Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Sessions at DMU

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running immersive events where experienced game masters run D&D 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 infrequently find the chance to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began crafting a structured way to tackle these topics, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch numerous digital guides on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the idea was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience alongside peers in game mastering, where direct communication with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs often in a similar position and also want to improve their skills,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Available Classes and Cost Levels

Dungeon Masters can select packages ranging from $995 to $2.5K, depending on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The base tier includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Focuses on the essentials of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Centers on designing extended campaigns.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Every class includes eight hours of training divided across a weekend.

“The courses are structured so that you walk away with immediate practical outcomes, increased self-assurance, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These classes that you can join, learn from, and then head back to your table the next week and put into practice in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

Many sessions are instructed by duo of instructors. Setting design is guided by an industry veteran and a renowned campaign designer, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Career building features four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is meant to offer targeted guidance to students with definite objectives.

“Some of them aim to start their own live gameplay show and present their narratives with the world, others aim to release and create new material,” Carl stated. “Several only seek to ask, What does it take to be a DM at an event like a castle event? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Premium Packages

A $1,500 enhanced option provides access to a welcome reception, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This constitutes the debut of the program, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their premium gatherings.

“You could almost run an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for career game masters,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – I believe the formal instruction and the hands-on activities is highly beneficial – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

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

“The purpose is for the faculty member to review whichever aspect is concerned with: I have difficulty with improvisation or I get blocked in this kind of combat situation. Can I run a scenario for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to get feedback and guidance on a particular setting that they’ve been building.”

Coming Developments

Feedback from the inaugural session will help shape upcoming academy workshops. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, lengthening the event to 72 hours, or experimenting with alternative workshop formats.

“I hope that we host such events regularly,” Carl said. “I really want to see numerous academy events in a single year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The reception has been extremely positive. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I think it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in partnership with large gatherings.”