Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Will Lead Sessions at Dungeon Master University

Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been organizing immersive events where professional dungeon masters lead D&D games in ancient fortresses in Britain and at an American castle venue. These all-inclusive trips are highly favored among forever DMs who rarely get the moment to actually play themselves, and they often ask for tips from experts on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and crafting riddles to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began designing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of DMU. The first session is planned for the start of 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are countless online tutorials on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that nothing truly replaces face-to-face interaction alongside peers in game mastering, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and other game masters who are probably in comparable situations and also want to improve their skills,” explained Jason Carl.

Course Offerings and Cost Levels

Game masters can select options ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, depending on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The base tier includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Covers the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around building persistent adventures.
• Universe Design: Concentrates on the development of worlds.
• Career Building: Designed for dungeon masters who seek to understand more about the gaming industry.

Each course includes eight hours of classwork spread over two days.

“The courses are structured so that you depart having tangible results, probably greater confidence, and many practical techniques,” Carl noted. “These aren't simple talks and they’re not just static videos. These are sessions that you can participate in, gain knowledge from, and then go right back home the week after and put into practice in your regular session.”

Professional Teachers

The majority of workshops are taught by a pair of experts. Worldbuilding is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, both teaching the art of worldbuilding.

Professional development presents four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, an entertainment professional, and a pioneering DM. The expanded teaching staff is intended to deliver focused advice to attendees with specific goals.

“Certain participants want to launch their own live gameplay show and share their stories with the world, some of them aim to release and create new material,” Carl explained. “Others simply wish to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Can anyone do it?”

Higher Tiers

A $1,500 enhanced option includes access to a introductory event, a welcome gift pack, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This represents the debut of the program, though the organizers has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for career game masters,” Carl mentioned. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I think the formal instruction and the lab work is too valuable – but I believe it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 top package includes an extended personal consultation and the opportunity to lead a session for a small group plus a teacher, who will then give comments and guidance.

“The goal is for the teacher to evaluate whatever the DM is concerned with: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in certain battle scenarios. Could I demonstrate a scene for you and receive input on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl said. “Alternatively they want to get feedback and guidance on a particular setting that they’ve been building.”

Next Steps

Responses from the inaugural session will help determine upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that likely modifications could include expanding one-on-one sessions, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out varied class arrangements.

“I expect that we conduct these very often,” Carl said. “I would love to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in different countries. The reception has been really terrific. We're quite pleased with current developments and I feel it would be amazing to be able to organize these in collaboration with large gatherings.”