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MTG enthusiasts frequently enjoy tribe-based tactics — who hasn't built a zombie strategy at some point? — while the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover set brings back 2 beloved examples that match perfectly to its setting.

Reappearing Tribal Mechanics

The initial ability, named "Allies," first introduced with a Zendikar set and grants boosts each time additional permanents with this type come onto the battlefield.

On the other hand, "Shrines" is an enchantment type that first appeared with Champions of Kamigawa. While not exactly creature-based tribe, these enchantments likewise gain power when you owns more Shrines on the battlefield.

The Comeback of the Ally Ability

While Shrines have shown up occasionally in newer releases, the Ally subtype was far less common — but this ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where this mechanic gets prominently used.

Aang must gather numerous friends on the journey to bring back balance across the four nations, so it's no more fitting way to reflect that in an Magic set.

Revealed Cards Showcase

After the first card announcement, below is a look of one Ally plus one Shrines cards in the new ATLA set.

Teo: A Beloved Character

Teo stands as a cherished supporting figure in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man of Earth Kingdom who lived at an Air Temple following his village was ruined by a disaster, an event that left him unable to walk.

Due to his dad's expertise in engineering, Teo can fly through the skies with a flying device, and challenges Aang to an aerial contest.

The card Teo represents Teo's passion for the skies and his tribe's reliance of gliders through letting the player draw and discard whenever you attack using a flying creature, while additionally pumping your creatures with +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: A Strong Shrine

Speaking of his home, it appears as a card named The Northern Air Temple, that drains an opponent's life when coming into the battlefield, based on the number of Shrines you have.

The card also removes an additional point whenever a Shrine enters the battlefield.

This appears to be an impactful card, given the card's low cost plus valuable enter the battlefield effect.

One major weakness for Shrine-based decks in formats besides EDH are that Shrines are typically 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.

The Welcome Collaboration

Currently while Universes Beyond sets have been receiving significant criticism from the community, a beloved franchise such as Avatar: The Last Airbender can be precisely what MTG needs.

Spoiler season has begun, and the full set will be released on Nov. 21.