Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been organizing immersive events where expert DMs manage Dungeons & Dragons games in ancient fortresses in Britain and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are especially popular among career game masters who infrequently find the opportunity to actually play themselves, and they often ask for tips from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began crafting a systematic approach to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The debut workshop is scheduled for January 2-3, 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“There are numerous digital guides on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction in the company of other dungeon masters, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and your peers likely in comparable situations and aim to enhance their abilities,” stated Jason Carl.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can opt for options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, according to the level of access they desire with the experts. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Covers the essentials of leading a game.
• Story Arc Development: Centers on building persistent adventures.
• Worldbuilding: Concentrates on the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at DMs who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

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

“The workshops are structured so that you leave with immediate practical outcomes, probably greater confidence, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl said. “They’re not just lectures and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can participate in, learn from, and then head back to your table the following week and apply in your local game.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are taught by a pair of experts. Universe creation is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and the creator of Eberron, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.

Professional development presents four different teachers, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The expanded teaching staff is intended to deliver focused advice to students with particular aims.

“Certain participants want to launch their own live gameplay show and display their adventures with the world, others aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl explained. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at something like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Is this achievable?”

Higher Tiers

A $1.5K premium package provides access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This marks the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the team has previously run Castle Days during breaks between campaigns at their immersive experiences.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for career game masters,” Carl said. “I'm not certain if that’s the most effective utilization of everybody’s time – I believe the coursework and the lab work is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option provides an hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to run a game for five players plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and coaching.

“The aim is for the instructor to assess any element is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in this kind of combat situation. Can I run a scenario for you and get feedback on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to receive input and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Future Plans

Feedback from the debut workshop will help shape upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that likely modifications could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to three days, or experimenting with different seminar structures.

“I anticipate that we do this frequently,” Carl said. “I would love to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a single year, in various locations, and in various nations. The feedback has been extremely positive. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I think it would be fantastic to be able to do this in conjunction with major events.”