Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Instructing Classes at DMU

Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where experienced game masters manage Dungeons & Dragons games in old manors in England and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the chance to actually play themselves, and they often ask for tips from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began designing a systematic approach to address these questions, which led to the founding of Dungeon Master University. The debut workshop is set for early January 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“You can watch countless online tutorials on virtually any subject and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where direct communication with faculty instructors and other game masters who are probably in comparable situations and seek to level up their game,” noted the program's dean.

Workshop Options and Pricing Tiers

Dungeon Masters can select options ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the professionals. The entry-level option includes one of four courses:

• Skill Building: Covers the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Story Arc Development: Centers on crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Concentrates on the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Designed for dungeon masters who want to learn more about the tabletop profession.

All workshops includes two days of instruction spread over 48 hours.

“The classes are created so that you depart having usable skills, probably greater confidence, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “It's more than presentations and they exceed pre-recorded material. These are sessions that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then return to your group the week after and put into practice in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

Many sessions are led by two professors. Worldbuilding is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, jointly leading the craft of setting creation.

Career building includes four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The additional faculty is designed to deliver focused advice to attendees with specific goals.

“Certain participants aim to start their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, others want to publish and create new material,” Carl explained. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at something like a castle event? Which abilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier offers access to a introductory event, a introductory package, and a brief one-on-one appointment with one of the faculty. This marks the debut of the program, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between campaigns at their premium gatherings.

“You could almost run an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “I'm not certain if that’s the most effective utilization of each attendee's hours – I believe the structured learning and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option provides an extended personal consultation and the possibility to run a game for a small group plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and coaching.

“The goal is for the teacher to assess whatever the DM is concerned with: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. Can I run a scenario for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Perhaps they want to receive input and advice on a particular setting that they’ve been creating.”

Next Steps

Feedback from the debut workshop will help shape upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to a longer period, or testing different seminar structures.

“I expect that we host such events frequently,” Carl stated. “I would love to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in various locations, and in various nations. The reception has been extremely positive. We're quite pleased with current developments and I think it would be wonderful to be able to conduct this in partnership with big conventions.”