Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Instructing Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running immersive events where expert DMs run fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in the UK and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often ask for tips from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the planners began designing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The debut workshop is planned for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and acquire valuable insights, but the philosophy was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction together with peers in game mastering, where real-time interaction with faculty instructors and your peers often in comparable situations and aim to improve their skills,” explained the dean of Dungeon Master University.

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 experts. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:

• Foundational Skills: Covers the essentials of leading a game.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around designing extended campaigns.
• Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Designed for dungeon masters who seek to understand more about the tabletop profession.

Every class includes eight hours of instruction spread over two days.

“The workshops are created so that you depart having tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they’re not just static videos. These workshops that you can join, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the following week and implement in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are taught by two professors. Worldbuilding is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and the creator of Eberron, jointly leading the skill of universe design.

Professional development includes several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, a podcast co-host, and an early professional game master. The extra instructors is meant to provide specialized information to students with definite objectives.

“Various attendees want to launch their own real-play series and present their narratives with the world, others aim to release and write original content,” Carl said. “Some just want to ask, What's the path to be a DM at something like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Premium Packages

A $1.5K gold tier includes access to a welcome reception, a welcome gift pack, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This represents the debut of the program, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“You could almost run an entire weekend just on office hours for career game masters,” Carl mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – In my opinion the formal instruction and the lab work is highly beneficial – but I suspect it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The $2.5K top package offers an 60-minute private session and the chance to manage an adventure for five players plus one of the faculty members, who will then provide notes and instruction.

“The goal is for the teacher to assess any element is concerned with: I have difficulty with improvisation or I get blocked in certain battle scenarios. May I present a situation for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to receive input and guidance on a particular setting that they’ve been creating.”

Future Plans

Input from the inaugural session will help determine upcoming academy workshops. Carl suggested that potential adjustments could include adding more office hours, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out different seminar structures.

“I anticipate that we host such events frequently,” Carl said. “I really want to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be wonderful to be able to do this in partnership with major events.”