Scoop: The Way Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender Set Revives Two Fan-Favorite Tribal Mechanics
MTG enthusiasts consistently adopt tribal strategies — who hasn't assembled a goblin deck before? — while the upcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set revives 2 beloved mechanics that align seamlessly with its flavor.
Returning Tribal Mechanics
One initial mechanic, known as "Allies," was debuted in a Zendikar which grants bonuses whenever additional permanents bearing the Ally type enter the battlefield.
On the other hand, "Shrine" represents another enchantment subtype which first appeared in Kamigawa. While not a creature tribal theme, Shrines likewise gain abilities when you has additional of them on the battlefield.
The Comeback of Allies Ability
While Shrines have shown up sporadically across recent sets, Allies subtype has been much rarer — but that ends with Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which the feature is heavily featured.
The protagonist Aang has to assemble numerous allies on the quest to restore peace across the world, and it's no better way to reflect that through an Magic expansion.
Exclusive Card Showcase
Following its initial set reveal, here is previews at one Allies and one Shrines cards in the upcoming ATLA release.
Teo, Spirited Glider: A Fan-Favorite Figure
Teo stands as a beloved supporting figure in ATLA, a boy from the Earth Tribe that resided at an Air Temple after his home was destroyed in a disaster, an event that rendered him paraplegic.
Thanks to his father's prowess in engineering, he can soar through the skies using his glider, even dares the Avatar to an aerial contest.
This card Teo reproduces his fondness for the skies and his tribe's use on gliders through allowing you draw and discard each time a player attacks using an airborne unit, and additionally strengthening your creatures via counters in the process.
The Temple Card: The Strong Shrine
Speaking of his dwelling, this appears in the card The Northern Air Temple, that drains an opponent's life upon coming into the battlefield, based on how many of Shrines you have.
It furthermore drains one more life anytime another Shrine comes onto the battlefield.
This appears to be a strong addition, considering the card's cheap cost and valuable ETB ability.
One major drawback for Shrine-based decks outside of EDH are that Shrines are always Legendary, but this card is great in combination with Sanctum of Stone Fangs, that deals damage to every opponent during the start of your turn.
The Timely Crossover
At a time when Universes Beyond products have been garnering a lot of backlash by fans, an iconic series such as Avatar could be precisely just what Magic: The Gathering requires.
Preview period has begun, and the full set will be released on Nov. 21.