Keith Baker and Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at DMU
Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters run D&D games in ancient fortresses in the UK and at a U.S. castle resort. The comprehensive packages are especially popular among career game masters who seldom have the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.
In response, the planners began designing a structured way to tackle these topics, which led to the founding of the Dungeon Master Academy. The first session is scheduled for the start of 2026 at Oglethorpe University.
“You can watch numerous digital guides on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the idea was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where direct communication with expert teachers and your fellow DMs likely in the same boat and seek to level up their game,” explained Jason Carl.
Available Classes and Ticket Packages
DMs can choose from tiers ranging from $995 to $2.5K, depending on the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes one of four courses:
- Skill Building: Covers the basics of managing a session.
- Campaign Building: Is dedicated to designing extended campaigns.
- Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
- Industry Advancement: Aimed at dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.
Every class includes two days of training split over two days.
“The classes are structured so that you walk away with usable skills, 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 join, gain knowledge from, and then go right back home the week after and put into practice in your regular session.”
Expert Instructors
Many sessions are instructed by duo of instructors. Setting design is led by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, jointly leading the art of worldbuilding.
Professional development includes several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is meant to offer targeted guidance to participants with definite objectives.
“Some of them plan to create their own live gameplay show and present their narratives with the world, some of them aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl stated. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”
Premium Packages
A fifteen hundred dollar premium package offers access to a welcome reception, a welcome gift pack, and a half-hour consultation appointment with an instructor. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their premium gatherings.
“It would be possible to organize an complete event just on office hours for career game masters,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of everybody’s time – I believe the formal instruction and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I suspect it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”
The $2.5K platinum tier provides an extended personal consultation and the opportunity to manage an adventure for several participants plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and instruction.
“The goal is for the teacher to review whatever the DM is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scenario for you and obtain advice on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl explained. “Alternatively they want to obtain critique and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”
Future Plans
Input from the inaugural session will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to 72 hours, or trying out alternative workshop formats.
“I expect that we host such events very often,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in different countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're quite pleased with the results so far and I believe it would be wonderful to be able to conduct this in conjunction with big conventions.”
