[ARAM] Mages feel gimped right now

I have literally thousands of ARAM games under my belt with some dating back before the mode was an official thing. With 85% of the champions unlocked, I usually felt like each had a significant role they could play, especially after the mark/dash was introduced. Sure it tilted the game more in the favor of tanks, fighters, and juggernauts, but they needed the spell to stay relevant.

Now mage items were nerfed almost across the board, which combined with the new gold bounty system seems to make mages scale much less quickly than any other type of champion. I consistently end games with one to one and a half items behind marksmen, tanks, and fighters, even if my team is about even with the enemy. Mages don't usually get the critical item passives and actives they need until the entire item recipe is complete, unlike AD and Defensive items which usually have a mini form of the final result earlier in the build.

I know aram is of little importance to many, but it has been the only mode I've played for the past year and a half, mainly because Its the most laid-back and fun to mess around in with my friends. However, ever since the preseason patch, mages no longer feel "fun". They feel like they don't fill their role properly.

Anyone else want to comment on their ARAM experiences since the preseason patch?