Monte Cook and Keith Baker Will Lead Sessions at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting immersive events where professional dungeon masters manage Dungeons & Dragons games in old manors in the UK and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are highly favored among long-time dungeon masters who seldom have the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to handling difficult situations at the table.

In response, the coordinators began designing a organized method to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of Dungeon Master University. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on almost every theme and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction in the company of peers in game mastering, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs who are probably in comparable situations and seek to enhance their abilities,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.

Course Offerings and Ticket Packages

Dungeon Masters can choose from options ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, depending on the level of access they desire with the professionals. The base tier includes one of four courses:

• Core Techniques: Teaches the fundamentals of leading a game.
• Campaign Building: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the art of setting design.
• Career Building: Aimed at DMs who want to learn more about the gaming industry.

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

“The workshops are created so that you walk away with usable skills, increased self-assurance, and a lot of usable tools,” Carl noted. “It's more than presentations and they go beyond recorded content. These are sessions that you can participate in, learn from, and then go right back home the next week and implement in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

Most classes are instructed by duo of instructors. Universe creation is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and a renowned campaign designer, together instructing the skill of universe design.

Professional development includes four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, Clint McElroy, and a pioneering DM. The extra instructors is intended to provide specialized information to students with specific goals.

“Some of them aim to start their own D&D actual play and display their adventures with the world, some of them aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Some just want to ask, What does it take to be a DM at a program like a castle event? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A $1,500 enhanced option includes access to a welcome reception, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This represents the inaugural DMU session, though the company has previously run Castle Days during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an full two days just on office hours for professional dungeon masters,” Carl observed. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – In my opinion the coursework and the hands-on activities is extremely important – but I think it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar premium option provides an extended personal consultation and the possibility to manage an adventure for several participants plus one of the faculty members, who will then give comments and coaching.

“The aim is for the faculty member to assess any element is interested in: I have difficulty with improv or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a situation for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl explained. “Perhaps they want to obtain critique and advice on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”

Next Steps

Responses from the debut workshop will help guide subsequent DMU events. Carl mentioned that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, lengthening the event to three days, or trying out different seminar structures.

“I expect that we do this frequently,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see numerous academy events in a given year, in different cities, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been extremely positive. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I think it would be fantastic to be able to conduct this in collaboration with large gatherings.”