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Magic: The Gathering players consistently adopt tribe-based tactics — who has not assembled a goblin deck once or twice? — and the forthcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set revives two popular examples which match perfectly with its theme.

Returning Tribal Mechanics

The initial ability, called "Allies," was debuted with the Zendikar and grants buffs whenever more creatures bearing the Ally subtype come onto the battlefield.

Alternatively, "Shrine" is another enchantment-based subtype that originated with Kamigawa. Although not exactly a creature tribe, these enchantments likewise become strength when a player has additional Shrines on the battlefield.

The Return for the Ally Ability

While Shrines have shown up occasionally across newer releases, Allies subtype has been far less common — until that changes with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which this mechanic gets prominently used.

Aang has to recruit many companions on his quest to restore peace across the world, so it's no more fitting method to reflect this through a Magic set.

Revealed Card Showcase

After its initial card reveal, below are previews of an Ally and a Shrine cards from the upcoming ATLA release.

Teo: A Fan-Favorite Figure

Teo stands as one beloved supporting character from ATLA, a young man from the Earth Tribe that resided in the Northern Air Temple after his home was destroyed by a disaster, an event that left him unable to walk.

Thanks to his father's prowess in mechanics, he can glide in the air with a flying device, even challenges the Avatar to a flying contest.

The card Teo, Spirited Glider showcases his love of the skies and his tribe's use of gliders through allowing the player draw and discard each time a player attacks with an airborne creature, while also pumping your creatures via counters in the process.

The Temple Card: A Strong Shrine

Speaking of Teo's dwelling, this appears in a card named Northern Air Temple, that reduces an opponent's life when coming into play, depending on how many of Shrines you have.

The card also drains an additional life anytime another Shrine enters the battlefield.

This appears to be an impactful addition, given its cheap mana cost plus valuable ETB effect.

A major weakness for Shrine-based strategies in formats besides Commander is that Shrines are always Legendary, but Northern Air Temple is great when paired with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to all opponents at the beginning of your main phase.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when crossover products have been garnering significant backlash by the community, an iconic series like Avatar: The Last Airbender could be precisely what MTG requires.

Preview period is already here, with the full set set to be launched on Nov. 21.