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MTG enthusiasts consistently enjoy tribe-based strategies — who has not built a goblin strategy once or twice? — while this upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover release brings back 2 well-known mechanics that align seamlessly with its setting.

Reappearing Tribal Mechanics

The first mechanic, known as "Ally," was introduced with the Zendikar and provides bonuses whenever additional permanents bearing this type come onto the field.

On the other hand, "Shrine" represents an enchantment-based type that first appeared with Champions of Kamigawa. While not exactly a creature tribe, Shrines likewise gain power when a player has additional Shrines on the battlefield.

A Return of Allies Mechanic

Although Shrine cards have shown up sporadically in newer sets, the Ally subtype was far less common — but that ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which this feature gets prominently used.

The protagonist Aang must assemble a lot of allies during his quest to restore balance across the world, so it's no better way to represent that through a Magic set.

Revealed Cards Preview

After the first set announcement, here are a look of one Allies plus one Shrine cards from the upcoming ATLA release.

Teo: The Fan-Favorite Character

Teo is a cherished supporting character from ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom who lived in the Northern Air Temple after his home was ruined by a disaster, which left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his father's skill with mechanics, Teo is able to soar through the skies using a flying device, even dares the Avatar in an aerial race.

The card Teo showcases Teo's love of the skies and his tribe's reliance of gliders through letting you loot each time you attack using a flying unit, while additionally strengthening your creatures via +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: The Strong Shrine Enchantment

Regarding Teo's home, it appears in the card Northern Air Temple, that reduces an opponent's life upon entering play, based on how many of Shrines you have.

The card furthermore removes an additional life anytime another Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

This looks like an impactful card, given its cheap mana cost and good enter the battlefield effect.

One major drawback of Shrine decks outside of Commander are that Shrines are always Legendary, however this card can be great in combination with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which drains all opponents during the start of your turn.

A Welcome Collaboration

At a time when crossover products have been garnering a lot of criticism from fans, an iconic series like Avatar: The Last Airbender can be precisely what Magic: The Gathering requires.

Preview period has begun, and the full set will be launched on Nov. 21.