Monte Cook along with Monte Cook Are Instructing Sessions at DMU
Since 2018, a specialized event organizer has been running immersive events where expert DMs run fantasy roleplaying games in ancient fortresses in England and at an American castle venue. The comprehensive packages are especially popular among career game masters who seldom have the chance to participate as players themselves, and they often ask for tips from experts on topics ranging from spontaneous storytelling and creating challenges to dealing with tough scenarios at the table.
In response, the organizers began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the establishment of DMU. The inaugural event is set for early January 2026 at Oglethorpe University.
“There are numerous digital guides on almost every theme and gain significant knowledge, but the idea was that there’s just no substitute face-to-face interaction in the company of other dungeon masters, where there’s live engagement with expert teachers and other game masters likely in the same boat and aim to level up their game,” noted the dean of Dungeon Master University.
Available Classes and Ticket Packages
Dungeon Masters can choose from tiers ranging from nearly a thousand dollars to $2,500, based on the amount of contact they desire with the instructors. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:
- Foundational Skills: Covers the fundamentals of leading a game.
- Campaign Building: Focuses around designing extended campaigns.
- Setting Creation: Highlights the development of worlds.
- Industry Advancement: Tailored to game masters who seek to understand more about the gaming industry.
Each course includes multiple sessions of training divided across a weekend.
“The workshops are created so that you depart having immediate practical outcomes, increased self-assurance, and numerous applicable methods,” Carl said. “These aren't simple talks and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can attend, learn from, and then go right back home the next week and implement in your regular session.”
Professional Teachers
Many sessions are led by a pair of experts. Worldbuilding is taught by an industry veteran and Keith Baker, jointly leading the skill of universe design.
Professional development includes several experts, such as a puzzle design specialist, Clint McElroy, and an early professional game master. The additional faculty is meant to offer targeted guidance to participants with particular aims.
“Various attendees want to launch their own real-play series and share their stories with the world, some of them want to publish and create new material,” Carl explained. “Others simply wish to ask, How do I get to be a DM at an event like an immersive experience? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”
Higher Tiers
A fifteen hundred dollar gold tier includes access to a introductory event, a starter kit, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with one of the faculty. This marks the inaugural DMU session, though the company has previously run similar events during breaks between adventures at their immersive experiences.
“You could almost run an complete event just on one-on-one meetings for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “I'm not certain if that’s the optimal application of everybody’s time – I think the coursework and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I think it’s going to be a highly favored parts of the program.”
The $2.5K premium option provides an 60-minute private session and the opportunity to manage an adventure for a small group plus a teacher, who will then provide notes and coaching.
“The purpose is for the instructor to assess any element is focused on: Hey I don’t do well with spontaneous decisions or I encounter obstacles in specific fight encounters. Can I run a situation for you and obtain advice on what my strengths and weaknesses are?” Carl detailed. “Or maybe they want to obtain critique and information on a specific world that they’ve been building.”
Future Plans
Input from the inaugural session will help determine future Dungeon Master University sessions. Carl said that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, making it longer to three days, or trying out alternative workshop formats.
“I hope that we do this frequently,” Carl expressed. “I would love to see several DMU sessions in a given year, in multiple places, and in multiple countries. The response has been extremely positive. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I feel it would be amazing to be able to do this in conjunction with major events.”
