I don't remember any thread about this so I will ask this here as it's related and can help with ruling this.
If creature uses sweeping attack and first target stuns the attacker with counterstrike can the attacker make another attack? If not then it's clear that incapacitated can break an action.

Based on how new mages are placed I think that 3 new mages are for Academy (druid, necromancer and Academy exclusive new mage) and 4 for Arena (alternate Wizard and Forcemaster, two brand new mages, frost based and dark elf).
It's seems that Arena focuses on politics of main continent but Sistarra Academy has students from all over the world (at least Kumanjaro).

Drain soul causes 12 life change for 16 mana, restore 10 for 5 and can be cast anywhere your mage is or by Cassiel if she's in range 2.

Am I the only one whom Gear Up reminds of this: https://youtu.be/KbSp-bFxVwc?

Thanks.
I would say that by RAW trample isn't affected by counterstrike trait. By definition counterstrike trait works against melee attacks only and it doesn't matter if it comes from guarding or is innate.
Sure, there's "The attack has a counterstrike step and a damage barrier step, in which the attacker may receive an attack from the defender or the damage barrier. " but this doesn't grant the defender an ability to counterstrike.  It allows other abilities that trigger in the counterstrike step to work.
IMO it should be "However, it does behave like a melee attack in respect to guarding, counterstrikes and damage barriers." or something similar.

I would keep necromancer only familiar to just necro spells. For poison familiar I would expand on the idea of Malacoda's servant (dark 2 orc cleric promo) and make dark mage only level 3 orc cleric that gets mana when he receives poison damage.

For it's lack of quick attack that makes psylok unplayable.
@Sailor
Yes, mind shield blocks psychic attacks. I don't mind them being squishy because every attack that is directed at psylok isn't targeted at the mage.