Keith Baker and Keith Baker Will Lead Workshops at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where professional dungeon masters lead fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in England and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are widely appreciated among career game masters who infrequently find the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often ask for tips from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the coordinators began developing a systematic approach to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The first session is scheduled for the start of 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and gain significant knowledge, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute a live, hands-on session together with other dungeon masters, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your peers likely in the same boat and seek to level up their game,” stated the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Course Offerings and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can select tiers ranging from $995 to $2.5K, depending on the level of access they desire with the professionals. The base tier includes a choice of four workshops:

• Foundational Skills: Covers the essentials of managing a session.
• Story Arc Development: Focuses around designing extended campaigns.
• Universe Design: Highlights the crafting of environments.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at DMs who want to learn more about the roleplaying business.

Each course includes eight hours of classwork split over 48 hours.

“The courses are created so that you leave with usable skills, enhanced belief in your abilities, and many practical techniques,” Carl said. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These classes that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then go right back home the week after and apply in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are taught by a pair of experts. Worldbuilding is guided by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.

Career building includes multiple instructors, such as Elisa Teague, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The expanded teaching staff is meant to deliver focused advice to attendees with particular aims.

“Certain participants aim to start their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, several aim to release and create new material,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like D&D in a Castle? Which abilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Premium Packages

A fifteen hundred dollar enhanced option offers access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with an instructor. This represents the debut of the program, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an complete event just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl mentioned. “I'm not certain if that’s the optimal application of each attendee's hours – I think the structured learning and the lab work is highly beneficial – but I suspect it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier provides an hour of one-on-one time and the chance to lead a session for five players plus an instructor, who will then give comments and guidance.

“The goal is for the teacher to review whichever aspect is interested in: I struggle with improv or I get blocked in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to receive input and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Input from the first event will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, lengthening the event to 72 hours, or testing different seminar structures.

“I expect that we host such events regularly,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a given year, in different cities, and in various nations. The feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with the results so far and I believe it would be fantastic to be able to do this in conjunction with big conventions.”