Yeah I hear ya. I started a new world and was holding of on a lot of exploring, waiting for the caves update.

But my main, most used world i have been all over. thats the one I tried the reset of the area mod. worked easy, and you uninstall it after word. can select specific areas, so not the whole world. and it "auto" detects your bases. I had no troubles with it. and also backed up the save, before I used the mod on it.

If you are wanting the Mountain mini update and then Mistlands it's better to hold off in exploring mountains. You can mess around in Plains instead after Swamp as Root Chest armor helps with the Pierce damage.

Most likely we'll be getting mountains first and then mistlands unless the devs are holding off for a combined release.

Well, hopefully you made back ups.

Being on the PTR version should not matter with your current world. Just don't go through Mistlands on your normal world when the patch drops and you will be fine.

there is no mistlands update yet. in as far as new content. I do believe they stripped the lands clean recently.

If you have been to the lands they will not repopulate. I had to use a mod to load the mountains for the caves. worked like a charm.

i know there is no mistland update also i dont like use mods. i have finished the game next goal is going to mistland so i dont have to explore mountain cave. to take look at mountain cave i had to go through mistlands it means that i had to explore misland , for me it is disadvantage so far because i am loosing mistland so far