Keith Baker and Monte Cook Are Instructing Workshops at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where experienced game masters lead Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles in England and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the chance to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and creating challenges to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began crafting a structured way to tackle these topics, which led to the establishment of DMU. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on virtually any subject and gain significant knowledge, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction together with fellow DMs, where direct communication with expert teachers and other game masters often in a similar position and also want to improve their skills,” stated the program's dean.

Workshop Options and Ticket Packages

Game masters can opt for tiers ranging from $995 to $2,500, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The entry-level option includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Covers the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Campaign Building: Focuses around designing extended campaigns.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the art of setting design.
• Career Building: Tailored to DMs who seek to understand more about the tabletop profession.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of classwork split over 48 hours.

“The courses are created so that you walk away with tangible results, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These are sessions that you can attend, learn from, and then return to your group the next week and implement in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are instructed by a pair of experts. Universe creation is taught by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, jointly leading the skill of universe design.

Career building presents several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is meant to provide specialized information to students with definite objectives.

“Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and present their narratives with the world, several aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl explained. “Some just want to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like a castle event? What capabilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Advanced Options

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier offers access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This marks the debut of the program, though the company has previously run Castle Days during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an full two days just on office hours for expert DMs,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the best use of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the formal instruction and the lab work is too valuable – but I believe it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar premium option provides an hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to lead a session for a small group plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The goal is for the teacher to review whichever aspect is interested in: Hey I don’t do well with improv or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. Can I run a scenario for you and receive input on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to obtain critique and guidance on a particular setting that they’ve been building.”

Future Plans

Responses from the first event will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that potential adjustments could include expanding one-on-one sessions, lengthening the event to three days, or experimenting with different seminar structures.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl said. “I really want to see numerous academy events in a calendar year, in different cities, and in different countries. The reception has been extremely positive. We're quite pleased with the results so far and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in collaboration with major events.”