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MTG fans frequently enjoy tribe-based decks — what player hasn't assembled an elf deck once or twice? — while the forthcoming ATLA crossover release is reintroducing two popular examples that align seamlessly to the setting.

Returning Tribal Abilities

The initial ability, known as "Allies," was debuted with the Zendikar set which grants buffs whenever more permanents bearing the Ally subtype enter play.

Meanwhile, "Shrines" represents another enchantment subtype which originated with Kamigawa. While not a creature tribal theme, Shrines also become power as a player owns additional of them in play.

A Return of the Ally Mechanic

While Shrine cards have been shown up sporadically in newer sets, Allies subtype was seldom seen — until that changes with ATLA, where the mechanic gets heavily featured.

Aang must recruit numerous companions on his journey to restore peace across the four nations, so there's no better method to reflect that in a Magic expansion.

Revealed Card Preview

After the initial card reveal, here is a look of an Allies and a Shrines card in the new Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: The Beloved Figure

Teo stands as a cherished minor character in ATLA, a young man of Earth Kingdom that lived at the Northern Air Temple after his home was destroyed by a disaster, which rendered him paraplegic.

Thanks to his dad's prowess in engineering, he is able to glide through the skies using a flying device, even dares the Avatar to a flying race.

This card Teo showcases Teo's passion for the skies and his tribe's use on flying machines through allowing the player draw and discard each time a player attacks with an airborne creature, and also boosting your team with counters in the process.

The Temple Card: A Strong Shrine

Regarding Teo's home, it appears as the card The Northern Air Temple, which drains your opponent's life upon entering play, depending on how many of Shrines you have.

The card furthermore drains one more life anytime another Shrine enters the field.

This looks like an impactful card, considering the card's cheap cost and good ETB ability.

One big drawback of Shrine decks outside of EDH are that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, but this card can be great in combination alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to every opponent at the beginning of your main phase.

A Timely Crossover

Currently while Universes Beyond products are garnering significant criticism by the community, an iconic series such as Avatar can be precisely what Magic: The Gathering requires.

Preview period is already here, and all cards will be released on Nov. 21.