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MTG fans frequently embrace tribal tactics — what player hasn't assembled a goblin strategy once or twice? — while this forthcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set brings back 2 well-known mechanics that fit perfectly with the setting.

Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Mechanics

One first mechanic, called "Allies," first introduced in the Zendikar set which gives boosts each time additional creatures with the Ally type enter the battlefield.

Alternatively, "Shrine" represents an enchantment type that first appeared in Kamigawa. While not exactly creature-based tribal theme, these enchantments also gain strength as you controls more Shrines in play.

A Return of the Ally Mechanic

Although Shrine cards have shown up sporadically across recent releases, Allies subtype has been far less common — but that ends in ATLA, in which the feature gets heavily featured.

The protagonist Aang must recruit a lot of companions during his quest to bring back balance to the four nations, so there's no more fitting method to show this through an Magic: The Gathering set.

Revealed Card Showcase

Following the initial set reveal, below is previews of one Ally and one Shrine card from the upcoming ATLA set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: The Beloved Figure

This character is a popular supporting figure in ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom that resided in the Northern Air Temple following his village was destroyed in a disaster, an event that left him unable to walk.

Because of his father's expertise in engineering, Teo can fly in the air with a flying device, even dares Aang to an aerial contest.

The card Teo represents Teo's fondness for the skies and his tribe's reliance of gliders by letting the player draw and discard each time you attack with a flying creature, and also pumping your team with +1/+1 counters in the process.

The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine

Speaking of Teo's dwelling, this is represented as a card named Northern Air Temple, that drains your opponent's life upon entering the battlefield, based on the number of Shrines you control.

The card furthermore drains an additional point whenever a Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

It appears to be a strong addition, considering its cheap mana cost and valuable ETB effect.

One big drawback for Shrine-based decks in formats besides Commander are that these cards are typically Legendary, but this card can be effective when paired alongside another Shrine, which drains all opponents at the beginning of your main phase.

The Welcome Crossover

At a time while Universes Beyond products have been garnering significant backlash from the community, an iconic franchise such as Avatar could be exactly what MTG needs.

Preview period has begun, with all cards set to be launched November 21st.