Monte Cook and Monte Cook Are Instructing Classes at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters manage D&D games in ancient fortresses in Britain and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among career game masters who seldom have the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from experts on topics ranging from improv and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the coordinators began designing a systematic approach to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of DMU. The debut workshop is scheduled for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction in the company of other dungeon masters, where real-time interaction with expert teachers and your fellow DMs often in the same boat and also want to improve their skills,” explained the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Course Offerings and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can opt for options ranging from $995 to $2,500, based on the amount of contact they desire with the professionals. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Core Techniques: Teaches the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Story Arc Development: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
• Worldbuilding: Concentrates on the art of setting design.
• Career Building: Aimed at dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Every class includes two days of classwork spread over 48 hours.

“The workshops are created so that you depart having immediate practical outcomes, enhanced belief in your abilities, and many practical techniques,” Carl said. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These workshops that you can participate in, learn from, and then go right back home the following week and put into practice in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

Many sessions are led by duo of instructors. Setting design is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, together instructing the skill of universe design.

Industry advancement includes four different teachers, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is intended to deliver focused advice to attendees with definite objectives.

“Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and present their narratives with the world, others aim to release and create new material,” Carl stated. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? What capabilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier provides access to a welcome reception, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with one of the faculty. This represents the debut of the program, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops 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. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – I believe the coursework and the hands-on activities is highly beneficial – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier provides an 60-minute private session and the possibility to manage an adventure for a small group plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The aim is for the instructor to assess any element is concerned with: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. May I present a scenario for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Or maybe they want to receive input and guidance on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Input from the first event will help shape future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that likely modifications could include increasing consultation time, making it longer to a longer period, or experimenting with alternative workshop formats.

“I hope that we host such events very often,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a calendar year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been really terrific. We're quite pleased with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be wonderful to be able to do this in partnership with major events.”