Delightful topic. In my decades of DMing and playing, the speed of levelling always feels"too slow for players patience, and too fast for the DMs pace".

I will tell you how slow is too slow: 9 levels in 8 years, playing 40+ sessions a year

Better to go low and slow and make them earn every inch of it, than to play D&D like a video game, leveling up every time they turn around for doing very little.

Surely one of the most radical professors at the university, with controversial opinions that verge on blasphemy, Prof DM always brings the fire to each and every lecture!!! Two enthusiastic thumbs up! 👍

When everyone plays in a generic dirt farmer fantasy setting you're never going to be able to design a game for high level players. Try stepping onto the scorched earth of Dark Sun or through a portal to the City Of Doors in Planescape. You'll have plenty to do at level 20 and beyond.

Too many people want to level fast, you just wind up starting over a lot when you do that in my experience as well.

I love how much you talk about Conan. Running a Hyborian Age campaign right now, and hands-down Howard is one of the best authors for any DM to read!

This is why I've had my players running filthy peasants who use farm tools to defend their food stores from rats, and make regular con checks against disease each season. We're two years into the campaign and they haven't been able to afford time to go "adventuring" because the local lord needs them crop taxes. The upside is how easy it is to make up challenging scenarios for them. Usually the same ones over and over.

here's the comment for the algorithm

I've always found, as a player, that D&D gets less fun the more toys (skills, spells, weapons, etc.) the characters have. The sense of danger gets pushed back further and further until it just isn't a factor. And that's when I start checking out.

like you say:

I realllllly like how you put it for the experience thing; the quicker you level, the closer you get to ending the game, or that character.

This is also a reason why I love the Xanathar's Guide regardless of what system you are using. It has great random tables available for events that may have happened in your character's life as well as how they grew up and even immediate family/NPC contacts that the DM/GM can use to create story hooks with.

Totally with you on levelling up. I like players to level up when they AT LEAST know every ability they have off by heart, but have been forced to use the skills they have in multiple creative ways, as well as have tried to use the character in ways that they are not yet proficient.

I use Forbidden Lands and that game has no levels. Just XP points that you can use to by Skills or Talents. It leads to a more wide advancement instead the tall advancement of DnD. I really like it so far. It's more about 'normal' characters learning some new life skills to help them survive instead of become demi-godlike murder machines and hitpoint bags.

Slower leveling is better for a solid, dedicated group. Thanks for the video.

You had me at "Star Wars model and Star Trek model." Huge fan, love the videos!!!

Starting my first campaign soon, this was really helpful, thanks PDM 🤙

feeding the algorithm to support my favorite DM's tips channel!

I think it's fine to level up at the normal in-book pace as long as you have something to provide after Level 20 when they reach it, or a nice reward between levels. Two weeks ago, The DM Lair made a video presenting various ideas for loot and rewards, such as areas of land, or plot-relevant items, or backstory-based plot hooks. Even items that don't really help you, but are generally fun to mess around with.