Avatar on MTG Arena Early Access: Set Reactions, Hype, and Thoughts on 2026

When Avatar: The Last Airbender dropped into early access on MTG Arena, we knew it was going to be a big deal, but we didn’t expect it to feel this good. I sat down virtually with Scott White from Irrational Passions to play around with the new set, and what followed was a mix of janky deckbuilding, bending banter, and some inspiring thoughts about where Magic is headed.

Here’s what stood out to us, what we’re excited about, and how this crossover should help shape the game going into 2026.

Flavorful, Functional, and Surprisingly Powerful

Right out of the gate, the Avatar set impressed us with how well it translated the show’s elemental magic into MTG mechanics. Airbending plays with Edge of Eternities' warp mechanic in clever ways. You can warp a creature onto the battlefield for a very low mana cost, air bend them out of the game, then back in for only 2 mana. Earthbending is a proliferate dream, turning your land into creatures with +1/+1 counters that come back as land when they die. And Firebending, especially when paired with cards like Electro Assaulting Battery, lets you bank red mana for explosive turns.

Scott was all-in on Earthbending, calling it his favorite mechanic of the bunch. Greg leaned toward Firebending and Azula-style spell-slinging, especially with the potential for a Grixis Commander build down the line. The mechanics don’t just feel thematic, they feel impactful.

What We’re Excited About

This set isn’t just mechanically cool, it’s emotionally resonant. For both of us, Avatar: The Last Airbender was more than just a cartoon. It was a formative story about friendship, growth, and bending the rules (literally and figuratively). Seeing these characters—Aang, Toph, Zuko, Katara—translated into Magic cards feels like a full-circle moment.

• Toph hits differently when you’ve spent years quoting “The boulder is conflicted!” and admiring her chaotic genius that perfectly matches her card abilities.

• Azula’s spell-copying madness feels like the perfect Grixis expression of her intensity and precision.

• Card art that pulls from each episode of the anime feels right and looks fantastic. It's a pretty big nostalgic punch that may shift value up for collectors.

• Even janky decks feel fun when they’re built around characters we grew up with. It’s not just about winning, it’s about playing with the stories that shaped us.

  
  

This set reminds us why we fell in love with Magic in the first place: it’s a game that lets us tell stories. And now, we get to tell them with the Avatar crew we gre up with.

Why This Set Matters

This isn’t just another Universes Beyond drop; it’s a smart entry point for new players. Wizards made the call to skip Commander precons in favor of the Jumpstart format, and while we were initially skeptical, it makes sense. Avatar has massive crossover appeal, and this format lowers the barrier to entry for fans who’ve never touched a Magic card before.

It’s also a sign of how Wizards is thinking about onboarding in 2026 and beyond: use beloved IPs to bring in new players, then give them tools to stay.

Looking Ahead to 2026: What This Set Tells Us

If Avatar is any indication, 2026 is going to be a year of bold swings and big bets. Here’s what we’re watching:

• Universes Beyond is here to stay: Despite some community pushback, these sets are selling, and for the most part, they’re fun. Avatar proves that when done right, they can be both flavorful and mechanically rich.

• Release pacing is relentless: We’re already bracing for Lorwyn Eclipsed, TMNT, and Secrets of Strixhaven. The challenge will be making each set feel distinct and meaningful.

• Crossover fatigue is real, but so is crossover hype: Spider-Man didn’t land for us. Avatar did. The difference? Strong mechanics and a world that fits naturally into Magic’s multiverse.

• The return of Urza? With Reality Fracture on the horizon, we’re hoping Wizards brings back some long-lost legends. Give us “Urza's Return” and we’ll be there day one.

  
  

MTG AVATAR: This Set Bends, and It Bends Well

Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t just a fun MTG crossover; it’s a blueprint for how to do Universes Beyond right. It’s flavorful, powerful, and surprisingly deep. It feels like a complete 180 from the recently released Spider-Man, which was pretty shallow and underwhelming.

The worry has been washed away, and the hype, even for some of the UB haters, looks pretty real. And if this is the energy we’re carrying into 2026? We’re ready.