Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Workshops at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters run fantasy roleplaying games in historic castles in Britain and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among forever DMs who rarely get the moment to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the planners began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of DMU. The first session is set for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“There are numerous digital guides on virtually any subject and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session together with peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and your peers who are probably in comparable situations and seek to enhance their abilities,” stated the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Workshop Options and Ticket Packages

Dungeon Masters can select packages ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, depending on the level of access they desire with the professionals. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Core Techniques: Covers the basics of leading a game.
• Story Arc Development: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Universe Design: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Aimed at game masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Every class includes eight hours of instruction spread over a weekend.

“The courses are designed so that you leave with usable skills, probably greater confidence, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl explained. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These classes that you can join, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the next week and put into practice in your local game.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are instructed by duo of instructors. Setting design is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and the creator of Eberron, together instructing the skill of universe design.

Career building presents multiple instructors, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The expanded teaching staff is meant to offer targeted guidance to participants with specific goals.

“Various attendees want to launch their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, some of them aim to release and create new material,” Carl explained. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at something like an immersive experience? What capabilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Higher Tiers

A $1.5K gold tier provides access to a introductory event, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This represents the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“You could almost run an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for career game masters,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of everybody’s time – I think the formal instruction and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 platinum tier provides an hour of one-on-one time and the chance to manage an adventure for a small group plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The purpose is for the teacher to review whichever aspect is concerned with: I have difficulty with improvisation or I get blocked in this kind of combat situation. Can I run a scenario for you and get feedback on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to receive input and information on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”

Coming Developments

Responses from the debut workshop will help determine upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, making it longer to three days, or testing different seminar structures.

“I expect that we do this regularly,” Carl said. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The response has been extremely positive. We're quite pleased with current developments and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in conjunction with major events.”