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.