Exclusive: The Way Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender Set Reintroduces Two Popular Tribe-Focused Gameplay Features

MTG enthusiasts frequently adopt tribe-based decks — who has not assembled a zombie strategy once or twice? — and the new Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover release brings back two beloved examples which fit seamlessly with the setting.

Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Mechanics

The first ability, known as "Allies," was introduced with a Zendikar which grants bonuses whenever additional creatures with the Ally subtype enter play.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" is another enchantment-based type that originated with Champions of Kamigawa. While not a creature tribal theme, these enchantments also become abilities when you controls additional of them in play.

The Comeback for the Ally Ability

While Shrines have shown up sporadically in recent releases, Allies subtype was much rarer — but this ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the feature gets heavily featured.

Aang must gather many allies on the quest to bring back balance across the four nations, and it's no more fitting way to show this in an Magic: The Gathering expansion.

Revealed Cards Preview

Following its initial set announcement, here are previews of an Allies plus a Shrines card from the new ATLA set.

Teo: A Fan-Favorite Figure

Teo is one popular minor character from ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom that lived at the Northern Air Temple after his home was destroyed in a disaster, an event that rendered him paraplegic.

Thanks to his father's prowess in engineering, Teo is able to glide in the air using a flying device, even challenges Aang to a flying race.

This card Teo showcases Teo's fondness for flying along with the Earth Tribe's use of gliders through allowing you draw and discard each time a player attacks with an airborne unit, while also boosting your team via +1/+1 counters at the same time.

Northern Air Temple: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Speaking of Teo's home, it appears as a card named The Northern Air Temple, which reduces your opponent's life upon coming into the battlefield, based on how many Shrine cards you have.

The card also drains one more point anytime a Shrine enters the battlefield.

This appears to be a strong card, considering the card's cheap cost plus valuable enter the battlefield effect.

One major drawback for Shrine decks outside of Commander are that these cards are typically Legendary, however this card is effective in combination with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that drains every opponent during the start of your turn.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when crossover sets have been receiving a lot of criticism from the community, an iconic franchise like Avatar: The Last Airbender can be exactly just what Magic: The Gathering needs.

Spoiler season has begun, and all cards set to be launched November 21st.