Monte Cook and Monte Cook Will Lead Workshops at Dungeon Master Academy

Since 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been organizing immersive events where expert DMs run Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles in England and at an American castle venue. The comprehensive packages are especially popular among career game masters who rarely get the opportunity to participate as players themselves, and they often seek advice from the pros on topics ranging from improvisation and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.

In response, the organizers began designing a structured way to tackle these topics, which led to the creation of the Dungeon Master Academy. The debut workshop is planned for January 2-3, 2026 at a university in Atlanta.

“There are numerous digital guides on any topic and acquire valuable insights, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute an in-person experience alongside peers in game mastering, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and other game masters likely in a similar position and also want to level up their game,” explained the program's dean.

Workshop Options and Ticket Packages

Dungeon Masters can select tiers ranging from $995 to $2.5K, depending on the degree of interaction they desire with the experts. The starting package includes selection from four classes:

• Skill Building: Focuses on the fundamentals of managing a session.
• Story Arc Development: Is dedicated to building persistent adventures.
• Universe Design: Highlights the crafting of environments.
• Professional Development: Tailored to dungeon masters who want to learn more about the roleplaying business.

Every class includes two days of instruction divided across two days.

“The classes are structured so that you walk away with tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl explained. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These classes that you can participate in, absorb insights from, and then head back to your table the week after and implement in your regular session.”

Expert Instructors

The majority of workshops are taught by a pair of experts. Setting design is taught by the founder of Monte Cook Games and Keith Baker, jointly leading the art of worldbuilding.

Career building presents several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The additional faculty is intended to provide specialized information to students with definite objectives.

“Some of them want to launch their own D&D actual play and share their stories with the world, others want to publish and develop fresh ideas,” Carl explained. “Some just want to ask, What does it take to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? Which abilities that I need? Is this achievable?”

Higher Tiers

A $1.5K enhanced option offers access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a half-hour consultation appointment with a teacher. This marks the inaugural DMU session, though the company has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between game sessions at their premium gatherings.

“One could practically host an entire weekend just on office hours for expert DMs,” Carl observed. “It's unclear if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I think the coursework and the hands-on activities is too valuable – but I believe it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”

The twenty-five hundred dollar platinum tier offers an 60-minute private session and the opportunity to run a game for several participants plus an instructor, who will then provide notes and instruction.

“The aim is for the instructor to review any element is focused on: I struggle with improvisation or I encounter obstacles in this kind of combat situation. May I present a scenario for you and receive input on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and information on a particular setting that they’ve been developing.”

Next Steps

Input from the first event will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl suggested that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, extending the program to 72 hours, or trying out varied class arrangements.

“I hope that we do this very often,” Carl stated. “I truly hope to see several DMU sessions in a single year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The response has been extremely positive. We're quite pleased with current developments and I think it would be fantastic to be able to do this in collaboration with major events.”