Keith Baker along with Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters run D&D games in old manors in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among career game masters who infrequently find the moment to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and creating challenges to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the coordinators began designing a organized method to address these questions, which led to the creation of DMU. The inaugural event is set for the start of 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on any topic and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where direct communication with faculty instructors and your peers likely in comparable situations and also want to level up their game,” stated Jason Carl.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can choose from options ranging from $995 to $2,500, depending on the level of access they desire with the experts. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Covers the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Universe Design: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Designed for game masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

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

“The classes are created so that you depart having tangible results, probably greater confidence, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl explained. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These workshops that you can participate in, learn from, and then head back to your table the following week and implement in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are led by two professors. Setting design is led by an industry veteran and the creator of Eberron, both teaching the skill of universe design.

Industry advancement features several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, a podcast co-host, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is intended to offer targeted guidance to students with definite objectives.

“Various attendees aim to start their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, others aim to release and create new material,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, What does it take to be a DM at something like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Premium Packages

A fifteen hundred dollar enhanced option provides access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with one of the faculty. This represents the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“One could practically host an full two days just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl mentioned. “I'm not certain if that’s the optimal application of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I suspect it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The $2.5K platinum tier provides an extended personal consultation and the possibility to manage an adventure for five players plus a teacher, who will then give comments and instruction.

“The aim is for the instructor to review whichever aspect is interested in: Hey I don’t do well with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in this kind of combat situation. May I present a scene for you and receive input on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and information on a definite universe that they’ve been developing.”

Future Plans

Input from the debut workshop will help determine upcoming academy workshops. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, making it longer to a longer period, or trying out different seminar structures.

“I anticipate that we conduct these frequently,” Carl stated. “I really want to see numerous academy events in a single year, in different cities, and in different countries. The reception has been really terrific. We're quite pleased with the results so far and I feel it would be wonderful to be able to do this in conjunction with big conventions.”