Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Instructing Classes at Dungeon Master University

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters run D&D games in old manors in England and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among career game masters who infrequently find the opportunity to actually play themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from improv and crafting riddles to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began designing a organized method to tackle these topics, which led to the establishment of Dungeon Master University. The debut workshop is scheduled for January 2-3, 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“It's possible to view numerous digital guides on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience in the company of other dungeon masters, where real-time interaction with faculty instructors and other game masters often in the same boat and also want to enhance their abilities,” stated the program's dean.

Course Offerings and Ticket Packages

Game masters can opt for packages ranging from just under $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Skill Building: Teaches the essentials of managing a session.
• Campaign Building: Is dedicated to building persistent adventures.
• Setting Creation: Highlights the crafting of environments.
• Career Building: Aimed at dungeon masters who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.

Each course includes eight hours of instruction split over 48 hours.

“The courses are structured so that you depart having usable skills, increased self-assurance, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These workshops that you can join, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the following week and implement in your local game.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are led by a pair of experts. Setting design is led by Monte Cook and the creator of Eberron, jointly leading the art of worldbuilding.

Industry advancement includes several experts, such as Elisa Teague, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The expanded teaching staff is intended to offer targeted guidance to attendees with definite objectives.

“Certain participants aim to start their own real-play series and present their narratives with the world, several plan to produce and write original content,” Carl said. “Several only seek to ask, What does it take to be a DM at a program like a castle event? What capabilities that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Premium Packages

A $1.5K enhanced option provides access to a welcome reception, a introductory package, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the debut of the program, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between adventures at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on office hours for career game masters,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – I think the coursework and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar premium option offers an 60-minute private session and the possibility to lead a session for a small group plus one of the faculty members, who will then offer feedback and coaching.

“The purpose is for the faculty member to evaluate whatever the DM is interested in: I have difficulty with improvisation or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. Could I demonstrate a scenario for you and receive input on my areas of proficiency and challenge?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to receive input and information on a definite universe that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Feedback from the inaugural session will help shape upcoming academy workshops. Carl mentioned that possible changes could include adding more office hours, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out alternative workshop formats.

“I expect that we conduct these frequently,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in various locations, and in various nations. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to do this in collaboration with big conventions.”