Keith Baker along with Keith Baker Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running deeply engaging experiences where expert DMs run D&D games in historic castles in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are highly favored among forever DMs who infrequently find the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often seek advice from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the organizers began developing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the founding of DMU. The inaugural event is planned for the start of 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“There are thousands of YouTube videos on virtually any subject and learn quite a lot, but the philosophy was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience in the company of peers in game mastering, where direct communication with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs likely in the same boat and also want to level up their game,” stated the program's dean.

Available Classes and Ticket Packages

Game masters can select tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the experts. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Skill Building: Focuses on the essentials of managing a session.
• Campaign Building: Is dedicated to crafting long-running games.
• Universe Design: Emphasizes the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Designed for DMs who want to learn more about the roleplaying business.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of classwork split over 48 hours.

“The workshops are created so that you depart having tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “They’re not just lectures and they’re not just static videos. These are sessions that you can join, learn from, and then head back to your table the week after and apply in your regular session.”

Seasoned Educators

The majority of workshops are instructed by a pair of experts. Universe creation is taught by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, jointly leading the craft of setting creation.

Industry advancement presents multiple instructors, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is intended to deliver focused advice to students with specific goals.

“Various attendees want to launch their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, several want to publish and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Several only seek to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like a castle event? What capabilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Premium Packages

A fifteen hundred dollar premium package includes access to a opening gathering, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This marks the debut of the program, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an complete event just on office hours for career game masters,” Carl said. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of everybody’s time – I think the structured learning and the lab work is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar top package provides an 60-minute private session and the opportunity to lead a session for several participants plus one of the faculty members, who will then give comments and instruction.

“The purpose is for the faculty member to evaluate whatever the DM is concerned with: I have difficulty with improvisation or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. May I present a scene for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and information on a specific world that they’ve been developing.”

Coming Developments

Responses from the inaugural session will help shape upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that possible changes could include adding more office hours, lengthening the event to 72 hours, or testing varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we host such events frequently,” Carl said. “I truly hope to see several DMU sessions in a given year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in partnership with big conventions.”