Monte Cook and Keith Baker Will Lead Classes at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running immersive events where professional dungeon masters lead Dungeons & Dragons games in old manors in the UK and at a U.S. castle resort. The comprehensive packages are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the planners began designing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of Dungeon Master University. The debut workshop is set for early January 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on virtually any subject and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction together with fellow DMs, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your peers likely in comparable situations and aim to improve their skills,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

DMs can choose from tiers ranging from $995 to two thousand five hundred dollars, according to the level of access they desire with the professionals. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Skill Building: Focuses on the basics of leading a game.
• Story Arc Development: Centers on crafting long-running games.
• Worldbuilding: Highlights the art of setting design.
• Professional Development: Tailored to dungeon masters who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.

Every class includes two days of classwork divided across two days.

“The classes are designed so that you leave with immediate practical outcomes, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the next week and apply in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are instructed by a pair of experts. Setting design is led by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, jointly leading the skill of universe design.

Career building includes four different teachers, such as a puzzle design specialist, an entertainment professional, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is intended to deliver focused advice to attendees with definite objectives.

“Certain participants want to launch their own live gameplay show and share their stories with the world, others aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at a program like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Premium Packages

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier includes access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between campaigns at their premium gatherings.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – I believe the structured learning and the practical exercises is extremely important – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2.5K premium option provides an 60-minute private session and the opportunity to manage an adventure for five players plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The goal is for the instructor to review any element is interested in: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scenario for you and obtain advice on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to receive input and advice on a definite universe that they’ve been developing.”

Coming Developments

Feedback from the first event will help determine subsequent DMU events. Carl suggested that potential adjustments could include increasing consultation time, making it longer to 72 hours, or trying out alternative workshop formats.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl stated. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a given year, in multiple places, and in various nations. The feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're quite pleased with what we’re seeing and I believe it would be wonderful to be able to organize these in partnership with big conventions.”