Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master Academy
Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been organizing deeply engaging experiences where expert DMs lead D&D games in historic castles in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among forever DMs who seldom have the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.
In response, the organizers began crafting a organized method to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of DMU. The first session is scheduled for January 2-3, 2026 at an Atlanta campus.
“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the concept was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction in the company of peers in game mastering, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your peers likely in the same boat and seek to improve their skills,” explained the program's dean.
Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers
Game masters can opt for tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2.5K, according to the level of access they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes selection from four classes:
- Foundational Skills: Covers the fundamentals of leading a game.
- Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around designing extended campaigns.
- Setting Creation: Highlights the crafting of environments.
- Career Building: Aimed at DMs who aim to explore more about the roleplaying business.
All workshops includes eight hours of classwork spread over 48 hours.
“The workshops are designed so that you walk away with immediate practical outcomes, probably greater confidence, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl explained. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These workshops that you can attend, absorb insights from, and then return to your group the week after and put into practice in your regular session.”
Expert Instructors
Most classes are taught by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is taught by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.
Career building includes several experts, such as an author on gaming puzzles, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is meant to offer targeted guidance to attendees with particular aims.
“Certain participants want to launch their own D&D actual play and present their narratives with the world, several aim to release and create new material,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”
Higher Tiers
A $1,500 premium package includes access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a half-hour consultation 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 castle events.
“It would be possible to organize an full two days just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of everybody’s time – In my opinion the coursework and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”
The $2,500 platinum tier provides an extended personal consultation and the chance to run a game for a small group plus one of the faculty members, who will then give comments and instruction.
“The purpose is for the faculty member to review whichever aspect is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in specific fight encounters. Can I run a scene for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to receive input and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been creating.”
Coming Developments
Responses from the debut workshop will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that potential adjustments could include expanding one-on-one sessions, lengthening the event to a longer period, or testing alternative workshop formats.
“I expect that we conduct these very often,” Carl stated. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a given year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been extremely positive. We’re very happy with current developments and I feel it would be amazing to be able to organize these in collaboration with big conventions.”
