Keith Baker along with Keith Baker Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master Academy
Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where expert DMs run Dungeons & Dragons games in ancient fortresses in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are highly favored among forever DMs who rarely get the chance to participate as players themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from improv and crafting riddles to handling difficult situations at the table.
In response, the planners began developing a organized method to tackle these topics, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The inaugural event is scheduled for early January 2026 at Oglethorpe University.
“It's possible to view numerous digital guides on almost every theme and acquire valuable insights, but the philosophy was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside fellow DMs, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers who are probably in comparable situations and seek to level up their game,” explained the program's dean.
Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers
Dungeon Masters can choose from options ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars, based on the amount of contact they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:
- Core Techniques: Teaches the basics of leading a game.
- Campaign Building: Centers on crafting long-running games.
- Universe Design: Highlights the art of setting design.
- Professional Development: Tailored to DMs who aim to explore more about the gaming industry.
All workshops includes eight hours of classwork divided across two days.
“The workshops are structured so that you leave with usable skills, increased self-assurance, and many practical techniques,” Carl noted. “It's more than presentations and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can join, learn from, and then head back to your table the following week and put into practice in your regular session.”
Expert Instructors
Many sessions are instructed by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, together instructing the skill of universe design.
Industry advancement features several experts, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The extra instructors is meant to provide specialized information to students with definite objectives.
“Various attendees plan to create their own real-play series and share their stories with the world, several plan to produce and develop fresh ideas,” 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?”
Higher Tiers
A $1,500 enhanced option provides access to a welcome reception, a welcome gift pack, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.
“You could almost run an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “I'm not certain if that’s the most effective utilization of everybody’s time – I believe the coursework and the practical exercises is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”
The $2.5K premium option provides an hour of one-on-one time and the possibility to run a game for several participants plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and coaching.
“The goal is for the teacher to evaluate whichever aspect is interested in: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. Could I demonstrate a situation for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl said. “Perhaps they want to receive input and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”
Future Plans
Responses from the inaugural session will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, making it longer to a longer period, or testing varied class arrangements.
“I hope that we conduct these very often,” Carl expressed. “I really want to see several DMU sessions in a calendar year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The response has been really terrific. We're quite pleased with current developments and I think it would be amazing to be able to conduct this in conjunction with major events.”