D&D 5E At what level does play become "high level"?

[Haffrung]

Despite the claims, a lot of us go to high levels. I haven't played or run a game that failed to hit 12th-22nd level since 2e. There were a very few exceptions when a campaign just wasn't working out and we wanted to switch.

That's among multiple groups, dozens of players, and no less than 7 different DMs in 4 different social circles.

According to data collected on D&D Beyond, only 10 per cent of campaigns make it past level 10.

In my 40 years of experience DMing and playing, only three campaigns have gone beyond level 10, and none past level 12. Lots of reasons why. More than half of that time was spend playing AD&D, which is much deadlier than later editions, with TPKs quite common. Also, the XP progression in AD&D really slows down at around 7th level, with 8 or 9 sessions needed to level up beyond that. Then there's DM burnout, player boredom, and the lack of published adventures past level 12.

Which isn't to say there's anything wrong with high level play. But it really is uncommon.

 

[Guest User]

According to data collected on D&D Beyond, only 10 per cent of campaigns make it past level 10.

What percentage of the total D&D population is represented by the members of D&D Beyond?

(According to data collected in my household, 20% of my household, believes that 90% of D&D Beyond are quitters.)

In my 40 years of experience DMing and playing, only three campaigns have gone beyond level 10, and none past level 12.

This is an incendiary question, and I am not directing it at you specifically Haffrung, as others have the same experience as yourself, but what real knowledge are people that have never passed 12th character level bringing to a discussion beyond the level ranges they have experienced?

I love D&D, and those that play it, and I do not intend to demean any playstyle, but 40 years of experience driving around your block is going to yield different experiences when compared to a person with 40 years of long haul, distance driving experience.

Much will be the same, but a "long drive" for someone used to driving around the block, is going to be different than for a long haul driver.

 

[Maxperson]

According to data collected on D&D Beyond, only 10 per cent of campaigns make it past level 10.

10% of millions is still a very significant number. And I don't believe the D&D beyond numbers quite frankly. I don't think I'm in the majority, but I don't believe it's as low as 10%, either.

In my 40 years of experience DMing and playing, only three campaigns have gone beyond level 10, and none past level 12. Lots of reasons why. More than half of that time was spend playing AD&D, which is much deadlier than later editions, with TPKs quite common. Also, the XP progression in AD&D really slows down at around 7th level, with 8 or 9 sessions needed to level up beyond that.

LOL There's a reason why I said that 2e was the last time we failed(other than rare exceptions) to hit at least 12th level.

 

[dave2008]

10% of millions is still a very significant number. And I don't believe the D&D beyond numbers quite frankly.

Question: Do you believe D&D Beyond is providing false information or do you believe that D&D Beyond is not representative of the larger D&D community or something else?

EDIT: Here are two news articles on the subject
Nobody is playing High Level Characters
90% of D&D Games Stop by Level 10

 

[dave2008]

What percentage of the total D&D population is represented by the members of D&D Beyond?

(According to data collected in my household, 20% of my household, believes that 90% of D&D Beyond are quitters.

It is based on 30+ million characters made in D&D Beyond. Here is the news article about it: Nobody is playing High Level Characters

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Right after you stop playing.

 

[TwoSix]

Edition dependent, but definitely 11th for 5e.

 

[TwoSix]

I will argue that people who stop before level 7-8 are missing out. Late Tier 2 into Tier 3 is definitely the sweet spot of 5e IMO.

 

[Maxperson]

Question: Do you believe D&D Beyond is providing false information or do you believe that D&D Beyond is not representative of the larger D&D community or something else?

EDIT: Here are two news articles on the subject
Nobody is playing High Level Characters
90% of D&D Games Stop by Level 10

I think it's mostly the latter, with a some of the former with a twist of "The way D&D Beyond is set up skews things" on top.

 

[Guest User]

It is based on 30+ million characters made in D&D Beyond. Here is the news article about it: Nobody is playing High Level Characters

Again, I ask if anyone knows what percentage of the D&D market is represented by D&D Beyond?

D&D Beyond does not represent, nor contains the entire D&D player base. Stating that only 10% of Characters advance beyond 10th level strikes me very much akin to a study stating that only 10% of people that drive BMWs have commutes that exceed 15 miles.

While there are many BMW drivers in the world, not all drivers, drive BMW.
To evaluate the value of D&D Beyond statistics, we need to have some inkling of what percentage of the D&D population the service has as customers.

D&D Beyond is a paywall....this mean, that most likely the people using DDB are some combination of the following: Wealthier, Older, and Whiter then the population at large.

The fact that people throw around the D&D Beyond stats as gospel, is disturbing.
Sure, the data means something, but we lack the contextual knowledge to know with any certainty what the data truly signifies.