Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at DMU

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running immersive events where professional dungeon masters lead fantasy roleplaying games in ancient fortresses in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. The comprehensive packages are widely appreciated among career game masters who infrequently find the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and puzzle design to managing conflicts at the table.

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

“It's possible to view countless online tutorials on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and other game masters who are probably in the same boat and aim to improve their skills,” stated Jason Carl.

Available Classes and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can select tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars, according to the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The entry-level option includes selection from four classes:

• Skill Building: Covers the basics of running D&D.
• Campaign Building: Centers on building persistent adventures.
• Universe Design: Concentrates on the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Designed for game masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Each course includes eight hours of training divided across two days.

“The workshops are created so that you depart having tangible results, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “These aren't simple talks and they exceed pre-recorded material. These workshops that you can participate in, learn from, and then go right back home the following week and apply in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are led by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is taught by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, jointly leading the craft of setting creation.

Career building features several experts, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is meant to deliver focused advice to students with particular aims.

“Some of them plan to create their own real-play series and present their narratives with the world, others want to publish and create new material,” Carl explained. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like an immersive experience? Which abilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier includes access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a brief one-on-one appointment with an instructor. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“You could almost run an full two days just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – In my opinion the structured learning and the lab work is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar top package includes an hour of one-on-one time and the chance to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The purpose is for the teacher to review whichever aspect is focused on: Hey I don’t do well with improv or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and get feedback on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl said. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and advice on a specific world that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Input from the debut workshop will help shape subsequent DMU events. Carl said that potential adjustments could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to three days, or testing varied class arrangements.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in various nations. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I feel it would be amazing to be able to organize these in collaboration with major events.”