Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Instructing Classes at Dungeon Master University
Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters lead D&D games in historic castles in Britain and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are especially popular among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to managing conflicts at the table.
In response, the planners began designing a structured way to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of the Dungeon Master Academy. The debut workshop is planned for the start of 2026 at an Atlanta campus.
“There are countless online tutorials on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that there’s just no substitute a live, hands-on session in the company of fellow DMs, where direct communication with expert teachers and your peers likely in comparable situations and also want to improve their skills,” stated Jason Carl.
Available Classes and Pricing Tiers
Game masters can choose from options ranging from $995 to $2,500, according to the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes one of four courses:
- Skill Building: Teaches the essentials of running D&D.
- Campaign Building: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
- Setting Creation: Concentrates on the crafting of environments.
- Industry Advancement: Aimed at dungeon masters who want to learn more about the tabletop profession.
Every class includes eight hours of classwork spread over two days.
“The courses are structured so that you depart having immediate practical outcomes, probably greater confidence, and many practical techniques,” Carl said. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These are sessions that you can participate in, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the following week and implement in your local game.”
Seasoned Educators
Many sessions are led by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is led by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, jointly leading the skill of universe design.
Career building features four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The expanded teaching staff is meant to provide specialized information to participants with particular aims.
“Various attendees want to launch their own D&D actual play and present their narratives with the world, others aim to release and write original content,” Carl stated. “Several only seek to ask, What's the path to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”
Premium Packages
A fifteen hundred dollar premium package includes access to a opening gathering, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This represents the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their immersive experiences.
“It would be possible to organize an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the coursework and the lab work is highly beneficial – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”
The $2.5K platinum tier offers an extended personal consultation and the chance to run a game for five players plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and guidance.
“The goal is for the faculty member to assess whichever aspect is interested in: I have difficulty with improv or I get blocked in specific fight encounters. May I present a scene for you and get feedback on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl explained. “Or maybe they want to get feedback and information on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”
Future Plans
Feedback from the debut workshop will help guide subsequent DMU events. Carl suggested that potential adjustments could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to a longer period, or testing different seminar structures.
“I hope that we host such events frequently,” Carl stated. “I really want to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a calendar year, in various locations, and in different countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with the results so far and I think it would be wonderful to be able to conduct this in conjunction with major events.”