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MTG players frequently adopt tribal decks — what player hasn't constructed a goblin deck before? — and the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover set is reintroducing 2 popular examples which fit perfectly to the flavor.

Reappearing Tribal Mechanics

One first mechanic, named "Allies," first introduced in a Zendikar set which grants boosts each time more creatures with this type enter play.

On the other hand, "Shrine" represents another enchantment subtype that first appeared with Champions of Kamigawa. Although not exactly creature-based tribe, Shrines likewise become power when a player has additional Shrines on the battlefield.

A Comeback of the Ally Ability

While Shrine cards have been shown up occasionally across newer sets, Allies mechanic has been far less common — until that ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, where this mechanic gets central.

The protagonist Aang must recruit a lot of friends on his journey to bring back peace across the four nations, and there's no better method to show that through a Magic set.

Exclusive Cards Showcase

After the first set announcement, here is a look at an Ally and a Shrine cards from the new ATLA set.

Teo: The Beloved Figure

This character stands as a cherished supporting character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy from Earth Kingdom that lived in an Air Temple following his home was destroyed by a disaster, an event that left him paraplegic.

Thanks to his dad's expertise in engineering, Teo is able to soar in the air using his glider, and dares the Avatar to a flying contest.

The card Teo reproduces his passion of the skies along with his tribe's use on gliders by letting you draw and discard each time you attack using an airborne unit, while also pumping your team with +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: The Strong Shrine

Speaking of Teo's home, this appears in the card Northern Air Temple, which reduces an opponent's life total when coming into play, based on how many of Shrines you have.

It also removes an additional point anytime a Shrine enters the battlefield.

It appears to be an impactful addition, considering the card's low cost and good enter the battlefield ability.

One major drawback of Shrine-based decks outside of EDH is that Shrines are always legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple is great when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that deals damage to every opponent at the beginning of your main phase.

A Welcome Crossover

Currently while Universes Beyond sets are receiving significant backlash from the community, an iconic franchise like Avatar: The Last Airbender can be precisely just what MTG requires.

Preview period is already here, with all cards set to be released November 21st.