Keith Baker and Keith Baker Will Lead Workshops at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing immersive events where expert DMs manage Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles in Britain and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are especially popular among career game masters who seldom have the moment to actually play themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the coordinators began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of DMU. The first session is planned for the start of 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside fellow DMs, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs who are probably in a similar position and seek to improve their skills,” explained the program's dean.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can choose from tiers ranging from $995 to $2,500, depending on the level of access they desire with the instructors. The base tier includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Teaches the basics of running D&D.
• Campaign Building: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
• Worldbuilding: Concentrates on the development of worlds.
• Career Building: Designed for DMs who want to learn more about the roleplaying business.

Each course includes multiple sessions of classwork split over two days.

“The courses are structured so that you leave with usable skills, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “These aren't simple talks and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can participate in, gain knowledge from, and then head back to your table the week after and implement in your local game.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are taught by two professors. Setting design is taught by an industry veteran and Keith Baker, together instructing the art of worldbuilding.

Industry advancement features several experts, such as an author on gaming puzzles, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The expanded teaching staff is meant to provide specialized information to participants with particular aims.

“Some of them aim to start their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, others plan to produce and create new material,” Carl stated. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K enhanced option includes access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – I think the coursework and the practical exercises is extremely important – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier includes an 60-minute private session and the opportunity to manage an adventure for a small group plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and guidance.

“The aim is for the faculty member to assess any element is interested in: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. Could I demonstrate a situation for you and get feedback on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl explained. “Or maybe they want to get feedback and information on a specific world that they’ve been developing.”

Future Plans

Feedback from the inaugural session will help shape future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, making it longer to a longer period, or experimenting with alternative workshop formats.

“I hope that we conduct these very often,” Carl said. “I really want to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a single year, in different cities, and in different countries. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be amazing to be able to organize these in conjunction with major events.”