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MTG fans frequently enjoy tribal tactics — what player has not assembled a zombie deck before? — and the upcoming ATLA Universes Beyond release is reintroducing two popular mechanics which match seamlessly to its theme.

Reappearing Tribal Mechanics

The initial ability, called "Ally," was introduced in a Zendikar which provides bonuses whenever additional permanents bearing the Ally type come onto the field.

On the other hand, "Shrine" represents another enchantment subtype that first appeared with Kamigawa. Although not creature-based tribal theme, Shrines likewise gain power when a player controls additional Shrines in play.

A Comeback for the Ally Mechanic

Although Shrine cards have appeared occasionally in recent releases, Allies subtype was seldom seen — until that ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the feature gets central.

The protagonist Aang must recruit a lot of allies during the quest to restore peace to the four nations, and it's no better way to show that through a Magic expansion.

Revealed Cards Showcase

Following the first set reveal, below are a look of one Ally and a Shrines cards in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo: The Beloved Character

Teo is a cherished supporting figure in ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom that lived in an Air Temple after his village was destroyed in a flood, which rendered him unable to walk.

Due to his dad's expertise in engineering, Teo is able to soar through the skies using a flying device, and dares the Avatar in a flying race.

The card Teo represents his fondness for flying along with the Earth Tribe's reliance of flying machines by letting the player draw and discard each time a player attacks using a flying unit, while also strengthening your team with +1/+1 counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: A Powerful Shrine

Speaking of Teo's dwelling, it appears as the card The Northern Air Temple, which reduces your opponent's life when coming into play, based on how many Shrine cards you have.

The card furthermore drains one more life whenever a Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

This looks like a strong addition, considering the card's low cost plus good ETB effect.

One major drawback of Shrine strategies outside of EDH are the fact that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple is great when paired with another Shrine, which deals damage to every opponent during the start of your main phase.

A Timely Crossover

At a time when Universes Beyond products are receiving a lot of criticism from fans, a beloved franchise such as Avatar: The Last Airbender can be exactly just what MTG needs.

Spoiler season is already here, with all cards set to be released November 21st.