Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting immersive experiences where professional dungeon masters run Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles across England and at the Landoll’s Mohican Castle resort in the U.S. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular with “forever DMs” who rarely get a chance to play and often want guidance on everything from improv and puzzle design to managing tricky situations at the table. To address this demand, the organizers developed Dungeon Master University, which will hold its inaugural session on January 2–3, 2026, at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Figure 1. Keith Baker and Monte Cook Teach at Dungeon Master University.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos and learn a lot, but there’s no substitute for in-person engagement with other dungeon masters—live interaction with instructors and peers who are likely in the same position and eager to level up their game,” said Jason Carl, World of Darkness Brand Marketing Manager and dean of Dungeon Master University, in a Zoom interview with Polygon. Figure 1 shows Keith Baker and Monte Cook Teach at Dungeon Master University.

Participants can pay between $995 and $2,500 for the all-inclusive experience, depending on their desired level of access to the pros. The entry package includes one of four courses: Skill Building, which covers the fundamentals of running D&D; Campaign Building, focused on long-term game creation; Worldbuilding, which emphasizes crafting immersive settings; and Career Building, designed for DMs seeking insight into the gaming industry. Each course provides eight hours of instruction spread over two days.

“The courses are designed to give you immediate, practical results—boosting confidence and equipping you with tools you can actually use,” Carl explained. “These aren’t just lectures or pre-recorded videos. You attend the sessions, learn directly from the instructors, and then can immediately apply what you’ve learned in your own campaigns.”

Most classes are co-taught by two professors. For example, worldbuilding is led by Monte Cook, founder of Monte Cook Games, and Keith Baker, creator of D&D’s Eberron setting. The career building course features four instructors, including Elisa Teague, who authored the puzzle chapter in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything; The Adventure Zone co-host Clint McElroy; and Hunter Fell, one of the first professional game masters on StartPlaying. Additional faculty members help ensure that students with specific goals receive targeted guidance.

A $1,500 gold-tier ticket includes access to a welcome reception on January 1, a gift pack, and a 30-minute one-on-one office hour with a faculty member. While this marks the first official Dungeon Master University, Tabletop Vacations has previously hosted Castle Days, a two-day period between D&D in a Castle campaign where professional DMs ran seminars and offered personalized guidance.

“You could easily spend an entire weekend just in office hours with professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “I’m not sure that’s the best use of everyone’s time—the coursework and lab sessions are incredibly valuable—but I think office hours will be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 platinum tier includes a full hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to run a game for five players alongside a faculty member, who provides feedback and coaching afterward.

Source: Polygon

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Keith Baker and Monte Cook Lead Courses at Dungeon Master University, AnaTechMaz, pp.341