>Attempting to abuse mantle was one of the first things I'll point out
> why in the hell would a good mage set a Maran on fire?!?!)

I'm not trying to excuse bug abuse, but to me what you're asking comes down to a question of what characters understand about what's going on. Does a Maran recognize the effect of mantle? Or do you expect them to feign ignorance, and have the character not notice the effect of it?

Because if they notice a positive effect then it seems reasonable, in character, that they would ask their goodie mage friend to do it on purpose.

So the answer to "why in the hell would a good mage set a maran on fire" is "because he thinks it will help the Maran, because he's been asked to by that Maran"

The rame reason a goodie might attack another goodie who is slept/blackjacked. Or do you think this shouldn't happen either?

Obviously it's a game balance thing, and that's fine. But from the character's point of view, it seems reasonable to take that action. I feel the same way about bouncing geysers off shielded guardians, incidentally.