Reveal: How Magic's Avatar Expansion Revives 2 Fan-Favorite Tribe-Focused Mechanics
MTG enthusiasts often enjoy tribal strategies — what player hasn't built a goblin strategy once or twice? — while this upcoming ATLA Universes Beyond set is reintroducing two well-known examples that match perfectly to its setting.
Returning Tribe-Supporting Abilities
One first ability, named "Allies," first debuted with a Zendikar set which provides buffs whenever more creatures bearing the Ally type enter the field.
Meanwhile, "Shrines" represents another enchantment subtype that first appeared with Kamigawa. Although not exactly a creature tribe, these enchantments also gain power as a player has additional of them in play.
The Comeback of the Ally Ability
While Shrine cards have been shown up here and there in recent sets, Allies mechanic has been much rarer — until this changes in ATLA, where the feature gets prominently used.
Aang must recruit many allies on his journey to restore balance across the four nations, so it's no more fitting method to reflect this in an Magic set.
Revealed Card Showcase
After the first set announcement, below are a look of one Ally and one Shrines card in the upcoming ATLA release.
Teo: The Beloved Figure
Teo is one beloved supporting figure in ATLA, a boy from Earth Kingdom that resided in the Northern Air Temple after his home was ruined by a flood, an event that left him paraplegic.
Because of his dad's expertise in engineering, Teo can fly through the skies with a flying device, and dares the Avatar to an aerial race.
The card Teo showcases his fondness of flying along with the Earth Tribe's use of flying machines by letting the player draw and discard each time you attack using an airborne creature, and additionally pumping your team via +1/+1 counters in the process.
Northern Air Temple: The Powerful Shrine
Speaking of his dwelling, it is represented as a card named The Northern Air Temple, that drains your opponent's life total when coming into the battlefield, based on the number Shrine cards you have.
The card also drains one more life anytime a Shrine enters the field.
This appears to be a powerful card, considering the card's cheap cost and valuable enter the battlefield effect.
One big weakness for Shrine decks in formats besides Commander is that these cards are typically legendary permanents, however Northern Air Temple is great in combination alongside Sanctum of Stone Fangs, which deals damage to all opponents at the beginning of your turn.
The Timely Crossover
Currently while crossover products have been garnering significant hate from fans, an iconic series like Avatar can be precisely what MTG requires.
Spoiler season has begun, and the full set will be released November 21st.