Monte Cook and Keith Baker Will Lead Workshops at DMU

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters manage Dungeons & Dragons games in ancient fortresses in England and at an American castle venue. The full-service getaways are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who rarely get the moment to join in the game themselves, and they often ask for tips from experts on topics ranging from improv and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the coordinators began crafting a organized method to tackle these topics, which led to the founding of the Dungeon Master Academy. The debut workshop is scheduled for the start of 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“It's possible to view countless online tutorials on almost every theme and acquire valuable insights, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session alongside fellow DMs, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your peers likely in a similar position and also want to enhance their abilities,” noted Jason Carl.

Course Offerings and Cost Levels

DMs can choose from packages ranging from $995 to $2.5K, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:

• Foundational Skills: Covers the essentials of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Centers on designing extended campaigns.
• Setting Creation: Highlights the development of worlds.
• Career Building: Aimed at game masters who seek to understand more about the tabletop profession.

Every class includes multiple sessions of classwork split over two days.

“The classes are structured so that you walk away with usable skills, probably greater confidence, and many practical techniques,” Carl said. “They’re not just lectures and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can attend, absorb insights from, and then return to your group the week after and put into practice in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are led by two professors. Worldbuilding is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, jointly leading the skill of universe design.

Career building presents several experts, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and Hunter Fell. The expanded teaching staff is meant to provide specialized information to participants with particular aims.

“Certain participants plan to create their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, others aim to release and write original content,” Carl stated. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at a program like an immersive experience? What capabilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Advanced Options

A $1,500 premium package provides access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with one of the faculty. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the best use of all participants' schedule – In my opinion the coursework and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The $2.5K premium option includes an extended personal consultation and the possibility to manage an adventure for a small group plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The aim is for the faculty member to review whatever the DM is interested in: I struggle with improv or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. Can I run a scenario for you and obtain advice on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Or maybe they want to receive input and guidance on a definite universe that they’ve been building.”

Next Steps

Responses from the debut workshop will help shape subsequent DMU events. Carl said that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to a longer period, or trying out varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we do this frequently,” Carl said. “I really want to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a calendar year, in different cities, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been really terrific. We’re very happy with the results so far and I feel it would be amazing to be able to do this in collaboration with large gatherings.”