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Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts frequently adopt tribe-based strategies — what player has not built a zombie deck once or twice? — while this new Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond release is reintroducing 2 popular examples which match seamlessly to its theme.

Returning Tribe-Supporting Abilities

One first mechanic, called "Ally," first debuted in a Zendikar set which grants boosts each time additional creatures with the Ally type come onto play.

Meanwhile, "Shrines" represents an enchantment subtype which first appeared in Kamigawa. Although not a creature tribe, these enchantments also become abilities when a player has additional of them in play.

A Comeback of Allies Ability

Although Shrine cards have appeared occasionally across recent releases, the Ally subtype was far less common — but this ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the feature is prominently used.

Aang must recruit a lot of allies during his quest to restore peace across the four nations, so there's no better way to represent that in a Magic: The Gathering expansion.

Exclusive Cards Preview

After the initial card announcement, below is previews at one Allies and a Shrine card from the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo: The Fan-Favorite Character

Teo stands as one beloved minor figure from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man of Earth Kingdom that resided in the Northern Air Temple after his village was ruined by a disaster, which left him paraplegic.

Thanks to his father's expertise in engineering, he is able to glide in the air with a flying device, even challenges Aang in a flying race.

This card Teo represents his love of the skies and the Earth Tribe's reliance of gliders by allowing the player draw and discard each time you attack with a flying creature, and also boosting your creatures via +1/+1 counters in the process.

Northern Air Temple: The Powerful Shrine Enchantment

Speaking of his home, this is represented in the card The Northern Air Temple, which reduces an opponent's life total when coming into play, based on the number Shrine cards you control.

The card also drains an additional life whenever a Shrine comes onto the battlefield.

It looks like an impactful card, given the card's cheap mana cost and valuable enter the battlefield effect.

One major drawback for Shrine-based strategies outside of EDH is that Shrines are typically Legendary, but Northern Air Temple is great in combination alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that drains all opponents during the start of your main phase.

A Welcome Crossover

Currently while Universes Beyond products have been receiving significant criticism from the community, a beloved series like Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely what MTG needs.

Spoiler season has begun, and the full set set to be released on Nov. 21.