Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Are Teaching Classes at Dungeon Master Academy
Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters manage fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in England and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are highly favored among forever DMs who infrequently find the moment to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and creating challenges to managing conflicts at the table.
In response, the planners began developing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of Dungeon Master University. The inaugural event is set for the start of 2026 at Oglethorpe University.
“You can watch numerous digital guides on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session together with fellow DMs, where direct communication with faculty instructors and your peers often in comparable situations and aim to improve their skills,” stated the program's dean.
Workshop Options and Cost Levels
Game masters can choose from tiers ranging from $995 to $2,500, depending on the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The entry-level option includes one of four courses:
- Core Techniques: Covers the essentials of leading a game.
- Campaign Building: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
- Worldbuilding: Highlights the art of setting design.
- Industry Advancement: Designed for DMs who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.
Each course includes two days of instruction divided across two days.
“The workshops are structured so that you walk away with tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and many practical techniques,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they’re not just static videos. These workshops that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the next week and put into practice in your local game.”
Expert Instructors
Many sessions are taught by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, together instructing the art of worldbuilding.
Professional development includes multiple instructors, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The additional faculty is designed to offer targeted guidance to participants with definite objectives.
“Some of them plan to create their own live gameplay show and display their adventures with the world, several plan to produce and write original content,” Carl said. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”
Advanced Options
A fifteen hundred dollar enhanced option provides access to a introductory event, a welcome gift pack, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with one of the faculty. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.
“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on one-on-one meetings for career game masters,” Carl said. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the coursework and the lab work is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”
The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier offers an 60-minute private session and the possibility to manage an adventure for a small group plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and guidance.
“The aim is for the instructor to assess whichever aspect is interested in: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scene for you and receive input on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to receive input and advice on a specific world that they’ve been developing.”
Coming Developments
Input from the first event will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include adding more office hours, making it longer to 72 hours, or testing alternative workshop formats.
“I anticipate that we conduct these very often,” Carl expressed. “I really want to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a single year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable. We’re very happy with the results so far and I feel it would be wonderful to be able to conduct this in conjunction with major events.”
