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MTG fans consistently enjoy tribal decks — who hasn't assembled a zombie deck at some point? — while the forthcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set is reintroducing two well-known examples that align seamlessly with its setting.

Reappearing Tribal Mechanics

One first mechanic, known as "Ally," was debuted with the Zendikar set which gives bonuses whenever additional creatures bearing this subtype come onto the battlefield.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" represents an enchantment-based type which first appeared in Kamigawa. While not exactly a creature tribal theme, these enchantments also become strength as a player has more Shrines in play.

The Comeback of Allies Ability

Although Shrines have shown up here and there in newer releases, the Ally mechanic has been seldom seen — until this ends in Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which this mechanic gets prominently used.

Aang has to recruit numerous friends on the quest to bring back balance across the four nations, so there's no more fitting way to reflect that through a Magic: The Gathering set.

Exclusive Cards Showcase

After the initial set reveal, below is a look at an Ally plus one Shrine cards in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender release.

Teo, Spirited Glider: The Beloved Character

Teo stands as a popular supporting character from ATLA, a boy of the Earth Tribe that lived in an Air Temple following his village was destroyed by a disaster, an event that left him paraplegic.

Thanks to his father's expertise in mechanics, Teo is able to fly through the skies with his glider, and dares the Avatar in an aerial race.

The card Teo reproduces his love for flying and the Earth Tribe's use on gliders through allowing you loot each time a player attacks with an airborne unit, while also boosting your creatures with counters at the same time.

The Temple Card: A Strong Shrine

Speaking of his dwelling, this is represented in the card Northern Air Temple, that drains your opponent's life upon coming into play, depending on how many Shrine cards you control.

It furthermore drains an additional life whenever a Shrine comes onto the field.

This appears to be a strong card, given the card's cheap cost plus valuable enter the battlefield ability.

One big weakness of Shrine-based strategies in formats besides Commander are the fact that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple is effective when paired alongside another Shrine, which deals damage to all opponents during the start of your main phase.

A Timely Collaboration

At a time when crossover products are garnering significant criticism by fans, an iconic franchise like Avatar can be precisely just what MTG needs.

Preview period is already here, with the full set set to be launched November 21st.