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MTG enthusiasts consistently embrace tribal strategies — what player hasn't built a zombie strategy at some point? — and the forthcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover set revives 2 well-known mechanics which match perfectly with the flavor.

Returning Tribal Mechanics

The initial mechanic, named "Ally," was introduced with a Zendikar which grants bonuses whenever more creatures bearing this type come onto play.

Alternatively, "Shrines" is another enchantment-based subtype which originated in Champions of Kamigawa. Although not exactly a creature tribe, Shrines also gain abilities when a player controls more of them on the battlefield.

The Comeback of Allies Ability

While Shrine cards have been shown up sporadically across newer releases, the Ally subtype has been seldom seen — but this ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the mechanic is prominently used.

Aang must gather many allies during his quest to restore peace across the four nations, and there's no better method to reflect this through an Magic set.

Revealed Cards Showcase

Following the initial card announcement, below are a look of one Allies plus a Shrines cards from the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set.

Teo, Spirited Glider: The Beloved Figure

This character is a popular minor figure from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a boy from the Earth Tribe that resided at the Northern Air Temple following his home was destroyed in a disaster, which rendered him paraplegic.

Because of his father's skill with mechanics, Teo is able to fly in the air with a flying device, and dares Aang to a flying race.

This card Teo showcases Teo's passion of the skies and the Earth Tribe's reliance on flying machines by allowing you draw and discard whenever you attack with a flying unit, while also boosting your team with +1/+1 counters at the same time.

Northern Air Temple: A Strong Shrine Enchantment

Regarding his dwelling, this is represented as the card Northern Air Temple, that reduces an opponent's life total upon coming into the battlefield, based on how many Shrine cards you have.

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

This appears to be a powerful addition, considering the card's cheap cost and valuable enter the battlefield effect.

A big weakness for Shrine-based decks outside of EDH is the fact that Shrines are always Legendary, however this card is great when paired alongside another Shrine, which deals damage to all opponents during the start of your turn.

The Timely Crossover

At a time when crossover sets are receiving a lot of criticism by the community, a beloved franchise like Avatar can be exactly just what MTG requires.

Preview period has begun, with the full set set to be released on Nov. 21.