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

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters lead D&D games in historic castles in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the moment to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from improv and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the coordinators began crafting a structured way to address these questions, which led to the creation of the Dungeon Master Academy. The inaugural event is set for the start of 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“There are countless online tutorials on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the philosophy was that nothing truly replaces a live, hands-on session alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs likely in a similar position and seek to improve their skills,” stated the program's dean.

Course Offerings and Ticket Packages

DMs can opt for packages ranging from just under $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The entry-level option includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Covers the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Centers on crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Industry Advancement: Designed for dungeon masters who seek to understand more about the gaming industry.

All workshops includes eight hours of training spread over two days.

“The courses are structured so that you walk away with usable skills, probably greater confidence, and many practical techniques,” Carl explained. “They’re not just lectures and they go beyond recorded content. These classes that you can attend, learn from, and then head back to your table the following week and apply in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are led by two professors. Worldbuilding is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, together instructing the skill of universe design.

Industry advancement includes multiple instructors, such as an author on gaming puzzles, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The expanded teaching staff is meant to provide specialized information to participants with particular aims.

“Certain participants plan to create their own D&D actual play and present their narratives with the world, some of them want to publish and write original content,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? Which abilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K gold tier includes access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run Castle Days during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an full two days just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I believe the coursework and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I believe it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar premium option includes an 60-minute private session and the chance to lead a session for five players plus a teacher, who will then give comments and instruction.

“The aim is for the instructor to evaluate whatever the DM is focused on: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in this kind of combat situation. May I present a scenario for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl explained. “Or maybe they want to obtain critique and information on a specific world that they’ve been building.”

Next Steps

Responses from the debut workshop will help shape subsequent DMU events. Carl suggested that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to 72 hours, or testing different seminar structures.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl stated. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in different cities, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're quite pleased with current developments and I believe it would be wonderful to be able to do this in conjunction with major events.”