Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting immersive events where expert DMs run Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among career game masters who rarely get the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the organizers began developing a organized method to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The first session is scheduled for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“It's possible to view thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that there’s just no substitute a live, hands-on session alongside other dungeon masters, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers likely in the same boat and aim to level up their game,” stated Jason Carl.

Course Offerings and Cost Levels

Dungeon Masters can select tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2.5K, according to the level of access they desire with the professionals. The starting package includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Covers the basics of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Centers on building persistent adventures.
• Worldbuilding: Concentrates on the art of setting design.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at game masters who want to learn more about the roleplaying business.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of training divided across two days.

“The workshops are created so that you walk away with tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they exceed pre-recorded material. These are sessions that you can join, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the following week and put into practice in your local game.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are instructed by two professors. Universe creation is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, together instructing the craft of setting creation.

Professional development includes multiple instructors, such as a puzzle design specialist, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is intended to deliver focused advice to attendees with particular aims.

“Some of them aim to start their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, others plan to produce 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? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K enhanced option offers access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a half-hour consultation appointment with one of the faculty. This marks the debut of the program, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an full two days just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “I'm not certain if that’s the best use of everybody’s time – I believe the formal instruction and the practical exercises is extremely important – but I believe it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option offers an hour of one-on-one time and the possibility to lead a session for a small group plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and guidance.

“The goal is for the teacher to assess whichever aspect is concerned with: I have difficulty with improv or I encounter obstacles in specific fight encounters. Can I run a situation for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Or maybe they want to obtain critique and information on a particular setting that they’ve been building.”

Coming Developments

Feedback from the debut workshop will help guide subsequent DMU events. Carl said that potential adjustments could include adding more office hours, making it longer to three days, or experimenting with varied class arrangements.

“I anticipate that we do this frequently,” Carl expressed. “I truly hope to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a single year, in multiple places, and in different countries. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I think it would be fantastic to be able to do this in collaboration with big conventions.”