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Magic: The Gathering fans often adopt tribe-based tactics — who has not assembled a goblin deck at some point? — while this upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover release brings back 2 popular examples that align seamlessly with its setting.

Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Mechanics

One first ability, named "Ally," was debuted in the Zendikar and grants buffs each time more permanents with the Ally type enter play.

Alternatively, "Shrine" is another enchantment type which first appeared in Champions of Kamigawa. Although not a creature tribe, these enchantments likewise become power when a player owns more Shrines in play.

A Return for Allies Ability

While Shrine cards have appeared occasionally across recent sets, the Ally mechanic was seldom seen — until that ends in ATLA, where this mechanic is heavily featured.

The protagonist Aang must recruit a lot of friends on the quest to restore balance to the world, so it's no more fitting way to represent this through a Magic expansion.

Exclusive Card Showcase

After the initial set reveal, here is previews of one Allies plus one Shrine card from the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: The Beloved Character

This character is one beloved minor character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy of the Earth Tribe who resided at an Air Temple after his home was destroyed by a flood, an event that rendered him paraplegic.

Because of his dad's expertise in mechanics, Teo can fly in the air with a flying device, even challenges the Avatar to a flying contest.

This card Teo, Spirited Glider reproduces his fondness of flying and his tribe's use on flying machines through allowing the player loot whenever you attack with an airborne unit, and also pumping your team via +1/+1 counters in the process.

The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Regarding Teo's dwelling, it appears in a card named The Northern Air Temple, that reduces an opponent's life when entering play, depending on how many Shrine cards you control.

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

It looks like a powerful card, given its cheap mana cost and valuable ETB ability.

A major weakness for Shrine strategies outside of EDH are the fact that these cards are always Legendary, but Northern Air Temple is effective in combination with another Shrine, that deals damage to every opponent during the start of your main phase.

The Welcome Collaboration

At a time when crossover sets have been garnering a lot of backlash by the community, a beloved franchise such as Avatar: The Last Airbender can be exactly what MTG needs.

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