Monte Cook and Monte Cook Are Instructing Sessions at DMU

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been running deeply engaging experiences where professional dungeon masters manage Dungeons & Dragons games in old manors in Britain and at a U.S. castle resort. These all-inclusive trips are especially popular among career game masters who seldom have the moment to actually play themselves, and they often look for guidance from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and puzzle design to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the coordinators began designing a systematic approach to tackle these topics, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The inaugural event is planned for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.

“It's possible to view numerous digital guides on almost every theme and learn quite a lot, but the concept was that there’s just no substitute a live, hands-on session 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 aim to level up their game,” stated the program's dean.

Course Offerings and Pricing Tiers

DMs can select packages ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to two thousand five hundred dollars, according to the degree of interaction they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:

• Core Techniques: Covers the basics of running D&D.
• Long-Term Game Planning: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Universe Design: Highlights the art of setting design.
• Industry Advancement: Aimed at DMs who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.

All workshops includes multiple sessions of classwork split over two days.

“The courses are created so that you leave with immediate practical outcomes, increased self-assurance, and many practical techniques,” Carl said. “It's more than presentations and they’re not just static videos. These are sessions that you can attend, learn from, and then head back to your table the next week and implement in your regular session.”

Seasoned Educators

Many sessions are instructed by two professors. Setting design is guided by an industry veteran and the creator of Eberron, jointly leading the craft of setting creation.

Professional development includes four different teachers, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and Hunter Fell. The additional faculty is meant to deliver focused advice to students with definite objectives.

“Some of them aim to start their own live gameplay show and present their narratives with the world, others aim to release and create new material,” Carl explained. “Several only seek to ask, What's the path to be a DM at a program like D&D in a Castle? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K gold tier provides access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a brief one-on-one appointment with an instructor. This represents the debut of the program, though the team has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between adventures at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an complete event just on office hours for career game masters,” Carl mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of everybody’s time – In my opinion the coursework and the lab work is extremely important – but I believe it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2.5K platinum tier provides an 60-minute private session and the possibility to lead a session for five players plus a teacher, who will then provide notes and instruction.

“The goal is for the instructor to review whatever the DM is concerned with: I struggle with improv or I get blocked in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a situation for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to obtain critique and information on a definite universe that they’ve been creating.”

Coming Developments

Responses from the debut workshop will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, extending the program to a longer period, or trying out different seminar structures.

“I hope that we do this regularly,” Carl stated. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a calendar year, in various locations, and in different countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We’re very happy with the results so far and I think it would be amazing to be able to organize these in conjunction with big conventions.”