Exclusive: How Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender Expansion Reintroduces 2 Fan-Favorite Tribal Gameplay Features
MTG enthusiasts often enjoy tribal strategies — what player has not assembled an elf strategy once or twice? — and this upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set is reintroducing 2 popular mechanics which match perfectly to its setting.
Returning Tribal Mechanics
One initial ability, named "Ally," first introduced in a Zendikar set and grants boosts each time additional creatures with this type enter the battlefield.
Meanwhile, "Shrines" represents an enchantment-based type that originated in Kamigawa. While not a creature tribal theme, Shrines likewise gain power as you controls more of them in play.
A Return for Allies Mechanic
While Shrines have appeared here and there across recent sets, the Ally mechanic has been far less common — until that changes with Avatar: The Last Airbender, where this mechanic gets heavily featured.
Aang must assemble many friends during his journey to restore peace across the four nations, and there's no better way to show that in an Magic: The Gathering set.
Revealed Cards Preview
Following its initial card reveal, here is a look at one Allies plus one Shrine card in the upcoming ATLA set.
Teo, Spirited Glider: A Beloved Figure
This character is one beloved supporting character in Avatar: The Last Airbender, a young man from Earth Kingdom who lived in an Air Temple following his village was destroyed by a disaster, an event that rendered him unable to walk.
Thanks to his father's prowess with mechanics, Teo is able to glide in the air using a flying device, even dares Aang to a flying race.
The card Teo represents Teo's fondness of flying and the Earth Tribe's reliance of flying machines by letting the player draw and discard each time a player attacks with an airborne creature, while additionally strengthening your creatures via counters at the same time.
The Temple Card: The Powerful Shrine
Speaking of Teo's home, it is represented as the card The Northern Air Temple, that drains your opponent's life upon coming into play, depending on how many Shrine cards you control.
It also removes an additional life anytime a Shrine enters the battlefield.
This appears to be a strong card, given the card's cheap cost and good enter the battlefield ability.
A major drawback of Shrine-based strategies in formats besides Commander are the fact that Shrines are typically legendary permanents, but this card is effective when paired with another Shrine, which drains every opponent at the beginning of your main phase.
A Welcome Crossover
Currently when Universes Beyond sets are garnering a lot of criticism by the community, an iconic franchise such as Avatar could be precisely what MTG needs.
Spoiler season is already here, and all cards will be launched on Nov. 21.