Creatures are almost always fun.  Come on, show me the Leviathan or Kraken!  Gerard Matranga is extremely overpowered and needs a natural counter. 
http://www.level99games.com/images/GerardMageWars.png

1. Mage Wars Academy is just "Arena-lite"

I agree with your 3rd and 4th points (undecided on #2), but I completely disagree with #1.  Pretty much everything, including the design of the game and developer interviews from Arcane Wonders employees, points to Academy actually being Arena-lite.  The devs were given feedback from multiple sources (including this forum) that people wanted a shorter, more portable, and possibly more beginner-friendly version of Mage Wars without sacrificing the soul of the game.  Academy was the result.  This is also why the Academy cards are compatible with Arena, but not vice-versa.  The devs are hoping to get a larger playerbase by having people learn Academy first, then transition into Arena.  So Academy is pretty clearly Arena-lite, in a certain sense.  I'm more confused as to why you seem to consider that a bad thing.  The game is well-designed (if a bit light on cards at the moment) and can appeal to players who would never jump straight into Arena. 

I've actually been meaning to write this up for awhile, but never found the time.  Before Academy officially released, I thought it would be fun to do some rough testing and play the format with existing cards and Mages.  Of course, the official rules had not been released at that time, so I was forced to make up rules as I went.  I am disappointed that the developers at Arcane Wonders seem to have no interest in allowing Arena cards to be played in Academy, severely limiting the current card pool.  So I figured I would share my variant with the community for feedback, and in case anyone else was interested in it. 

Goal: To allow as many Arena cards and Mages as possible to be used successfully in Academy, by creating overarching rule additions instead of changing individual cards.  This must preserve a measure of balance, but should not necessarily adhere to the current balance of either Arena or Academy (some cards will naturally be better or worse after the transition; the goal is to avoid completely overpowered and game-breaking cards). 

Part 1: Mage Conversion
a. All non-Academy Mages possess a spellpoint limit of 40 instead of 120.
b. All non-Academy Mages reduce their total life by 10 and their channeling to 7.  If the Mage started with 10 channeling, he/she gains 3 mana at the start of the game. 
c. All non-Academy Mages do not have access to their second or third printed abilities (example: the Wizard has access to Voltaric Shield, but not Arcane Zap).  Abilities include traits (such as Fast or Tough -2). 
d. All non-Academy Mages roll 1 less attack die.

Part 2: Conjurations
a. Each Mage may only possess up to 2 Zone Exclusive conjurations simultaneously.  These are placed in a line behind that player's creatures and Mage.  If a player wishes to play a new conjuration but has no spots remaining, he/she may discard an existing conjuration which he/she controls in order to play the new one. 
b. When choosing the target of an attack, a player may target a conjuration as long as no enemy creature (including the enemy Mage) is guarding.   
d. A single player may not actively possess 2 conjurations with the same name, unless those conjurations target different objects. 
e. If an effect would cause a conjuration to switch from one player's control to another's, the player who now controls the conjuration moves it to his side of the field and counts it towards his/her conjuration limit.  It no longer counts towards the original owner's conjuration limit.   
f. Conjurations which target creatures or other objects do not count towards the 2 conjuration limit, and are played faceup underneath their target. 
g. Conjurations which state they cannot be placed in a zone adjacent to another type of conjuration (outposts) mean that a player cannot possess 2 outposts at the same time. 

Part 3: Walls
a. Only a single conjuration card with the Zone Border spawn target area (walls) may exist at any one time.  This is placed in-between the two player's creatures.  This conjuration does NOT count towards either player's conjuration limit. 
b. A player may replace a wall he/she controls by discarding the old wall while playing a new wall.  Players may not replace walls their opponent controls. 
c. Creatures with an attack range of 0 or 1 may attack walls.  While choosing the target of an attack, players may always choose to ignore guards and attack a wall instead.
d. A wall with the Passage Blocked trait must be attacked before any creature can attack any other enemy creature or conjuration.  Any creature with the Flying trait is immune to this effect (both while attacking and while being targeted by a ranged attack). 
e. A wall with the Passage Attacks trait may be ignored while a player is choosing the target of an attack, but if the player does not target the wall and is melee attacking with a creature, that creature suffers the attack listed on the wall card before making its own attack.  Creatures using a ranged attack are unaffected.  If a creature dies as a result of this attack, it does not complete its planned attack. 
f. A wall with the Blocks Line of Sight trait prevents ranged attacks and spells from targeting anything which is on the other side of the wall (except those which do not require line of sight).  Any creature with the Flying trait is immune to this effect (both while attacking and being attacked). 

