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MTG enthusiasts frequently enjoy tribe-based strategies — who hasn't assembled an elf deck before? — and the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set is reintroducing 2 popular examples which align seamlessly to the theme.

Returning Tribal Abilities

The initial mechanic, known as "Ally," first debuted with the Zendikar which grants boosts whenever more creatures bearing this subtype enter the field.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" is an enchantment-based type that originated in Kamigawa. Although not creature-based tribe, Shrines also gain strength when you owns more of them on the battlefield.

The Return of Allies Ability

Although Shrines have been appeared occasionally across recent releases, Allies subtype was seldom seen — but that changes in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the feature is prominently used.

The protagonist Aang must recruit many companions on the journey to bring back balance to the world, so there's no better way to reflect that in an Magic: The Gathering expansion.

Revealed Cards Showcase

Following its initial card reveal, below is previews of an Ally and one Shrine cards from the upcoming ATLA release.

Teo, Spirited Glider: A Fan-Favorite Character

This character stands as one popular supporting figure in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy from Earth Kingdom that lived in an Air Temple following his home was ruined in a flood, an event that rendered him paraplegic.

Because of his father's skill in mechanics, Teo is able to soar in the air using his glider, even challenges Aang in a flying contest.

This card Teo showcases Teo's love for the skies along with the Earth Tribe's use of flying machines through allowing you draw and discard each time a player attacks with an airborne creature, and also boosting your team with counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: The Strong Shrine Enchantment

Regarding his dwelling, this appears as the card Northern Air Temple, which drains your opponent's life upon coming into play, based on the number of Shrines you control.

The card furthermore removes one more life anytime another Shrine enters the battlefield.

This appears to be an impactful addition, given the card's cheap mana cost and valuable enter the battlefield ability.

A major weakness for Shrine strategies in formats besides Commander are the fact that these cards are typically Legendary, but Northern Air Temple is great in combination with another Shrine, which deals damage to all opponents during the start of your main phase.

A Welcome Crossover

Currently when crossover products are garnering a lot of backlash by fans, a beloved series such as Avatar: The Last Airbender can be exactly what Magic: The Gathering requires.

Preview period has begun, and all cards will be released on Nov. 21.