Keith Baker and Monte Cook Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting immersive events where experienced game masters run fantasy roleplaying games in ancient fortresses in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are widely appreciated among career game masters who seldom have the moment to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from the pros on topics ranging from improv and crafting riddles to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the coordinators began designing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of DMU. The inaugural event is planned for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are countless online tutorials on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the idea was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction alongside other dungeon masters, where direct communication with faculty instructors and other game masters who are probably in the same boat and seek to level up their game,” noted Jason Carl.

Available Classes and Pricing Tiers

DMs can opt for options ranging from $995 to two thousand five hundred dollars, based on the level of access they desire with the experts. The base tier includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Focuses on the essentials of running D&D.
• Campaign Building: Is dedicated to designing extended campaigns.
• Setting Creation: Highlights the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Each course includes eight hours of training split over two days.

“The workshops are designed so that you depart having usable skills, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “It's more than presentations and they’re not just static videos. These classes that you can participate in, learn from, and then return to your group the week after and put into practice in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

Most classes are taught by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Career building presents four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, an entertainment professional, and an early professional game master. The expanded teaching staff is intended to deliver focused advice to participants with definite objectives.

“Various attendees aim to start their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, some of them plan to produce and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at something like D&D in a Castle? What capabilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K premium package offers access to a welcome reception, a introductory package, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their immersive experiences.

“It would be possible to organize an full two days just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option includes an hour of one-on-one time and the chance to run a game for five players plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The aim is for the instructor to review whichever aspect is interested in: I have difficulty with improvisation or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a scenario for you and obtain advice on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to obtain critique and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been creating.”

Next Steps

Responses from the first event will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that potential adjustments could include adding more office hours, extending the program to three days, or experimenting with varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we conduct these very often,” Carl said. “I really want to see several DMU sessions in a calendar year, in different cities, and in multiple countries. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're quite pleased with the results so far and I believe it would be fantastic to be able to organize these in conjunction with major events.”