf? I think I saw you say you'd like to avoid Warlock for sake of avoiding stepping on the toes of a fellow party member. Any thought to a rogue, maybe an eldritch trickster?

I hope you aim to misbehave.

It's been a minute for me, but that category of Invocations (do this spell at will without spending a slot) was always my favorite.

I like that, I might use something like that in the short term. Thanks.

Sure, I can see that. Got any favorites from a character you've played or GM'ed for?

Why on Earth would my fighter forget...

Not so much that you "forgot" them, but executing that particular ability (be it for the fighter, wizard, or paladin you mention) requires a certain intensity of focus. And after that specter has had its grubby incorporeal hands all over your soul, you lack that focus; you can't hit the figurative high notes like you could.

So I'm clear: yes, level drain sucks with a capital Ucks, and it's always felt like the mechanic of choice for "It's me vs the players" DMs. But I can't say it doesn't make sense from a game/narrative sense.

New to GMing, trying to run for my two kids (14 and 12).

What's the best/easiest way to introduce them to the idea of gear and "here's some stuff you might want to spend your money on," without it seeming like I just gave them a homework assignment? I had the gear section of the Player Core open and let one of the boys browse it, he rapidly turned off like I'd just asked him to eat his vegetables.

Anyone have a good way they've used to ease a player into this?

OMG, now I think our dogs need bandanas with "Dog" on it a la "Jersey". Who can make this happen?

I'd figure if it's going to happen, it'll be with the new book (Divine Mysteries?) coming later this year.

I like that ship a lot more than I thought I would.

Stuck in Lodi again...

I will forever more think "dead dove" when I think of 5e rangers, thanks.

Belkzen. When I first started learning about Golarion, that's where I started.

Why buy the cow...

Do I even want to know...?

I was on an adventure where we ended up facing a vermlek demon. Before we knew what it was, one of the few things we knew was he'd bought up most of the city's fireflies (as packaged for spell components). I took to calling him the Firefly Man, until I was calling him That Jerk Dying On My Sword.

My DM himself seems to sorta regret the curse since he gave me the opportunity to roll, while praying to my god, to remove it. So I think I can just talk to him about the curse maybe fading on its own but I wanted to get some perspectives on the curse before I just ask him to handwave it.

If he really thinks it was a bad idea, there's no reason to not just handwave it away. He's the damn DM, and if this little bit of improv on his part isn't working, it's 100% within his authority to put an end to it.

To be sure, as an option, I guess via class feat, not automatically.