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MTG enthusiasts frequently enjoy tribal strategies — who has not assembled a zombie strategy before? — and this new ATLA crossover set revives two beloved mechanics which align perfectly with its theme.

Returning Tribal Mechanics

The initial mechanic, known as "Allies," was introduced with a Zendikar which gives bonuses each time additional creatures with this subtype enter play.

Meanwhile, "Shrine" is another enchantment subtype that first appeared in Kamigawa. While not exactly a creature tribe, these enchantments also gain power when you controls more of them in play.

A Return of the Ally Mechanic

While Shrine cards have shown up sporadically across newer sets, Allies mechanic was far less common — until that changes with ATLA, where this mechanic is heavily featured.

Aang has to recruit numerous friends during the quest to bring back peace to the world, and there's no more fitting way to represent that through an Magic expansion.

Revealed Cards Preview

After its initial set announcement, below are previews of an Ally plus one Shrines cards in the new ATLA set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: A Fan-Favorite Character

This character is one cherished minor character in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy of the Earth Tribe who resided at an Air Temple following his home was destroyed by a disaster, an event that left him paraplegic.

Due to his dad's prowess in mechanics, he is able to glide in the air with his glider, even dares Aang in a flying race.

This card Teo reproduces Teo's love of flying and the Earth Tribe's reliance on flying machines by letting the player draw and discard each time a player attacks using an airborne creature, and also boosting your team with +1/+1 counters in the process.

The Temple Card: The Strong Shrine

Regarding his dwelling, this is represented in a card named The Northern Air Temple, that drains an opponent's life when coming into the battlefield, depending on the number of Shrines you control.

It furthermore drains an additional life whenever a Shrine enters the battlefield.

This looks like a strong card, considering the card's cheap cost and valuable ETB effect.

One big drawback for Shrine-based strategies in formats besides EDH are the fact that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple can be effective when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that drains all opponents at the beginning of your turn.

The Timely Crossover

Currently when crossover sets are receiving significant criticism by the community, an iconic series like Avatar: The Last Airbender can be precisely just what Magic: The Gathering requires.

Spoiler season has begun, with the full set will be released on Nov. 21.