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Magic: The Gathering players frequently enjoy tribal strategies — who hasn't assembled a goblin deck once or twice? — while the new ATLA Universes Beyond set revives 2 popular mechanics which align seamlessly to its setting.

Returning Tribal Mechanics

One initial mechanic, named "Allies," was debuted with the Zendikar which gives bonuses whenever additional permanents with the Ally type come onto play.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" represents an enchantment-based subtype which first appeared in Kamigawa. While not a creature tribal theme, Shrines likewise become strength when a player controls more Shrines in play.

The Comeback for the Ally Mechanic

Although Shrines have been shown up here and there in recent releases, the Ally mechanic was much rarer — but this ends in ATLA, in which this mechanic gets prominently used.

Aang must assemble many allies during the journey to bring back balance across the four nations, and it's no more fitting method to represent this through a Magic expansion.

Exclusive Card Showcase

Following its initial set announcement, below is a look at one Allies and a Shrine cards in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo: A Fan-Favorite Figure

This character is one cherished minor character in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man from the Earth Tribe that resided in the Northern Air Temple following his home was destroyed by a disaster, an event that left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his dad's prowess in mechanics, he can soar in the air using his glider, and challenges Aang in a flying contest.

This card Teo showcases Teo's fondness of the skies along with his tribe's reliance on gliders by letting the player draw and discard whenever you attack using a flying creature, and additionally boosting your creatures via +1/+1 counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Speaking of Teo's dwelling, it appears as a card named The Northern Air Temple, which drains an opponent's life total when coming into the battlefield, based on the number Shrine cards you control.

It also removes one more life anytime a Shrine comes onto the field.

This appears to be a powerful addition, considering the card's cheap cost and good enter the battlefield ability.

One major weakness for Shrine strategies outside of Commander are the fact that Shrines are typically Legendary, however this card is effective when paired alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to every opponent during the start of your turn.

A Timely Crossover

Currently when Universes Beyond products have been garnering a lot of hate by fans, an iconic franchise such as Avatar could be exactly what MTG requires.

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