Welcome Back to Around the Mage Table

Episode 67 of Around the Mage Table kicks off the new year with the crew catching up, celebrating the podcast's two‑year anniversary, and diving into everything you need to know about the upcoming pre‑patch, recent beta changes, and Blizzard's Legion Remix event. Whether you missed the episode or just want a condensed read, here's a thorough recap plus practical takeaways for your alts, raid plans, and keystone runs.

Pre‑Patch: Timeline and What It Means

The group confirms the pre‑patch date of January 20th and spends time unpacking common concerns: what happens to achievements (AOTC/Cutting Edge), tier sets, and core spells/talents. The panel notes that past launches sometimes let players keep seasonal achievements and mounts beyond season boundaries, but this time there's uncertainty — so plan accordingly.

Practical Takeaways

• Expect partial spell removals and talent changes to land with the pre‑patch — test your main and alts on the beta if you can.
• Tier set bonuses discussed in beta look like simple % buffs (examples like +6% and +10% were mentioned) — this can shift class power level perception but likely won’t be the whole story.
• If you're chasing Cutting Edge or the last raid mount for the season, check your raid team’s timeline now; a last‑minute push might still get the mount but coordination will be key.

Raiding Realities: To Push or Not to Push

The hosts relay a real guild decision: they opted to stop chasing Cutting Edge for the current tier after roster turnover and limited calendar time over the holidays. This is a common late‑tier reality — leadership must judge burnout vs reward.

Questions to Ask Your Raid Team

• Do we have enough consistent pulls left to reasonably achieve Cutting Edge before pre‑patch or season turnover?
• Are players willing to commit during holiday windows to push on the final boss(s)?
• Would a small group of alts run the boss at a higher level later to grab a mount if needed?

Legion Remix, Class Halls, and Alt Power

The hosts have been playing Legion Remix and share useful insights: Remix can be a fast way to finish certain class hall chains and pick up cosmetic rewards. It also offers accelerated quest lines and currencies (like bronze for transmogs/mounts) that live servers don't provide as readily.

Why Try Remix?

• Fast class hall progression for leftover decorations and appearances.
• Good option to finish seasonal cosmetic goals before housing arrives.
• Useful playground to test specs and rotations without long mission timers.

Keystone Kindergarten and Community Resources

The podcast highlights community contributions (shoutout to a resource named Zephris) that compile dungeon affixes, curses, and mechanics for Mythic+ runs. These cheat sheets are gold for folks running Keystone Kindergarten content or teaching pug groups.

Tips for Mythic+

• Use curated lists of affix interactions and curse mechanics to speed up learning dungeons.
• Run keys with patient group members who can teach — the learning curve is part of the fun.
• Record or save B‑roll/notes from your runs for later review — it makes teaching easier.

Cult of the Wheel: Rolling Specs and the 'No‑Guide' Experiment

One of the episode's liveliest debates centers on the group's seasonal experiment called Cult of the Wheel, where a wheel determines each player's spec. This season the crew are intentionally playing together (no mass pugs) and testing whether players can "vibe" their talent builds instead of copying meta guides.

Vibe vs Meta: The Case for Trial‑and‑Error

• Play what feels fun and iterate. The hosts argue that personal comfort and enjoyment can outweigh strict adherence to a meta build, at least early on.
• For DPS specs it's easier to measure and adjust quickly via meters; healers might need more in‑game testing to confirm viability.
• If you fall behind, use guides as a fallback — the plan isn’t to be stubborn forever but to learn by doing.

Beta Notes and UI Prep

The crew also recommends getting your UI and add‑ons ready for pre‑patch testing: wipe your add‑ons if you need to and rebuild in a beta environment. This prevents surprises and keeps you ready to adapt to talent/spell removals.

Final Thoughts

If you want a friendly mix of raid honesty, alt‑leveling tips, Mythic+ teaching resources, and a spirited debate about whether you can "vibe" your way into a viable talent build, this episode delivers. The hosts balance practical advice (how to approach pre‑patch, Remix, and keystones) with the social side of playing — spinning wheels, guild dynamics, and the joy of learning together.

Want the full conversation? Listen to Episode 67 of Around the Mage Table for the uncut chats, wheeling spins, and more beta anecdotes. It'll give you the tone, timing, and laughs that a summary can't quite capture — tune in and join the table.