🔗 Share this article 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 experienced game masters manage D&D games in old manors in England and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to actually play themselves, and they often seek advice from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table. In response, the planners began developing a structured way to address these questions, which led to the establishment of DMU. The debut workshop is scheduled for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta. “It's possible to view thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces a live, hands-on session alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers often in comparable situations and seek to level up their game,” stated Jason Carl. Available Classes and Pricing Tiers Dungeon Masters can opt for packages ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars, depending on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The starting package includes one of four courses: Skill Building: Focuses on the fundamentals of leading a game. Campaign Building: Centers on building persistent adventures. Universe Design: Emphasizes the crafting of environments. Industry Advancement: Tailored to dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession. Each course includes eight hours of training divided across 48 hours. “The courses are designed so that you walk away with usable skills, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can participate in, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the week after and apply in your home campaign.” Professional Teachers Many sessions are taught by a pair of experts. Universe creation is guided by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, jointly leading the craft of setting creation. Industry advancement presents four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The extra instructors is designed to provide specialized information to students with particular aims. “Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, others want to publish and create new material,” Carl stated. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?” Advanced Options A fifteen hundred dollar enhanced option includes access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their immersive experiences. “One could practically host an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the best use of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.” The twenty-five hundred dollar top package includes an 60-minute private session and the possibility to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and guidance. “The purpose is for the instructor to evaluate any element is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in specific fight encounters. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been building.” Next Steps Input from the inaugural session will help guide upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to three days, or trying out alternative workshop formats. “I expect that we host such events very often,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in multiple places, and in various nations. The response has been extremely positive. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I think it would be amazing to be able to organize these in conjunction with big conventions.”
Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where experienced game masters manage D&D games in old manors in England and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to actually play themselves, and they often seek advice from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table. In response, the planners began developing a structured way to address these questions, which led to the establishment of DMU. The debut workshop is scheduled for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta. “It's possible to view thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces a live, hands-on session alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with seasoned educators and your peers often in comparable situations and seek to level up their game,” stated Jason Carl. Available Classes and Pricing Tiers Dungeon Masters can opt for packages ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars, depending on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The starting package includes one of four courses: Skill Building: Focuses on the fundamentals of leading a game. Campaign Building: Centers on building persistent adventures. Universe Design: Emphasizes the crafting of environments. Industry Advancement: Tailored to dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the tabletop profession. Each course includes eight hours of training divided across 48 hours. “The courses are designed so that you walk away with usable skills, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can participate in, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the week after and apply in your home campaign.” Professional Teachers Many sessions are taught by a pair of experts. Universe creation is guided by Monte Cook and a renowned campaign designer, jointly leading the craft of setting creation. Industry advancement presents four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The extra instructors is designed to provide specialized information to students with particular aims. “Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, others want to publish and create new material,” Carl stated. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?” Advanced Options A fifteen hundred dollar enhanced option includes access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their immersive experiences. “One could practically host an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the best use of each attendee's hours – In my opinion the structured learning and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.” The twenty-five hundred dollar top package includes an 60-minute private session and the possibility to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and guidance. “The purpose is for the instructor to evaluate any element is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in specific fight encounters. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been building.” Next Steps Input from the inaugural session will help guide upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to three days, or trying out alternative workshop formats. “I expect that we host such events very often,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in multiple places, and in various nations. The response has been extremely positive. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I think it would be amazing to be able to organize these in conjunction with big conventions.”