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Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts consistently adopt tribe-based tactics — who has not constructed a zombie deck before? — while the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover release brings back 2 well-known examples which match perfectly with the setting.

Returning Tribal Abilities

One initial mechanic, called "Ally," was introduced with the Zendikar set and gives boosts whenever more permanents with the Ally type come onto the field.

Alternatively, "Shrines" represents another enchantment type that originated in Champions of Kamigawa. Although not exactly a creature tribal theme, Shrines also become strength when you owns more Shrines in play.

A Comeback for the Ally Mechanic

Although Shrines have been appeared here and there in newer releases, the Ally mechanic has been seldom seen — but this changes with ATLA, where the mechanic gets heavily featured.

Aang must assemble numerous companions during the quest to restore balance to the world, so there's no more fitting method to reflect this through an Magic: The Gathering set.

Exclusive Card Preview

After the initial set announcement, below are a look of an Ally and a Shrine cards in the upcoming ATLA release.

Teo: A Beloved Character

Teo is a popular minor character from ATLA, a young man from Earth Kingdom who resided at an Air Temple following his home was ruined in a flood, an event that rendered him unable to walk.

Because of his father's skill in engineering, he is able to soar in the air using a flying device, even dares Aang to a flying race.

This card Teo showcases his love for flying along with the Earth Tribe's reliance on gliders through allowing you loot whenever a player attacks using an airborne creature, and also boosting your creatures with +1/+1 counters at the same time.

Northern Air Temple: The Strong Shrine

Regarding Teo's home, it appears in the card The Northern Air Temple, which drains your opponent's life when coming into the battlefield, depending on how many of Shrines you control.

The card furthermore removes an additional point whenever another Shrine enters the field.

It appears to be an impactful addition, considering its cheap cost and valuable enter the battlefield ability.

A big drawback for Shrine decks outside of Commander is that these cards are typically Legendary, however Northern Air Temple is effective in combination with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that deals damage to every opponent during the start of your turn.

The Timely Crossover

Currently while crossover products have been garnering a lot of hate by fans, a beloved series such as Avatar could be exactly just what MTG requires.

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