Monte Cook and Monte Cook Are Instructing Sessions at Dungeon Master Academy

Beginning in 2018, Tabletop Vacations has been hosting deeply engaging experiences where experienced game masters manage D&D games in old manors in the UK and at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. The comprehensive packages are highly favored among long-time dungeon masters who infrequently find the moment to participate as players themselves, and they often look for guidance from the pros on topics ranging from improv and creating challenges to managing conflicts at the table.

In response, the planners began developing a structured way to answer these inquiries, which led to the founding of the Dungeon Master Academy. The first session is planned for the start of 2026 at Oglethorpe University.

“You can watch thousands of YouTube videos on any topic and gain significant knowledge, but the philosophy was that nothing compares to face-to-face interaction alongside other dungeon masters, where real-time interaction with seasoned educators and your fellow DMs often in a similar position and also want to improve their skills,” noted the program's dean.

Available Classes and Ticket Packages

Dungeon Masters can opt for tiers ranging from just under $1,000 to $2.5K, based on the amount of contact they desire with the experts. The starting package includes a choice of four workshops:

• Skill Building: Teaches the basics of managing a session.
• Story Arc Development: Focuses around crafting long-running games.
• Setting Creation: Emphasizes the crafting of environments.
• Career Building: Designed for DMs who seek to understand more about the roleplaying business.

Every class includes multiple sessions of classwork divided across two days.

“The courses are created so that you depart having tangible results, probably greater confidence, and many practical techniques,” Carl noted. “It's more than presentations and they go beyond recorded content. These workshops that you can attend, absorb insights from, and then go right back home the week after and put into practice in your home campaign.”

Expert Instructors

Most classes are led by duo of instructors. Worldbuilding is guided by the founder of Monte Cook Games and a renowned campaign designer, both teaching the skill of universe design.

Industry advancement includes four different teachers, such as an author on gaming puzzles, an entertainment professional, and Hunter Fell. The expanded teaching staff is intended to offer targeted guidance to participants with particular aims.

“Some of them plan to create their own live gameplay show and present their narratives with the world, several plan to produce and develop fresh ideas,” Carl explained. “Some just want to ask, How do I get to be a DM at a program like a castle event? What are the skills that I need? Is it for everyone?”

Advanced Options

A $1.5K gold tier includes access to a opening gathering, a introductory package, and a 30-minute office hour appointment with an instructor. This marks the inaugural DMU session, though the organizers has previously run comparable workshops during breaks between campaigns at their castle events.

“It would be possible to organize an entire weekend just on consultation sessions for professional dungeon masters,” Carl said. “I don’t know if that’s the most effective utilization of everybody’s time – In my opinion the structured learning and the practical exercises is too valuable – but I suspect it’s going to be one of the most popular parts of the program.”

The $2,500 premium option provides an extended personal consultation and the chance to lead a session for five players plus a teacher, who will then provide notes and coaching.

“The aim is for the faculty member to assess whichever aspect is concerned with: I struggle with spontaneous decisions or I feel stuck in certain battle scenarios. Can I run a situation for you and get feedback on where I excel and need improvement?” Carl said. “Perhaps they want to get feedback and advice on a definite universe that they’ve been developing.”

Future Plans

Input from the inaugural session will help guide upcoming academy workshops. Carl said that possible changes could include increasing consultation time, lengthening the event to a longer period, or experimenting with alternative workshop formats.

“I anticipate that we do this frequently,” Carl stated. “I really want to see numerous academy events in a single year, in various locations, and in multiple countries. The feedback has been really terrific. We’re very happy with what we’re seeing and I think it would be amazing to be able to conduct this in partnership with major events.”