Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Will Lead Classes at DMU

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where expert DMs manage fantasy roleplaying games in old manors in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from experts on topics ranging from improv and crafting riddles to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began designing a organized method to address these questions, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The debut workshop is scheduled for the start of 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch numerous digital guides on any topic and gain significant knowledge, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session together with fellow DMs, where there’s live engagement with faculty instructors and your peers who are probably in a similar position and also want to level up their game,” stated the program's dean.

Available Classes and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can choose from tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2.5K, based on the level of access they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Teaches the basics of managing a session.
• Campaign Building: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the art of setting design.
• Professional Development: Designed for DMs who seek to understand more about the gaming industry.

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

“The courses are created so that you walk away with immediate practical outcomes, increased self-assurance, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can join, absorb insights from, and then go right back home the week after and apply in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are instructed by a pair of experts. Setting design is taught by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Industry advancement features several experts, such as an author on gaming puzzles, a podcast co-host, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is intended to deliver focused advice to participants with specific goals.

“Various attendees aim to start their own real-play series and share their stories with the world, others want to publish and write original content,” Carl explained. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like a castle event? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Higher Tiers

A $1.5K enhanced option provides access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This constitutes the first Dungeon Master Academy, though the organizers has previously run Castle Days during breaks between adventures at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for career game masters,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – I believe the formal instruction and the practical exercises is highly beneficial – but I believe it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The $2,500 platinum tier provides an hour of one-on-one time and the chance to lead a session for several participants plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The aim is for the teacher to review whichever aspect is focused on: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. Can I run a scene for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to receive input and guidance on a definite universe that they’ve been building.”

Coming Developments

Input from the inaugural session will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, making it longer to a longer period, or testing different seminar structures.

“I anticipate that we do this very often,” Carl stated. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a given year, in different cities, and in different countries. The reception has been extremely positive. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in conjunction with big conventions.”