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

[DrJawaPhD]

In my experience it's ~4-6 sessions per level, with Level 1 always skipped or maybe played as a tutorial during Session Zero. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower though, depends when the players hit the story milestones

 

[Hussar]

In my experience it's ~4-6 sessions per level, with Level 1 always skipped or maybe played as a tutorial during Session Zero. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower though, depends when the players hit the story milestones

That's largely been my experience too. Funnily enough, that is exactly the same pace regardless of edition. Level 1 and 2 might be a bit quicker but, after that, yup, 6 sessions to a level has been my experience.

 

[Charlaquin]

I voted for 2700 XP because I use XP. It’s weird to me that this apparently is an unpopular opinion now, but I think XP serves a very valuable role in the system that people are much too willing to throw away. If I’m planning my sessions well and my players are making good time, that much XP should ideally take 4 sessions for them to accumulate. But, as they say, if you want to make Pelor laugh, tell him your plans. So, in reality it’s likely to take 5 or 6 seasons, maybe even more if the group plays slow.

 

[Distracted DM]

I voted for 2700 XP because I use XP. It’s weird to me that this apparently is an unpopular opinion now, but I think XP serves a very valuable role in the system that people are much too willing to throw away. If I’m planning my sessions well and my players are making good time, that much XP should ideally take 4 sessions for them to accumulate. But, as they say, if you want to make Pelor laugh, tell him your plans. So, in reality it’s likely to take 5 or 6 seasons, maybe even more if the group plays slow.

I use XP as well, I guess it's just odd that choosing rough session numbers means you don't use XP? Or choosing XP means that ... you don't have a rough estimate for how many sessions it takes to get to 4.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

I use XP as well, I guess it's just odd that choosing rough session numbers means you don't use XP? Or choosing XP means that ... you don't have a rough estimate for how many sessions it takes to get to 4.

I'd assume they mean that most people don't use XP anymore, as indicated by the aggregate opinions across DnD forum threads and Youtube videos on the internet, not necessarily that it was proven by this particular poll. Milestone leveling is definitely much more common than XP leveling nowadays, I don't think that can really be disputed

 

[Zardnaar]

I'd assume they mean that most people don't use XP anymore, as indicated by the aggregate opinions across DnD forum threads and Youtube videos on the internet, not necessarily that it was proven by this particular poll. Milestone leveling is definitely much more common than XP leveling nowadays, I don't think that can really be disputed

That's means bupkiss in grand scheme of things.

I suspect milestone is more popular but I would like to see a large survey result or D&D beyond data to back it up.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

I suspect milestone is more popular but I would like to see a large survey result or D&D beyond data to back it up.

As a couple examples from Sly Flourish's webpage:

• 2018 poll of 2444 respondents found 56% use Milestone vs 26% use XP (and 18% other)
• 2020 poll of 6009 respondents found 66% prefer Milestone vs 21% prefer XP (and 13% other)
• 2022 poll of 6008 respondents found 83% use Milestones defined by the DMG or DM vs 15% use XP (and 3% other)

Dungeons & Dragons Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook Poll Results

In October 2016 I ran a Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition survey of 6,600 dungeon masters to better understand how DMs prepare and run their games. I wasn't happy to stop there, however. Since then I'v...

slyflourish.com

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I guess it's just odd that choosing rough session numbers means you don't use XP

I don’t think number of sessions is indicative either way. If you are using xp I would imagine you tune your xp multiplier to give the desired rate of progression. Likewise, if you are using milestones, you will position your milestones to the same effect. If you are using something else (eg gold) then that will also be distributed to give the desired rate.

And of course, there is the issue of “how long is a session?” Could be anything from two hours to twelve.

 

[payn]

The bookkeeping of xp is about as fun as tracking ammo, water skins, and food supplies of old school D&D. Milestone and never looked back.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

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

I am given to understand that a typical session for nearly all people who play is no more than 5 hours and no less than 2 hours, typically 3-4, with some wiggle room (e.g. if you end on a nice note at 3:45, you're not going to force 15 more minutes of play; if you are 90% done with a combat everyone is enjoying at 4:00, you might let it ride for another 5-15 minutes to see if you can get the thing wrapped up.)