Part 4: Traits and Effects
a. Fast - This creature starts active.  If an inactive minor creature would gain Fast from a spell, it instead becomes active. 
b. Slow - This creature starts with a Stun marker.  If a creature would gain Slow from a spell, it gains a Stun marker instead. 
c. Lumbering - This creature's first attack gains -2 dice and -6 to the effect die roll. 
d. Rooted - This creature cannot melee attack any conjuration or creature which possesses a ranged attack unless its Uproot cost is paid for that attack. 
e. Charge - This creature gains melee +X if it did not attack last turn.  This includes its first attack.  The Charge trait never applies to Counterstrikes, and a Counterstrike while Guarding does not count as an attack.  Charge does not activate during an attack if a Teleport effect is in play for that attack. 
f. Extendable - This trait has no effect.
g. Hinder - This trait has no effect. 
h. Restrained - This creature may not use any full-attack action. 
i. Obscured - This creature or object cannot be targeted by ranged attacks (but may still be hit by Zone Attacks). 
j. Push - Any creature targeted by a Push effect suffers an Unavoidable attack of 2 dice and has its Guard token removed (if applicable).  Creatures with the Unmovable trait and conjurations are immune to this attack.  If the spell allows for the player to Push the target through a wall and a suitable wall exists, the player may choose to have the target suffer an attack from the wall instead of the Unavoidable attack of 2 dice. 
k. Unstoppable - This creature cannot be Restrained, and possesses the Unmovable and Uncontainable traits. 
l. Snatch - This attack removes the target's Guard marker (if possible).  If there is a wall with the Passage Attack trait in play, the target of this attack suffers an attack from that wall.  Snatch does not count as a normal Push attack, and the target does not suffer an Unavoidable attack of 2 dice if no wall is in play.  Creatures with the Unmovable trait and conjurations are immune to this effect.
m. Climbing - While declaring a melee attack, this creature ignores any wall with the Passage Blocked trait. 
n. Zone Exclusive - Each player may only possess 2 conjurations with this trait at a single time. 
o. Unmovable - This creature is immune to Snatch and Push effects. 
p. Stun - This creature is Incapacitated.  Before round three, Stun markers cannot be removed.  During and after round 3, all Stun markers on a creature are removed at the end of that creature's Action Phase. 

Part 5: Misc. Rules
a. Teleport - Any spell which teleports a creature allows it to immediately make an attack on any enemy creature or conjuration, regardless of Range or Line of Sight.  This attack ignores all game systems or traits which would normally prevent the attack (including the Restrained condition and Guarding creatures), except for Incapacitated.  However, all traits which would normally impact the attack otherwise are still calculated (including Melee +X), and the defending creature may still use a Defense (and Counterstrike after the attack) if able.  After the attack, the attacking creature becomes inactive.  If a teleport spell is activated in response to an enemy's attack, the defending creature automatically avoids that attack.  This is not counted as a Defense, and cannot be stopped. 
b. Traps - Any enchantment with the Trap sub-type triggers when the next enemy creature is summoned. 
c. Vines - Vine markers target individual, non-Mage creatures.  Two markers Restrains the target, and three markers Incapacitates the target.  These conditions last as long as the markers remain on the target.  As a quick action, a creature may attack another creature's vine markers to destroy up to 2 of them. 
d. Weapons - Any weapon which does NOT mention the level of the Mage (in other words, non-Academy weapons) rolls 1 less attack die. 
e. Zone Control - A player controls the battlefield if he/she currently possesses more creatures in play than his/her opponent.  Pests and Incapacitated creatures do not count towards Zone Control. 

