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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 9548728" data-attributes="member: 11">So the inspiration for this thread was not actually my campaign that has lasted 56 sessions so far.  It was joining a campaign that was about 25 3-hour sessions in, where the characters are around 8th level. It made me realize that my in-person group, who had just completed around the same number of sessions (24) had only recently hit 4th level (session #17),  so nearly exactly half the rate of advancement of the game I joined . . . except these sessions last 4 to 5 hours instead of 3! So if the game I joined has 75 hours of play time, then the game I run has approximate 113 hours play time for half the advancement.The group I run for that I decided to make this question about because it does have 3-hour sessions has played 56 sessions and only recently (session #51) hit 6th-level.Anyway, I am not complaining about my groups' rate of advancement. The 56-session group actually prefers "a slow game" and while my in-person group is itching for 5th level, they have made some terrible blunders that have elongated past (and the current) adventures and I only grant XP after each adventure (or significant portion of a longer one) is complete and PCs have a chance for some downtime.As usual, I just wanted to compare my experiences with others.Personally, I disagree with Mearls strongly about advancing to 2nd level after the first session. A "Session" is too wildly varying a category of time and game events. I think advancing to 2nd level after the first adventure makes more sense, however, many sessions that takes. I like for players to have a chance to learn and absorb their abilities at each level before moving on to the next. I also prefer lower levels (my <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/vanity-frankenstein-5e-my-homebrew-d-d-project.706753/" target="_blank">Vanity Frankenstein 5E project</a> caps advancement at level 10 and increases XP cost per level).Below is a breakdown of how often I awarded XP in the three 5E campaigns I am running/have run ("n/a" = XP awarded but not enough for advancement)Ghosts of Saltmarsh+ (45 sessions total, complete/hiatus)<table style='width: 100%'><tr><th>XP awarded at the end of Session #</th><th>Level Gained</th></tr><tr><td>Session #4</td><td>2nd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #7</td><td>3rd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #9</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #12</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #16</td><td>4th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #19</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #23</td><td>5th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #29</td><td>6th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #34</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #38</td><td>7th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #44</td><td>n/a</td></tr></table>Revenants of Saltmarsh (56 sessions total, so far)<table style='width: 100%'><tr><th>XP awarded at the end of Session #</th><th>Level Gained</th></tr><tr><td>Session #5</td><td>2nd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #8</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #14</td><td>3rd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #17</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #21</td><td>4th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #24</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #30</td><td>5th level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #38</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Session #51</td><td>6th level</td></tr></table>Primordial Evil (23 sessions total, so far)<table style='width: 100%'><tr><th>XP awarded at the end of Session #</th><th>Level Gained</th></tr><tr><td>Session #4</td><td>2nd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #10</td><td>3rd level</td></tr><tr><td>Session #17</td><td>4th level</td></tr></table></blockquote>

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