Monte Cook and Monte Cook Are Instructing Workshops at DMU

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing deeply engaging experiences where experienced game masters lead fantasy roleplaying games in ancient fortresses in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. These all-inclusive trips are widely appreciated among long-time dungeon masters who rarely get the moment to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from the pros on topics ranging from improv and puzzle design to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the planners began crafting a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of DMU. The first session is set for January 2-3, 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“It's possible to view countless online tutorials on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the philosophy was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction together with other dungeon masters, where direct communication with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs often in a similar position and seek to improve their skills,” noted the program's dean.

Course Offerings and Cost Levels

Dungeon Masters can opt for packages ranging from $995 to $2,500, depending on the level of access they desire with the instructors. The base tier includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Focuses on the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Story Arc Development: Is dedicated to building persistent adventures.
• Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the art of setting design.
• Career Building: Designed for game masters who aim to explore more about the roleplaying business.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of training split over 48 hours.

“The workshops are designed so that you leave with usable skills, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These workshops that you can participate in, learn from, and then head back to your table the following week and apply in your local game.”

Seasoned Educators

Most classes are taught by two professors. Universe creation is guided by Monte Cook and the creator of Eberron, jointly leading the skill of universe design.

Professional development presents several experts, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is designed to offer targeted guidance to participants with definite objectives.

“Some of them plan to create their own real-play series and present their narratives with the world, some of them plan to produce and create new material,” Carl said. “Others simply wish to ask, What does it take to be a DM at a program like an immersive experience? Which abilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Premium Packages

A $1.5K gold tier includes access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with a teacher. This constitutes the inaugural DMU session, though the team has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their immersive experiences.

“You could almost run an full two days just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “I'm not certain if that’s the most effective utilization of all participants' schedule – I believe the structured learning and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar premium option provides an extended personal consultation and the possibility to manage an adventure for a small group plus a teacher, who will then give comments and guidance.

“The goal is for the teacher to evaluate whichever aspect is concerned with: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. May I present a situation for you and receive input on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to obtain critique and information on a definite universe that they’ve been building.”

Future Plans

Responses from the debut workshop will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out alternative workshop formats.

“I anticipate that we conduct these frequently,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a calendar year, in multiple places, and in various nations. The response has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be fantastic to be able to do this in collaboration with big conventions.”