Part 6: Cards Still Incompatible
-[mwcard=FWQ06]Horn of Gothos[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=FWJ01]Akiro's Hammer[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ03]Altar of Domination[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1J05]Galaxxus[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=FWJ04]Garrison Post[/mwcard]
-[mwcard=MW1J21]Suppression Orb[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1J03]V'Torrak Gate[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC12]Talos[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MW1E04]Chains of Agony[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1E03]Sentinel of V'Tar[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=DNE03]Stumble[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MW1E38]Teleport Trap[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1E04]V'Tar Force Sentry[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1I01]Cascading Force Wave[/mwcard] (technically works, but is completely identical to normal Force Push)
-[mwcard=MWBG1I03]V'Tar Suppression[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1I02]V'Tarrian Healing Song[/mwcard]

-[mwcard=MWBG1A05]V'Tarrian Energy Wave[/mwcard]


I would love feedback, criticisms, etc. 

I don't mean to be overly critical, but I really wish Arcane Wonders would make a bigger deal out of Mage Wars new releases.  I know there's a lot of potential complications (dealing with multiple companies, shipping, etc.) but this thread is evidence of just how confusing the Academy release has been for the fan-base.  If pretty much no one on the official forums is sure what's going on, then it's a pretty safe bet that more casual or normal players are completely out of the loop.  At the very least, an announcement of the release date on both the storefront and the forums would have been nice.  It's very hard to build hype and pre-orders for a product when no one knows when it's going to come out.  I'm not upset that the release was delayed (multiple times); all I'm asking for is more clear communication so that the fans know what to expect. 

Splitting up all the cards into smaller equivalent decks (and then having to re-assemble those decks every once in a while so players wouldn't learn which cards were in which deck) sounds like it would take a massive amount of time and effort.  There have to be easier ways to avoid fighting over cards and figuring out opponent's decks ahead of time. 

What about this:
1. Have every player participating in this program roll a d12 (with everyone else present).  This determines initiative order (higher numbers are better).  Re-roll if a tie ever occurs.  Write down the initiative order. 
2. The players secretly write down their top 4 Mage picks and hand these to someone not participating in the event (basically an impartial judge).  The judge rolls a d12 for each list, going by initiative order.  1-3 = 1st Mage choice / 4-6 = 2nd Mage choice / 7-9 = 3rd Mage choice / 10-12 = 4th Mage choice.  If a Mage is unavailable, the judge re-rolls the d12 until an available Mage is chosen.  In the unlikely event that none of the four choices submitted by a player are available, the judge privately tells that player to submit a new list of Mage choices, none of which may be the same as those previously submitted. 
3. Each player, after being secretly informed of which Mage they ended up with, looks through the collection of Mage Wars cards (I recommend using the website, personally) and compiles a list of 150 points of spell cards IN THE ORDER OF HOW BADLY THEY WANT EACH CARD (higher on list = more likely to get it).  The players DO NOT take any cards at this point. 
4. After each player submits his/her list of cards to the judge, the judge begins to distribute cards, one at a time, in initiative order (player 1 receives a card, then player 2, then player 3, etc.).  If a card is unavailable, it is skipped and the next card on the list is added instead.  While doing this, the judge keeps track of how many spell points are in each deck.  Once a deck reaches 120 spell points, it is complete.  If a deck's next chosen card would cause it to go over 120 points, that card is skipped.  If a deck list runs out before reaching 120 spell points, the judge tells the relevant player how many spell points remain to finish his/her deck, and tells him/her to submit a new list of roughly twice the needed amount of spell points required.   
5. Once every deck is finished, the judge hands each player his/her Mage and deck.  The judge then sets up a tournament structure in the agreed-upon format (round robin / double-elimination / etc.). 
6. Players compete.  After the tournament or event is complete, the judge and players disassemble the decks again. 

