Appa, Toph, Katara and Zuko Join MTG — Team Avatar Revealed with New Bending Mechanics, Allies & Shrines
Wizards of the Coast has revealed the first cards and mechanics for the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender set, which leans on the four bending styles and brings back older card types like Allies, Lessons, and Shrines. The preview was shown on the WeeklyMTG podcast on Aug. 12, and it gives a clear look at several named characters and how each element will play in-game.
- Cards and mechanics revealed so far, including how air, water, fire, and earthbending work.
- Key preview cards and short descriptions of their abilities.
- Special card treatments and collector options, plus release date and preorder prices.
Set focus and returning mechanics
Overall, the preview confirms the set centers on the four bending types from the show. Additionally, Wizards is bringing back the Ally creature type from Zendikar, while Shrines (from Champions of Kamigawa) and the Lesson spell subtype (from Strixhaven) also return. Thus, longtime Magic players will see familiar mechanics used in new ways, and newer players get straightforward elemental themes.
Previewed cards and how the elements work
Appa, Steadfast Guardian
Appa is a 3/4 flying bison with flash. When he enters the battlefield, you can use airbending on any number of other nonland permanents you control: those permanents are exiled and can later be cast for a flat cost of 2. Whenever you cast a spell from exile, Appa creates a 1/1 white Ally token. Notably, Wizards hinted airbending might target opponent permanents in other cards.
Avatar Enthusiasts
This 2/2 Human Peasant Ally supports teamwork: it puts a +1/+1 counter on another Ally when that Ally enters the battlefield. In short, it rewards having multiple Allies in play and illustrates the set’s team-focused tempo.
Katara, Water Tribe’s Hope
Katara is a Blue/White Human Warrior Ally with vigilance. She makes a 1/1 white Ally when she enters the battlefield. She also has a sorcery-speed waterbending ability that sets creatures’ base power and toughness to X/X, and the set’s waterbending blends convoke and improvise—so you can tap creatures or artifacts to help pay for spells.
Fire Lord Zuko
Fire Lord Zuko is a Red/White/Black Human Noble Ally. His firebending gives you red mana equal to his power whenever he attacks; that mana can pay for spells or abilities until end of combat. Also, he synergizes with airbending by placing a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control whenever you cast a spell from exile or a permanent returns from exile.
Toph, the First Metalbender
Toph is a Red/White/Green Human Warrior Ally. Her earthbending turns lands you control into creatures with haste and a specified number of +1/+1 counters. Importantly, lands that die or are exiled while earthbent return to the battlefield tapped. Toph also turns all nontoken artifacts you control into lands (they don’t tap for mana), giving you extra targets for earthbending effects.
Southern Air Temple (Shrine)
The set reintroduces Shrines. For example, the legendary White Shrine Southern Air Temple puts a number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control equal to how many Shrines you control when it enters play. Then, whenever another Shrine enters under your control, it adds another +1/+1 counter to each creature. Therefore, Shrines boost wide boards and pair well with airbending.
Redirect Lightning (Lesson)
The Lesson subtype returns. Redirect Lightning is an instant with flavor text from Uncle Iroh; it costs R plus either 2 colorless mana or 5 life and changes the target of a single-target spell or ability. Lesson cards can be fetched from outside the game (your sideboard) when you cast a spell with the Learn keyword, though no Learn cards were shown in this preview.
Sokka, Bold Boomeranger and Sokka’s Haiku
Sokka is a UR Human Warrior Ally who isn’t a bender but gains value from instruction: he gets a +1/+1 counter whenever you cast an artifact or a Lesson. When he enters the battlefield, you may discard up to two cards, then draw that many cards. He pairs with Sokka’s Haiku, a Lesson whose text is itself a haiku and which acts as a powerful, though costly, counterspell.
Art, special treatments, and collector options
The preview also highlights a variety of art styles and special card treatments. For instance, there are borderless field notes cards, borderless double-faced sagas, borderless raised foil, elemental frame cards, and full-art Appa basic lands that give a sky-bison view. Consequently, collectors will find multiple finish and framing options to chase.
Release date and preorders
The set has a physical release date of Nov. 21 and an earlier Arena launch on Nov. 18. Preorders are open now; prices listed by Wizards of the Coast are as follows:
- Play and Jumpstart boosters: $6.99
- Beginner boxes: $34.99
- Collector boosters: $37.99
- Scene boxes: $41.99
- Bundles (nine play boosters, 15 foil basic lands, Appa lands, foil promo): $69.99
- Commander’s Bundle (five non-foil promo cards, a collector booster): $109.99
Therefore, players and collectors can preorder now, and the set will arrive on Arena a few days before the physical release.
