Monte Cook and Monte Cook Are Teaching Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting immersive events where experienced game masters run Dungeons & Dragons games in ancient fortresses in England and at a U.S. castle resort. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among forever DMs who seldom have the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often seek advice from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improv and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the coordinators began crafting a systematic approach to address these questions, which led to the creation of DMU. The debut workshop is set for January 2-3, 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and acquire valuable insights, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to a live, hands-on session together with other dungeon masters, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and other game masters who are probably in a similar position and aim to enhance their abilities,” stated the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Course Offerings and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can select tiers ranging from $995 to two thousand five hundred dollars, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the experts. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Foundational Skills: Focuses on the basics of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
• Universe Design: Concentrates on the development of worlds.
• Professional Development: Designed for dungeon masters who want to learn more about the gaming industry.

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

“The workshops are structured so that you walk away with immediate practical outcomes, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These workshops that you can join, absorb insights from, and then return to your group the week after and put into practice in your regular session.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are led by two professors. Worldbuilding is taught by an industry veteran and the creator of Eberron, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Industry advancement includes four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, a podcast co-host, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is intended to provide specialized information to attendees with specific goals.

“Certain participants aim to start their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, several aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Some just want to ask, What's the path to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? Which abilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Higher Tiers

A $1,500 gold tier provides access to a opening gathering, a welcome gift pack, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with one of the faculty. This constitutes the debut of the program, though the organizers has previously run similar events during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for expert DMs,” Carl mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I believe the structured learning and the lab work is highly beneficial – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 top package includes an extended personal consultation and the opportunity to lead a session for five players plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and guidance.

“The aim is for the faculty member to review whichever aspect is interested in: I have difficulty with improv or I encounter obstacles in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a scene for you and get feedback on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and guidance on a definite universe that they’ve been building.”

Future Plans

Feedback from the first event will help shape future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl mentioned that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to three days, or trying out alternative workshop formats.

“I anticipate that we host such events regularly,” Carl said. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a calendar year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The reception 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 big conventions.”