Exclusive: How Magic: The Gathering's Avatar Expansion Reintroduces Two Popular Tribal Mechanics

Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts frequently adopt tribal strategies — what player has not built an elf deck before? — while the new Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond release brings back two beloved mechanics which match seamlessly with its setting.

Reappearing Tribe-Supporting Mechanics

The initial mechanic, named "Ally," first debuted with the Zendikar set which gives buffs whenever more permanents with this subtype enter play.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" is an enchantment subtype that first appeared in Kamigawa. Although not creature-based tribe, these enchantments likewise gain abilities as you owns more Shrines on the battlefield.

A Comeback for Allies Mechanic

Although Shrine cards have been appeared occasionally across recent sets, Allies mechanic was seldom seen — but this ends with ATLA, in which the feature gets central.

The protagonist Aang has to gather numerous friends on his quest to restore balance across the world, and it's no better method to reflect this in an Magic: The Gathering set.

Exclusive Cards Showcase

After the initial set announcement, here are a look of one Allies plus one Shrine cards from the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender release.

Teo: The Beloved Character

This character stands as one popular supporting figure from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy of Earth Kingdom that lived in the Northern Air Temple after his village was ruined by a flood, which left him unable to walk.

Due to his father's skill in engineering, Teo can fly through the skies with a flying device, and challenges the Avatar in a flying race.

This card Teo, Spirited Glider represents his fondness of flying and the Earth Tribe's use of gliders by letting you draw and discard whenever you attack with a flying creature, while additionally boosting your creatures with +1/+1 counters in the process.

The Temple Card: The Strong Shrine Enchantment

Speaking of Teo's home, this appears as a card named Northern Air Temple, that reduces an opponent's life when coming into the battlefield, based on how many of Shrines you control.

It furthermore removes one more life anytime a Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

It appears to be a powerful card, given its cheap cost and valuable ETB effect.

A big weakness of Shrine-based decks in formats besides EDH is that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, but Northern Air Temple can be great when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which drains all opponents during the start of your main phase.

A Welcome Crossover

Currently when Universes Beyond products have been garnering significant hate from fans, a beloved series like Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely just what MTG requires.

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