Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Are Teaching Workshops at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running deeply engaging experiences where experienced game masters run D&D games in historic castles in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The full-service getaways are especially popular among career game masters who infrequently find 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 coordinators began designing a structured way to address these questions, which led to the establishment of DMU. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“It's possible to view countless online tutorials on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction together with fellow DMs, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers who are probably in a similar position and aim to improve their skills,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Course Offerings and Cost Levels

Game masters can opt for packages ranging from $995 to $2.5K, depending 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.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Is dedicated to designing extended campaigns.
• Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Career Building: Tailored to DMs who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession.

Each course includes multiple sessions of classwork split over two days.

“The workshops are structured so that you depart having usable skills, enhanced belief in your abilities, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl said. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These classes that you can attend, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the week after and apply in your local game.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are taught by a pair of experts. Setting design is taught by an industry veteran and Keith Baker, both teaching the craft of setting creation.

Industry advancement features four different teachers, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and Hunter Fell. The extra instructors is designed to provide specialized information to students with particular aims.

“Certain participants plan to create their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, others plan to produce and write original content,” Carl stated. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Higher Tiers

A $1,500 enhanced option 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 first Dungeon Master Academy, though the team has previously run Castle Days during breaks between adventures at their immersive experiences.

“You could almost run an complete event just on office hours for expert DMs,” 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 too valuable – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 top package offers an hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to manage an adventure for several participants plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The aim is for the faculty member to review any element is focused on: I have difficulty with improvisation or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and obtain advice on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and guidance on a specific world that they’ve been creating.”

Next Steps

Input from the first event will help guide subsequent DMU events. Carl mentioned that potential adjustments could include increasing consultation time, extending the program to a longer period, or experimenting with varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we host such events frequently,” Carl said. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a single year, in different cities, and in various nations. The reception has been really terrific. We’re very happy with current developments and I think it would be wonderful to be able to do this in collaboration with large gatherings.”