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MTG enthusiasts often enjoy tribal decks — what player has not constructed a zombie deck once or twice? — and this forthcoming ATLA crossover release revives 2 well-known examples which align seamlessly to the theme.

Returning Tribal Abilities

The first ability, named "Ally," first introduced with the Zendikar which provides buffs whenever additional permanents bearing the Ally subtype enter the battlefield.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" is another enchantment subtype which originated in Champions of Kamigawa. While not exactly creature-based tribal theme, these enchantments also gain strength as a player controls more Shrines on the battlefield.

The Return of Allies Mechanic

While Shrines have appeared sporadically in newer releases, the Ally subtype has been seldom seen — but this ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which the feature gets heavily featured.

Aang must gather numerous friends during his quest to restore peace to the world, and there's no better method to show this through an Magic expansion.

Revealed Card Preview

After the first set reveal, here are a look of one Ally plus a Shrines card in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo: A Beloved Figure

Teo is a beloved minor character from ATLA, a young man from Earth Kingdom that lived at the Northern Air Temple following his home was ruined by a disaster, which rendered him unable to walk.

Due to his father's expertise in engineering, Teo can glide through the skies using his glider, and challenges Aang in an aerial contest.

The card Teo represents his passion for the skies and the Earth Tribe's use on gliders by letting you loot each time you attack using an airborne unit, while additionally boosting your creatures via counters at the same time.

Northern Air Temple: The Strong Shrine Enchantment

Regarding Teo's dwelling, this appears as the card Northern Air Temple, that drains an opponent's life when entering the battlefield, depending on the number Shrine cards you control.

The card furthermore removes an additional life anytime a Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

This appears to be a strong card, considering the card's cheap mana cost and valuable ETB ability.

A big weakness for Shrine-based decks outside of EDH are that Shrines are typically Legendary, however Northern Air Temple is great in combination alongside another Shrine, that drains all opponents during the start of your turn.

The Welcome Crossover

Currently while Universes Beyond products have been receiving a lot of hate from the community, an iconic series like Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely what Magic: The Gathering requires.

Preview period is already here, with the full set set to be launched November 21st.