Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Are Instructing Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters lead fantasy roleplaying games in ancient fortresses in England and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are especially popular among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from seasoned professionals on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the organizers began developing a structured way to address these questions, which led to the creation of DMU. The first session is set for early January 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces an in-person experience in the company of fellow DMs, where real-time interaction with faculty instructors and your fellow DMs who are probably in the same boat and seek to enhance their abilities,” explained Jason Carl.

Available Classes and Pricing Tiers

DMs can opt for packages ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, according to the amount of contact they desire with the professionals. The starting package includes selection from four classes:

• Core Techniques: Teaches the basics of managing a session.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Is dedicated to crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the art of setting design.
• Career Building: Tailored to DMs who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of instruction spread over a weekend.

“The classes are structured so that you leave with tangible results, increased self-assurance, and many practical techniques,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These are sessions that you can join, learn from, and then return to your group the week after and apply in your home campaign.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are taught by two professors. Worldbuilding is led by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.

Career building presents four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The additional faculty is meant to deliver focused advice to participants with specific goals.

“Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, several plan to produce and create new material,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, What does it take to be a DM at something like an immersive experience? What capabilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Premium Packages

A $1,500 gold tier offers access to a opening gathering, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between game sessions at their castle events.

“One could practically host an full two days just on consultation sessions for career game masters,” Carl mentioned. “It's unclear if that’s the best use of everybody’s time – I think the coursework and the practical exercises is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2.5K premium option offers an hour of one-on-one time and the opportunity to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then offer feedback and guidance.

“The goal is for the teacher to assess whichever aspect is focused on: I have difficulty with improvisation or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. Can I run a scene for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Alternatively they want to obtain critique and information on a particular setting that they’ve been building.”

Future Plans

Input from the debut workshop will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that possible changes could include adding more office hours, making it longer to 72 hours, or experimenting with varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we do this frequently,” Carl expressed. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a given year, in different cities, and in various nations. The response has been extremely positive. We're extremely satisfied with the results so far and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to do this in collaboration with large gatherings.”