D&D 5E (2024) GMs: How long should it usually take to go from level 1 to 4?

[EzekielRaiden]

Warning: Vote carefully, you can't change it later! Also, while this is categorized as "D&D 5e (2024)", it applies to both versions of 5e. I can't do "5e general" unfortunately.

((EDIT: Since session length has been a bugaboo, presume roughly once-a-week sessions of roughly four hours apiece, or specify otherwise in your reply.))

Simple question, bit of a follow-up to my previous poll asking about what starting level folks run.

Presume that you are running a campaign where you have chosen to start at level 1 for some specific reason you personally approve of (whatever that reason might be--maybe the players themselves requested it, I don't really care what the reason is.) How many sessions should it take for the characters to reach level 4?

As with all my polls, keep in mind you cannot change your vote once it is placed, you can't see the results until you vote, your pick will be visible to others, and the poll will (eventually) close. If you choose the ninth option (your approach is too different to answer the question as asked), please explain your approach, as I'm very curious to hear from you!

 

[Lanefan]

Did not vote as I don't run 5e (or 5.5); were I to, I'd tweak it such that each level took numerous sessions to achieve in order to spin the campaign out longer. I'd be unpleasantly surprised if we got through 4th in the first year of the campaign (i.e. 45-ish sessions).

 

[Reynard]

In general with 5E I aim for each level to take a number of sessions equal to the next level, except getting to 2nd (which is so trivial one wonders why it is there at all). Until 6th is anyway, at which point 5 or 6 decent sessions per level seems about right.

 

[TheSword]

I mean how long is a session? 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours? Big difference there.

 

[prabe]

Not voting because there's too much overlap and it's not clear I can vote for more than one thing.

A) I just level the PCs up, we don't bother with XP.
B) I level the PCs up after they accomplish things in the narrative.
C) I usually make an effort to get the PCs to level 2 by the end of the first session and to level 3 by the end of the third, and it usually takes three or four sessions after that to get to level 4, but that does depend on how things play out.

So, there's an expected range, sort of, but no fixed expectation.

 

[Zardnaar]

I voted for 5 or 6.

Lvl 2 1-2
Level 3 1-2
Level 4 3ish.

Depends on how long sessions are. Lvl 1 is rest of session 0+1 generally.

Or whatever the adventure says if its milestones. Otherwise I'll hardwave it.

Longer the session less required to level up.

 

[payn]

Going by my standard 4 hour session, I voted 5-6. I imagine it like thus, 1 session to 2, 2 sessions to 3, 3 sessions to 4.

It might make a difference if its face to face or VTT. I get vastly more done on VTT than I do f2f. I get way more done if im the GM in either. By "done" I mean move the game along by staying on task and resolving conflicts and achieving goals.

 

[Zardnaar]

Going by my standard 4 hour session, I voted 5-6. I imagine it like thus, 1 session to 2, 2 sessions to 3, 3 sessions to 4.

It might make a difference if its face to face or VTT. I get vastly more done on VTT than I do f2f. I get way more done if im the GM in either. By "done" I mean move the game along by staying on task and resolving conflicts and achieving goals.

Think we are the same.

Reminds me to post in beer thread.

 

[Jolly Ruby]

If you distill the math behind the adventuring days XP, the treasure hoards and the DMG advice you can find these numbers:

Levels 1 and 2: 1 session each.
Level 3: 2 sessions.
Level 4 to 10: 3 sessions each.
Level 11 to 20: 2 sessions each.

From the 2014 DMG:

Session-Based Advancement
A good rate of session-based advancement is to have characters reach 2nd level after the first session of play, 3rd level after another session, and 4th level after two more sessions. Then spend two or three sessions for each subsequent level. This rate mirrors the standard rate of advancement, assuming sessions are about four hours long.

Also from the 2014 DMG, about treasure hoards:

Over the course of a typical campaign, a party finds treasure hoards amounting to seven rolls on the Challenge 0–4 table, eighteen rolls on the Challenge 5–10 table, twelve rolls on the Challenge 11–16 table, and eight rolls on the Challenge 17+ table.

So if you roll about one treasure hoard per session and give about one adventuring day worth of XP per session, the number aligns with the advice about session-based advancement.

However in my experience I don't find it realistic, since running a whole adventuring day in a single session implies running the infamous "six to eight combat encounters" in about four hours. Usually when I'm using XP my players advance at half this speed.

 

[ECMO3]

Warning: Vote carefully, you can't change it later! Also, while this is categorized as "D&D 5e (2024)", it applies to both versions of 5e. I can't do "5e general" unfortunately.

Hmm it seems I can change my vote .... not that I tried.

2 sessions on average for a milestone game, 3 sessions more often than 1 session but 1 session more often than 4.

Probably 3 sessions on average if you are playing an XP game.

Assumes sessions are 4 hours of play.

If you are playing an XP game and want to speed things up, sneak out at night and set fire to the town. You are guaranteed to kill a few horses and livestock and if you are lucky you might get some commoners or children.