Monte Cook along with Keith Baker Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing immersive events where expert DMs manage fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in the UK and at an American castle venue. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among long-time dungeon masters who rarely get the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and creating challenges to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began designing a organized method to address these questions, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The debut workshop is set for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are numerous digital guides on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the philosophy was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction in the company of peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and your fellow DMs likely in comparable situations and seek to improve their skills,” stated Jason Carl.

Course Offerings and Ticket Packages

Dungeon Masters can choose from options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the professionals. The starting package includes selection from four classes:

• Foundational Skills: Focuses on the basics of running D&D.
• Story Arc Development: Centers on crafting long-running games.
• Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Tailored to game masters who want to learn more about the gaming industry.

Every class includes eight hours of training split over two days.

“The courses are designed so that you walk away with immediate practical outcomes, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they’re not just static videos. These classes that you can join, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the following week and implement in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are instructed by two professors. Worldbuilding is taught by an industry veteran and Keith Baker, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Professional development presents multiple instructors, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and Hunter Fell. The additional faculty is meant to deliver focused advice to attendees with specific goals.

“Certain participants aim to start their own live gameplay show and display their adventures with the world, several plan to produce and create new material,” Carl said. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? What capabilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Higher Tiers

A $1,500 enhanced option offers access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This represents the debut of the program, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their immersive experiences.

“You could almost run an complete event just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The $2,500 platinum tier provides an 60-minute private session and the chance 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 teacher to review any element is interested in: Hey I don’t do well with improvisation or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Input from the inaugural session will help shape future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that possible changes could include adding more office hours, lengthening the event to a longer period, or testing different seminar structures.

“I anticipate that we do this frequently,” Carl stated. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I believe it would be fantastic to be able to organize these in collaboration with big conventions.”