Keith Baker along with Keith Baker Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where expert DMs manage D&D games in old manors in England and at an American castle venue. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among forever DMs who infrequently find the chance to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the coordinators began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the creation of Dungeon Master University. The inaugural event is scheduled for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are numerous digital guides on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and your fellow DMs often in comparable situations and also want to level up their game,” stated the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

Game masters can select options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2,500, based on the level of access they desire with the instructors. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Teaches the basics of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Is dedicated to designing extended campaigns.
• Universe Design: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Industry Advancement: Tailored to game masters who aim to explore more about the gaming industry.

Each course includes multiple sessions of classwork divided across two days.

“The courses are designed so that you leave with tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These classes that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then head back to your table the next week and implement in your regular session.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are instructed by a pair of experts. Universe creation is guided by an industry veteran and a renowned campaign designer, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.

Industry advancement presents multiple instructors, such as an author on gaming puzzles, an entertainment professional, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is intended to offer targeted guidance to attendees with definite objectives.

“Some of them want to launch their own real-play series and present their narratives with the world, several 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 an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Advanced Options

A $1,500 premium package offers access to a introductory event, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This represents the debut of the program, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “I'm not certain if that’s the best use of all participants' schedule – I think the structured learning and the hands-on activities is highly beneficial – but I believe it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 top package offers an hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to run a game for five players plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and coaching.

“The goal is for the faculty member to assess any element is interested in: I have difficulty with improvisation or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scenario for you and obtain advice on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and information on a definite universe that they’ve been building.”

Next Steps

Input from the first event will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include increasing consultation time, making it longer to a longer period, or testing different seminar structures.

“I expect that we host such events regularly,” Carl said. “I would love to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a calendar year, in multiple places, and in different countries. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with what we’re seeing and I think it would be wonderful to be able to conduct this in conjunction with major events.”