How do you guys play level-ups? Are they strictly for between sessions? Do you wait until you get your next long rest? Or is it possible to grab a couple of XP mid-combat and get a sudden MMO-style reset to the ol' hp and spell slots?
What's most practical? What's most fun? And is there a method you always wanted to try out but never got around to?
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Comic for illustrative purposes.)
Next long rest as DM.
As a player it is whatever the DM wants. That varies between sessions, next long rest and after combat in the middle of the game.
If you do it in the middle of the game I have seen it done three ways:
1. Middle of the day, get your hps, PB bonus etc, no more long rest abilities or spells though and any limited use abilities must wait to a rest
2. Middle of the day, get your hps, PB ect, get new spells abilities etc - so if my bladesinger went from level 4 to level 5 and she was completely out of slots and bladesonge she would get one more bladesong (since now she gets 3 instead of 2) and 2 3rd level slots.
3. Level up in the middle of the day and it is a long rest at the same time.
As a player I roll with whatever the DM decides, I have one DM that does #3 above and it is wierd in a combat heavy XP game. In such a game you are gaining levels quickly and since every one counts as a long rest. In one game I am playing we have gained 4 levels (7 to 11) since our last long rest, so every time we have leveled up all our spell slots recharged. We have also had about 15 encounters since the last long rest and since we keep getting recharged we are not even low on slots or hit points.
Since you know how many xp you have you really go Nova when you are about to level up.