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MTG enthusiasts frequently adopt tribe-based strategies — what player has not constructed a goblin deck at some point? — and this new ATLA crossover release is reintroducing two well-known examples that align seamlessly with its flavor.

Returning Tribal Mechanics

The first mechanic, known as "Allies," first introduced with a Zendikar which grants boosts whenever additional permanents with this subtype come onto the field.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" represents another enchantment subtype which originated with Kamigawa. While not exactly a creature tribal theme, these enchantments likewise become strength when a player owns additional of them on the battlefield.

The Return of Allies Mechanic

Although Shrines have shown up here and there in newer sets, the Ally subtype has been much rarer — but this ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the mechanic gets prominently used.

Aang must gather a lot of allies during the quest to restore balance to the four nations, and it's no more fitting way to represent this in a Magic: The Gathering expansion.

Revealed Card Showcase

After the first card reveal, below is previews of one Allies plus one Shrines card in the upcoming ATLA release.

Teo: The Fan-Favorite Figure

Teo stands as one beloved minor figure in ATLA, a boy from Earth Kingdom that resided at an Air Temple after his village was ruined by a disaster, which left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his dad's prowess in engineering, he is able to glide in the air using a flying device, even challenges Aang in a flying contest.

This card Teo, Spirited Glider reproduces his love for flying along with his tribe's reliance on flying machines by letting you loot whenever a player attacks using an airborne creature, and also strengthening your creatures via +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: A Strong Shrine

Regarding his home, it appears in the card Northern Air Temple, which drains an opponent's life total when entering the battlefield, based on how many of Shrines you have.

The card also removes an additional life anytime a Shrine comes onto the field.

It appears to be a strong addition, considering the card's low mana cost plus good ETB ability.

One big weakness of Shrine-based strategies in formats besides EDH is that these cards are typically Legendary, however this card is effective in combination with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to all opponents during the start of your turn.

The Timely Collaboration

At a time while crossover products have been receiving a lot of criticism from fans, a beloved franchise such as Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely what Magic: The Gathering needs.

Spoiler season is already here, and the full set will be released November 21st.