D&D 5E Does progression rate slow down?

[S'mon]

21 online sessions (avg ca 2.5-3 hrs each) into my first big 5e campaign, and I'm a bit gobsmacked at the rate of progression. Even with individual XP and the slowness of chatroom play (which about doubles playtime to level) the two most active PCs are now 6th level, with a third at 5th. It has slowed down a bit since the first couple levels (I think the first pc to reach 5th did it around session 14), but not nearly as much as I expected. And looking at the xp chart it looks that the increase in xp to level is about to ease off a lot too.
So that made me wonder, does advancement stay fast even through levels 6-10? And I can see it likely must speed up a lot at 11+ too, which worries me a bit - I'd be looking at Dominion style play in my sandbox then, not sure I want that being levelled out of fast. Also, how is the high level power progression? I heard it's a lot flatter than other editions - does that mean the pcs could keep on doing much the same stuff 11th-16th?

(necro) Well, 2.5 years later and I know a lot more now!

I recently saw the first PC hit 20th level, Hakeem the Barbarian* in my Wilderlands game, after 132 online sessions when he killed the demigod Kainos the Warbringer. And 5 sessions later he's just defeated the Lich-king Boritt Crowfinger and ended the war with the Neo-Nerath empire of the Black Sun. Meanwhile just brought my Varisia tabletop game to a conclusion (for now) after 64 sessions with the defeat of the Stone Giant leader Mokmurian - http://smonscurseofthecrimsonthrone.blogspot.co.uk/ - there the highest level PC, Quillax the Druidess, has played since session 1 and gone from 1st to 18th level.

I can't really complain about the progression rate, though it probably wouldn't hurt to slow down a lot after 10th and not worry about trying to hit 20th. The kind of stories we've been creating have been great fun but could just as well have worked with 11th-12th level PCs as 18th-20th I think. OTOH the game remains totally playable at Epic level, the PCs never seem unstoppable - just very very powerful.

*Now Hakeem the Godslayer, Exalted Champion of Bondor, King-Regent of Altanis-Nerath, etc etc.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I can't really complain about the progression rate, though it probably wouldn't hurt to slow down a lot after 10th and not worry about trying to hit 20th. The kind of stories we've been creating have been great fun but could just as well have worked with 11th-12th level PCs as 18th-20th I think. OTOH the game remains totally playable at Epic level, the PCs never seem unstoppable - just very very powerful.

The exp tables help the campaign to slow down and savor 5e's ~5-10th level 'sweet spot,' and, there's presumably just less to 'do' at the highest levels, fewer adventures that call for such powerful heroes, so moving through those levels more quickly makes a certain amount of sense...

 

[S'mon]

The exp tables help the campaign to slow down and savor 5e's ~5-10th level 'sweet spot,' and, there's presumably just less to 'do' at the highest levels, fewer adventures that call for such powerful heroes, so moving through those levels more quickly makes a certain amount of sense...

With my Varisia game concluded I'm starting a new 5e sandbox/open campaign in November. I'll be tweaking XP awards with the expectation more that PCs semi-retire at 11th as Lords, rather than proceed on up to 20. I found 5e works mechanically up to 20, but setting assumptions get strained if there are a lot of teen-level characters about.