Keith Baker and Keith Baker Will Lead Workshops at Dungeon Master Academy
Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where experienced game masters manage Dungeons & Dragons games in ancient fortresses in England and at an American castle venue. The full-service getaways are widely appreciated among forever DMs who rarely get the moment to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to managing conflicts at the table.
In response, the coordinators began designing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the founding of DMU. The inaugural event is scheduled for the start of 2026 at an Atlanta campus.
“There are countless online tutorials on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute an in-person experience together with fellow DMs, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and other game masters who are probably in a similar position and aim to improve their skills,” stated Jason Carl.
Course Offerings and Pricing Tiers
DMs can choose from packages ranging from just under $1,000 to $2,500, based on the amount of contact they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:
- Core Techniques: Focuses on the fundamentals of managing a session.
- Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
- Universe Design: Concentrates on the art of setting design.
- Industry Advancement: Aimed at dungeon masters who want to learn more about the gaming industry.
All workshops includes eight hours of training spread over 48 hours.
“The workshops 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 workshops that you can participate in, absorb insights from, and then return to your group the next week and put into practice in your home campaign.”
Expert Instructors
Many sessions are led by duo of instructors. Setting design is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, both teaching the craft of setting creation.
Career building presents several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, an entertainment professional, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is intended to deliver focused advice to participants with definite objectives.
“Some of them aim to start their own live gameplay show and share their stories with the world, others plan to produce and develop fresh ideas,” Carl stated. “Some just want to ask, What does it take to be a DM at a program like D&D in a Castle? What capabilities that I need? Is this achievable?”
Higher Tiers
A $1.5K enhanced option includes access to a welcome reception, a welcome gift pack, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This marks the debut of the program, though the company has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between adventures at their premium gatherings.
“You could almost run an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the lab work is too valuable – but I suspect it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”
The $2.5K premium option offers an extended personal consultation and the possibility to manage an adventure for several participants plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and coaching.
“The purpose is for the instructor to evaluate whichever aspect is focused on: Hey I don’t do well with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a situation for you and get feedback on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl explained. “Alternatively they want to obtain critique and information on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”
Coming Developments
Feedback from the inaugural session will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that potential adjustments could include increasing consultation time, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out different seminar structures.
“I anticipate that we conduct these very often,” Carl said. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been extremely positive. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be amazing to be able to conduct this in partnership with big conventions.”
