Keith Baker and Monte Cook Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where expert DMs run D&D games in ancient fortresses in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among career game masters who seldom have the opportunity to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and crafting riddles to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began developing a structured way to address these questions, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The first session is scheduled for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience alongside peers in game mastering, where direct communication with seasoned educators and your peers often in comparable situations and seek to improve their skills,” explained the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

DMs can select options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the professionals. The entry-level option includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Covers the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Is dedicated to crafting long-running games.
• Universe Design: Highlights the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Tailored to DMs who want to learn more about the gaming industry.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of instruction divided across a weekend.

“The courses are structured so that you leave with usable skills, increased self-assurance, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can join, learn from, and then return to your group the following week and implement in your local game.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are taught by duo of instructors. Universe creation is led by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, both teaching the skill of universe design.

Professional development presents multiple instructors, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is intended to deliver focused advice to participants with definite objectives.

“Certain participants plan to create their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, several aim to release and write original content,” Carl explained. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like a castle event? What are the skills that I need? Is this achievable?”

Higher Tiers

A $1.5K gold tier provides access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This marks the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“You could almost run an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – I think the structured learning and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I believe it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option offers an extended personal consultation and the chance to run a game for a small group plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and guidance.

“The purpose is for the teacher to review whatever the DM is focused on: I have difficulty with improv or I feel stuck in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a situation for you and obtain advice on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to receive input and guidance on a definite universe that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Feedback from the inaugural session will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that potential adjustments could include increasing consultation time, making it longer to 72 hours, or trying out varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we do this regularly,” Carl said. “I truly hope to see several DMU sessions in a given year, in various locations, and in different countries. The reception has been really terrific. We're extremely satisfied with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be amazing to be able to do this in conjunction with major events.”