Exclusive: The Way Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender Set Revives 2 Fan-Favorite Tribal Gameplay Features

Magic: The Gathering fans often embrace tribe-based strategies — who has not constructed a goblin deck at some point? — and this forthcoming ATLA Universes Beyond release is reintroducing 2 well-known mechanics that match seamlessly to its theme.

Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Mechanics

One first mechanic, called "Ally," was introduced with the Zendikar set and grants boosts each time additional creatures with this subtype come onto play.

Meanwhile, "Shrines" represents another enchantment type which first appeared in Champions of Kamigawa. Although not exactly creature-based tribal theme, Shrines likewise become strength as you owns more of them in play.

The Comeback for Allies Ability

Although Shrines have been shown up here and there in recent releases, the Ally mechanic was much rarer — but this ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the mechanic is heavily featured.

The protagonist Aang must gather numerous friends during the quest to restore balance across the world, and it's no better way to represent this in a Magic expansion.

Revealed Card Showcase

Following the first set reveal, below is a look at one Ally and a Shrine card from the new Avatar: The Last Airbender release.

Teo, Spirited Glider: A Fan-Favorite Figure

Teo stands as one beloved minor character in ATLA, a boy of the Earth Tribe who lived at the Northern Air Temple after his village was destroyed by a disaster, which left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his dad's skill in engineering, Teo can glide through the skies using his glider, and challenges Aang to a flying race.

This card Teo showcases his passion for the skies and the Earth Tribe's reliance of flying machines through letting the player loot whenever you attack with an airborne creature, while additionally pumping your team via +1/+1 counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Regarding Teo's dwelling, this is represented in the card Northern Air Temple, that drains your opponent's life total upon entering the battlefield, depending on the number Shrine cards you control.

It also drains one more point whenever another Shrine comes onto the field.

It looks like an impactful addition, considering the card's cheap cost plus valuable enter the battlefield ability.

A major weakness of Shrine-based decks outside of EDH is that Shrines are typically Legendary, however Northern Air Temple is great in combination alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that deals damage to all opponents at the beginning of your main phase.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when Universes Beyond sets are receiving a lot of backlash from fans, an iconic franchise such as Avatar can be precisely just what MTG requires.

Preview period is already here, and the full set will be released November 21st.