D&D 5E How long does it take to reach level 20?

[Asisreo]

Half a year, playing once a week, 3 hrs a session got our group from lvl 1 to 20.

 

[tommybahama]

I haven't done it, but you could do it in 19 sessions of four hours or less each in Adventurers League. So a total of 76 hours or less.

Some adventures let you get to 3rd level in two one hour adventures. Escape from Elturel is one of them. I don't know if there are any that let you do that at higher levels.

 

[TheSword]

Half a year, playing once a week, 3 hrs a session got our group from lvl 1 to 20.

That’s impressive 26 sessions with a level almost every 3 hour session.

If you like high level play though, but don’t want to skip early levels of development (which brings its own problems) why not.

 

[DnD Warlord]

I cant speak for your DMs math, but I assure you the math behind the XP per level chart is designed to go super fast 1-3, slow for 4-11 and then 1 level per session from 12th onwards.


You actually need less XP to go from 11th to 12 (and 12th to 13th, and 13th to 14th) than you do to go from 10th to 11th.

Bearing in mid over those levels you're dealing with higher CR threats (that give a lot more XP) and the progression speed up past 11th level is really (really) noticable.

Took my group like 5-6 sessions to move from 10th to 11th. Then it was like 2 sessions per level thereafter, and rapidly sped up from there (while you need more XP after 14th level, the XP awards are substantially higher at those levels).

If I was doing double XP from 11th level, PCs would be levelling at least once per session!

When we were triple xp at teens we still didn’t level every session. Close but not quite

 

[Flamestrike]

When we were triple xp at teens we still didn’t level every session. Close but not quite

How?

Like... at 13th level PCs, a single solo encounter would be at around CR 17 or so. CR 17 is 18k xp (base) - tripled its 54k xp on its own - enough to nearly level 3 whole PCs from 13th to 14th level.

That fight should take no more than 20-30 minutes of game time to resolve.

Unless your sessions were 2 hours long and only 1 combat, I cant see it.

 

[Flamestrike]

A single adventuring day XP median for a 13th level PC is 13,500 XP.

Tripling that figure and you're gaining 2 whole levels over a single average adventuring day. A tougher one could see you gain 3 or even 4 levels between breakfast and dinner.

 

[DnD Warlord]

How?

Like... at 13th level PCs, a single solo encounter would be at around CR 17 or so. CR 17 is 18k xp (base) - tripled its 54k xp on its own - enough to nearly level 3 whole PCs from 13th to 14th level.

That fight should take no more than 20-30 minutes of game time to resolve.

Unless your sessions were 2 hours long and only 1 combat, I cant see it.

I will ask him for number break down next time I see him

 

[THEMNGMNT]

I have a campaign that started in May 2017, will have its 99th session this Friday, and the player characters just reached level 16.

 

[Flamestrike]

I will ask him for number break down next time I see him

How many encounters would you get per session?

 

[Flamestrike]

I have a campaign that started in May 2017, will have its 99th session this Friday, and the player characters just reached level 16.

Slow going.

Combat light or short sessions?