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MTG enthusiasts frequently adopt tribal tactics — what player has not assembled a zombie strategy once or twice? — while this upcoming ATLA crossover set revives two well-known examples that align seamlessly with its theme.

Returning Tribal Abilities

One first ability, called "Allies," first debuted in the Zendikar and grants bonuses whenever additional permanents bearing the Ally type enter the battlefield.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" represents another enchantment subtype that first appeared with Kamigawa. While not exactly a creature tribal theme, Shrines also gain power as you owns more Shrines in play.

The Comeback for Allies Mechanic

Although Shrine cards have been shown up sporadically across recent releases, Allies mechanic was much rarer — until this ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which this feature is prominently used.

Aang has to recruit a lot of friends during his quest to restore peace to the four nations, so there's no more fitting way to show this in an Magic: The Gathering set.

Exclusive Card Showcase

After its first set reveal, below is a look at one Allies and one Shrines card from the new ATLA set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: A Beloved Character

Teo is a beloved supporting character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man from Earth Kingdom who lived in an Air Temple following his village was ruined by a disaster, an event that left him paraplegic.

Because of his dad's expertise in engineering, he is able to fly in the air using a flying device, even challenges Aang in a flying contest.

This card Teo, Spirited Glider showcases his love for flying and the Earth Tribe's reliance on flying machines through letting the player draw and discard whenever a player attacks with an airborne unit, and also pumping your creatures with counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: A Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Regarding Teo's dwelling, it is represented in the card The Northern Air Temple, that reduces your opponent's life when coming into play, based on how many of Shrines you have.

It furthermore removes one more life whenever another Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

This appears to be a strong card, given its low cost plus valuable ETB effect.

One big weakness for Shrine decks in formats besides Commander is that these cards are always legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple can be great when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to every opponent at the beginning of your main phase.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when Universes Beyond sets are receiving a lot of hate from fans, an iconic series like Avatar: The Last Airbender can be exactly just what Magic: The Gathering needs.

Spoiler season is already here, and the full set will be released November 21st.