Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running immersive events where professional dungeon masters lead Dungeons & Dragons games in old manors in the UK and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among forever DMs who rarely get the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the planners began crafting a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of DMU. The debut workshop is scheduled for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction in the company of other dungeon masters, where direct communication with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs who are probably in a similar position and aim to improve their skills,” stated the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Available Classes and Cost Levels

Game masters can opt for options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, depending on the level of access they desire with the experts. The entry-level option includes a choice of four workshops:

• Foundational Skills: Focuses on the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Worldbuilding: Concentrates on the crafting of environments.
• Career Building: Tailored to game masters who want to learn more about the gaming industry.

Every class includes eight hours of training divided across a weekend.

“The workshops are structured so that you leave with tangible results, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These are sessions that you can join, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the following week and implement in your local game.”

Expert Instructors

Many sessions are instructed by duo of instructors. Setting design is led by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, together instructing the craft of setting creation.

Career building features multiple instructors, such as Elisa Teague, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The additional faculty is intended to offer targeted guidance to students with specific goals.

“Various attendees plan to create their own live gameplay show and display their adventures with the world, several aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Premium Packages

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier provides access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This marks the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl mentioned. “I'm not certain if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I believe the formal instruction and the lab work is highly beneficial – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 top package includes an 60-minute private session and the possibility to run a game for a small group plus a teacher, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The aim is for the teacher to assess whichever aspect is interested in: I have difficulty with improvisation or I get blocked in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scene for you and receive input on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Future Plans

Feedback from the first event will help guide subsequent DMU events. Carl mentioned that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to three days, or experimenting with alternative workshop formats.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in different cities, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been really terrific. We’re very happy with the results so far and I think it would be fantastic to be able to organize these in partnership with large gatherings.”