🔗 Share this article Reveal: The Way Magic: The Gathering's Avatar: The Last Airbender Expansion Revives Two Fan-Favorite Tribal Gameplay Features MTG fans frequently enjoy tribe-based tactics — what player has not assembled a zombie strategy at some point? — while the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set is reintroducing 2 well-known mechanics that align perfectly with its theme. Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Abilities The first mechanic, named "Allies," was introduced with the Zendikar and provides boosts each time additional permanents bearing this type enter the battlefield. Alternatively, "Shrine" is another enchantment-based subtype which originated with Kamigawa. While not exactly creature-based tribe, Shrines also become power when a player has additional of them on the battlefield. The Return of Allies Mechanic While Shrine cards have been appeared here and there across recent releases, Allies subtype was far less common — but this ends with ATLA, where this feature is heavily featured. Aang has to assemble a lot of friends during the journey to bring back balance to the four nations, so it's no better way to represent this in a Magic set. Exclusive Cards Preview Following its first set reveal, below is previews of an Allies plus a Shrine card from the upcoming ATLA release. Teo, Spirited Glider: The Fan-Favorite Figure Teo is a cherished supporting character in ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom that lived in an Air Temple following his village was destroyed in a disaster, an event that rendered him unable to walk. Because of his dad's expertise in mechanics, he can fly in the air with a flying device, and dares the Avatar in an aerial contest. This card Teo, Spirited Glider showcases his fondness for the skies along with the Earth Tribe's reliance of flying machines through allowing the player loot whenever a player attacks with an airborne creature, while also boosting your team via counters at the same time. The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment Speaking of his dwelling, it appears in a card named Northern Air Temple, which reduces an opponent's life when coming into the battlefield, based on how many Shrine cards you have. The card also drains an additional life whenever a Shrine enters the battlefield. It looks like a powerful card, considering the card's cheap mana cost plus valuable enter the battlefield effect. A big weakness of Shrine strategies outside of Commander is the fact that Shrines are always Legendary, however Northern Air Temple can be great in combination alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which drains every opponent at the beginning of your turn. A Timely Crossover At a time while Universes Beyond products have been garnering a lot of backlash by the community, an iconic franchise such as Avatar can be precisely just what Magic: The Gathering needs. Preview period is already here, and all cards will be launched November 21st.