Monte Cook and Keith Baker Are Teaching Workshops at DMU
Beginning in 2018, a specialized event organizer has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where experienced game masters lead Dungeons & Dragons games in historic castles in England and at a U.S. castle resort. The full-service getaways are highly favored among career game masters who infrequently find the chance to actually play themselves, and they often seek advice from experts on topics ranging from improvisation and crafting riddles to handling difficult situations at the table.
In response, the coordinators began designing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of the Dungeon Master Academy. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at an Atlanta campus.
“You can watch numerous digital guides on almost every theme and acquire valuable insights, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction alongside fellow DMs, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs often in a similar position and also want to improve their skills,” explained the program's dean.
Workshop Options and Cost Levels
Game masters can choose from packages ranging from $995 to $2.5K, based on the degree of interaction they desire with the professionals. The entry-level option includes one of four courses:
- Skill Building: Focuses on the fundamentals of managing a session.
- Story Arc Development: Is dedicated to building persistent adventures.
- Worldbuilding: Emphasizes the development of worlds.
- Professional Development: Designed for dungeon masters who aim to explore more about the gaming industry.
All workshops includes two days of training divided across a weekend.
“The courses are structured so that you walk away with tangible results, enhanced belief in your abilities, and many practical techniques,” Carl explained. “They’re not just lectures and they exceed pre-recorded material. These workshops that you can attend, gain knowledge from, and then go right back home the following week and put into practice in your local game.”
Seasoned Educators
Most classes are instructed by a pair of experts. Setting design is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and the creator of Eberron, jointly leading the art of worldbuilding.
Career building features several experts, such as Elisa Teague, a podcast co-host, and an early professional game master. The expanded teaching staff is meant to provide specialized information to students with definite objectives.
“Various attendees aim to start their own real-play series and share their stories with the world, several aim to release and develop fresh ideas,” Carl said. “Several only seek to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like D&D in a Castle? Which abilities that I need? Is it for everyone?”
Advanced Options
A $1,500 enhanced option provides access to a welcome reception, 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 game sessions at their immersive experiences.
“You could almost run an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for expert DMs,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the optimal application of all participants' schedule – I believe the formal instruction and the lab work is extremely important – but I suspect it’s going to be among the most sought-after parts of the program.”
The $2.5K platinum tier includes an 60-minute private session and the possibility to manage an adventure for a small group plus one of the faculty members, who will then provide notes and guidance.
“The aim is for the instructor to evaluate whichever aspect is concerned with: I have difficulty with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in specific fight encounters. May I present a scene for you and receive input on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to get feedback and information on a specific world that they’ve been building.”
Next Steps
Input from the debut workshop will help guide future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that possible changes could include expanding one-on-one sessions, making it longer to three days, or trying out alternative workshop formats.
“I hope that we do this very often,” Carl said. “I really want to see multiple Dungeon Master Universities in a given year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The reception has been overwhelmingly favorable. We're extremely satisfied with current developments and I think it would be amazing to be able to organize these in partnership with large gatherings.”