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MTG enthusiasts frequently embrace tribal decks — who hasn't assembled a goblin strategy at some point? — and this upcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set revives 2 well-known mechanics which align seamlessly to the flavor.

Returning Tribal Abilities

The first mechanic, called "Ally," was debuted with the Zendikar set which gives buffs each time more creatures bearing this subtype enter the battlefield.

On the other hand, "Shrines" represents an enchantment subtype that originated with Champions of Kamigawa. Although not a creature tribal theme, Shrines likewise become strength as a player owns additional Shrines on the battlefield.

A Return of the Ally Ability

Although Shrines have appeared occasionally across newer releases, Allies subtype has been seldom seen — until this ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which the feature gets prominently used.

The protagonist Aang must recruit a lot of allies during the journey to bring back balance across the world, so there's no better way to show that in an Magic: The Gathering expansion.

Revealed Card Showcase

After its first set announcement, here is a look at one Allies plus one Shrine cards from the upcoming ATLA set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: A Beloved Character

This character is one cherished minor character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man from Earth Kingdom that lived in the Northern Air Temple following his home was destroyed by a flood, an event that rendered him paraplegic.

Due to his dad's expertise with mechanics, he is able to fly in the air using a flying device, and challenges the Avatar in a flying contest.

The card Teo, Spirited Glider reproduces his love for flying along with his tribe's reliance of gliders through letting you loot whenever you attack using a flying creature, while also pumping your creatures with +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: A Strong Shrine Enchantment

Regarding his dwelling, it is represented as the card The Northern Air Temple, which reduces your opponent's life total upon entering the battlefield, based on the number Shrine cards you control.

It furthermore removes an additional point whenever a Shrine comes onto the field.

This looks like an impactful card, considering its cheap mana cost and good ETB effect.

A major weakness of Shrine strategies outside of Commander is the fact that these cards are typically legendary permanents, but Northern Air Temple can be great when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that drains all opponents at the beginning of your main phase.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when Universes Beyond products have been receiving a lot of backlash by fans, a beloved series such as Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely just what Magic: The Gathering needs.

Preview period has begun, and the full set set to be launched on Nov. 21.