While this format does potentially allow players to figure out what other cards have been picked, they won't usually be sure which player picked them.  Additionally, the players most likely to figure out which Mages and cards have been picked are those who do not receive the cards and Mage they initially wanted.  In this way, I think balance remains more or less intact.  The only major downsides are that you need a non-participant, and this system doesn't work as well with 2-3 players. 

I came up with this idea while thinking about mages which could specialize in types of spells (equipment, conjurations, etc.) rather than schools.  This mage specializes in equipment.

Artificer (open to better name suggestions)
Spellbook Points: 120
Health: 36
Channeling: 9

Training
War & Arcane
Can use ALL equipment (including mage and school specific equipment) at base spellpoint cost.  This does not apply to equipment with the Cantrip trait. 
Pays triple for all attack spells, as well as enchantment spells outside of the War and Arcane schools. 

Abilities
Instant Materialization:
Immediately after declaring an attack, the Artificer may cast any weapon spell from his spellbook and equip it by paying its mana cost.  That weapon is then used during the attack.  If he already has an item equipped in that slot, he first refunds the mana cost of that spell and returns it to his spellbook.  The Artificer cannot use limited-time equipment attributes (such as defense rolls) more than normal by re-equipping spells, and cannot equip the same spell more than once per turn. 

Predictive Defense:
Immediately after any attack against the Artificer is declared, he may cast any non-weapon equipment spell from his spellbook and equip it by paying its mana cost.  That equipment is then used during the attack.  If he already has an item equipped in that slot, he first refunds the mana cost of that spell and returns it to his spellbook.  The Artificer cannot use limited-time equipment attributes (such as defense rolls) more than normal by re-equipping spells, and cannot equip the same spell more than once per turn.

Pinpoint Accuracy:
He has the Elusive trait. 

Attack
Basic Melee Attack: quick-action, melee, 3 dice

Flavor Quotes
"I have dedicated my life to mastering every weapon in existence.  I have bent ancient artifacts and divine relics alike to my will.  Your pitiful bow does not scare me."   
"The dark knight Q'alth smirked disdainfully as Wecis began to wind up a punch.  The look of shock on his face when a hammer appeared in Wecis' hand mid-swing was priceless." 

Explanation:
I envision him working sort of like the Forcemaster, but specializing in faster ramp up time and more unpredictability (but less unit control).  Unlike other mages, the Weapon Master thrives on having a huge variety of overlapping equipment spells so that he can constantly switch to what's best for the situation at hand.  There's also some neat tricks players can use with his swapping abilities (including mind-games about what weapons/armor you're going to pull out next).  I've also found a gif that pretty neatly illustrates his first ability in action:  http://pa1.narvii.com/5819/9476e3ca1d02633b76bc9b9cb541eb5642cef5fc_hq.gif

What do you think?  Is the idea balanced/thematic/unique/fun?  I'd love feedback.  The first two abilities are extremely similar, but they would be way too powerful as a single ability (and take up way too much space on the card). 

Well, considering that the majority of political conflicts in Etheria seem to be settled in the arena, perhaps there would be more of a civilization building/maintenance focus and less of a focus on wars between nations. Maybe most of the conflict would be something more like the Cold War or modern cyber wars than an actual war.

Come to think of it, does Etheria even have first and third world countries? Because the Cold War was basically a proxy war between Russia and the U.S. where they funded other poorer countries to fight in their stead. Are all nations of Etheria even included in the Mage Wars accords? Because if not, then some countries in Etheria only have actual wars.

The political system doesn't necessarily have to be in-depth or the major focus of the game, but it is kind of important that players be able to negotiate and/or switch sides in a 4+ player Grand Strategy game. 

I was under the impression that Johktari tribes of Kumanjaro were basically third-world countries, but since the world is pre-industrial (for the most part), there isn't as big of a distinction.  I'm also by no means a lore buff, so I could be mistaken.   While a lot of conflict is resolved in the Arena, I highly doubt Etheria has no wars or political turmoil.  People tend to not want to fight fairly: if someone has a bigger army, why would they ever agree to fight on equal terms in an arena when they didn't have to?