Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Will Lead Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been organizing immersive events where expert DMs run D&D games in historic castles in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are widely appreciated among career game masters who seldom have the opportunity to join in the game themselves, and they often ask for tips from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The inaugural event is planned for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where real-time interaction with expert teachers and your peers likely in a similar position and also want to enhance their abilities,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Workshop Options and Ticket Packages

DMs can select options ranging from just under $1,000 to $2,500, based on the level of access they desire with the experts. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Teaches the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Story Arc Development: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Highlights the development of worlds.
• Industry Advancement: Tailored to game masters who want to learn more about the tabletop profession.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of classwork split over a weekend.

“The courses are created so that you walk away with usable skills, increased self-assurance, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl noted. “It's more than presentations and they go beyond recorded content. These classes that you can attend, learn from, and then head back to your table the week after and implement in your home campaign.”

Seasoned Educators

Most classes are taught by two professors. Worldbuilding is taught by Monte Cook and Keith Baker, jointly leading the art of worldbuilding.

Career building presents four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, an entertainment professional, and an early professional game master. The additional faculty is meant to provide specialized information to students with specific goals.

“Various attendees plan to create their own real-play series and display their adventures with the world, several plan to produce and create new material,” Carl explained. “Others simply wish to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Premium Packages

A $1.5K enhanced option provides access to a introductory event, a welcome gift pack, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This marks the debut of the program, though the company has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“One could practically host an complete event just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl mentioned. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of everybody’s time – In my opinion the formal instruction 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 $2.5K platinum tier provides an extended personal consultation and the opportunity to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and instruction.

“The goal is for the instructor to review whatever the DM is focused on: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I get blocked in specific fight encounters. May I present a scenario for you and obtain advice on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to obtain critique and information on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”

Future Plans

Feedback from the inaugural session will help guide upcoming academy workshops. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to three days, or trying out varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we host such events frequently,” Carl stated. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in different cities, and in different countries. 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 collaboration with major events.”