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MTG enthusiasts frequently enjoy tribe-based strategies — who hasn't assembled a goblin deck once or twice? — and this upcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set brings back two well-known examples which fit perfectly to the setting.

Reappearing Tribal Abilities

The first mechanic, known as "Allies," first debuted in the Zendikar which provides boosts whenever more creatures bearing this type enter play.

On the other hand, "Shrines" represents an enchantment subtype that originated in Champions of Kamigawa. While not exactly creature-based tribe, these enchantments also become abilities when you owns more of them on the battlefield.

A Comeback of the Ally Mechanic

While Shrine cards have been shown up occasionally in recent sets, Allies subtype has been seldom seen — until this changes with Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the mechanic is central.

Aang has to recruit a lot of friends during the quest to bring back balance to the four nations, so it's no more fitting way to show this in a Magic expansion.

Exclusive Cards Preview

Following the initial card announcement, below are previews at one Allies plus a Shrine card in the new ATLA release.

Teo: The Beloved Figure

This character stands as one popular minor character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man of the Earth Tribe that resided at the Northern Air Temple following his village was destroyed in a flood, an event that left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his dad's skill in engineering, he can soar in the air with a flying device, even dares the Avatar to an aerial contest.

This card Teo showcases his love of flying along with the Earth Tribe's reliance of flying machines by allowing the player loot each time a player attacks using an airborne unit, while also strengthening your creatures with counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Regarding his home, this appears as the card Northern Air Temple, which reduces your opponent's life total upon coming into the battlefield, depending on how many of Shrines you control.

The card furthermore removes one more point whenever a Shrine enters the battlefield.

It looks like an impactful card, considering its cheap mana cost and good ETB ability.

One big drawback for Shrine strategies in formats besides EDH are that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple is effective in combination alongside another Shrine, that deals damage to every opponent during the start of your main phase.

The Welcome Crossover

At a time when Universes Beyond products have been garnering a lot of criticism by the community, an iconic franchise such as Avatar could be precisely just what MTG needs.

Preview period has begun, with the full set set to be launched on Nov. 21.