Magic: The Gathering’s final release of the year is here, and it’s a big one. Prerelease weekend is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to start reading up on cards and looking for the strategy you hope to land on! Here’s all the information you need to prepare for your prerelease weekend.

What to expect at prerelease for Avatar: The Last Airbender?

While prerelease events follow a familiar flow, this one has a unique twist. Instead of everyone starting from the same box, you’ll choose (or be assigned) one of five themed bundles — each tied to a major Avatar character.

Each prerelease kit includes:

1 seeded booster pack based on your chosen character
5 Play Boosters from the Avatar: The Last Airbender set
1 stamped promo card (Rare or Mythic)
1 spin-down life counter

Once your judge says “go,” you’ll crack open your packs, build a 40-card deck, and prepare for three to four rounds of best-of-one or best-of-three gameplay. Don’t stress about lands — your store will provide them. Many stores also give out prizes for top finishers or random draws, so it’s always worth staying for the full event!

What are the archetypes in MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender?

Unlike Marvel’s Spider-Man, the Avatar: The Last Airbender set features ten two-color archetypes — one for every possible pairing — each themed around familiar bending styles and character-driven mechanics. Some archetypes revisit MTG classics, while others push new mechanics tied to the world of Avatar.

Here’s a breakdown of each archetype and what to look out for:

Azorius (White–Blue) — Airbending Fliers

A classic returns! Azorius once again leans into evasive creatures with flying, supported by Airbending synergies. Between birds, spirits, and sky bison, this archetype soars above the battlefield while protecting its key creatures with clever tricks and card draw.

Key Commons:

Airbending Lesson – Card draw and protection through Airbending.
Cat-Owl – Untaps creatures and keeps your board active.
Path to Redemption – Cheap temporary removal that can upgrade to permanent.

Key Uncommons:

Air Nomad Legacy – The signpost uncommon; gives all fliers +1/+1 and makes Clues.
Teo, Spirited Glider – Flying “connive”-style draw engine.
Appa, Loyal Sky Bison – A 4/4 that grants flight or Airbending each turn.
Enter the Avatar State – One-mana protection and flying boost.

Chase Rare: Momo, Friendly Flier – Discounts your spells and grows stronger with each cast.

Dimir (Blue–Black) — Draw Two / Waterbending Control

Dimir thrives on card advantage and clever manipulation. This archetype rewards drawing multiple cards per turn while maintaining control through Waterbending and removal.

Key Commons:

Foggy Swamp Hunters – Grows with card draw.
Forecasting Fortune Teller – Generates Clue tokens to keep cards flowing.
Messenger Hawk – Creates Clues and benefits from your draw triggers.
Waterbending Lesson – Big draw potential in one spell.
Watery Grasp – Answers Earthbending threats efficiently.

Key Uncommons:

Foggy Swamp Spirit Keeper – The signpost uncommon; makes Spirits as you draw.
Hama, the Bloodbender – Steals cards and fits the theme perfectly.
Gran-Gran – Efficient draw support.
Knowledge Seeker – Puts +1/+1 counters on itself when you draw two.

Chase Rares:

The Mechanist, Aerial Artisan – Turns Clues into flying constructs.
The Unagi of Kyoshi Island – Sideboard powerhouse.
The Legend of Kuruk – Mythic Saga that rewards patience with an extra turn.

Rakdos (Black–Red) — Fire Nation Aggro

Feel the heat! Rakdos is your aggressive, flame-fueled Firebending archetype. Built around temporary mana generation and hard-hitting creatures, it’s perfect for players who want to end games fast.

Key Commons:

Deserter’s Disciple – Makes attacks unblockable.
Firebending Lesson – Reliable damage spell and Firebend enabler.
Lightning Strike – Straightforward burn.
Rough Rhino Cavalry – Big trampler with Firebending.
Vindictive Warden – A 2/4 menace with Firebending synergy.

Key Uncommons:

Cruel Administrator – The signpost uncommon; produces Firebenders each turn.
Fire Nation Attacks – Token generation for more Firebenders.
Fire Sages – Becomes a major threat if left unchecked.
Heartless Act – Cheap and efficient removal.
Zuko, Exiled Prince – Firebending 3 with topdeck manipulation.

Chase Rares:

Firebender Ascension – Doubles your Firebending triggers.
Firebending Student – Scales with every spell you cast.

Gruul (Red–Green) — Earth Rumble Ramp

The deck I’m most excited for! Gruul decks lean on creatures with 4+ power and powerful Earthbending synergies to ramp and crush opponents. Prioritize Earthbending over raw stats—many effects persist and make your lands serious threats.

Key Commons:

Earthbending Lesson – Great 4+ power Earthbend option.
Foggy Swamp Vinebender – Can’t be chump-blocked.
Raucous Audience – Excellent ramp tool.
Rocky Rebuke – Damage spell that shines with big creatures.

Key Uncommons:

Bitter Work – Draw for 4+ power and Earthbend synergy.
Bumi, King of Three Trials – Amazing for any green deck.
Kyoshi Island Plaza – Ramp shrine.
The Boulder, Ready to Rumble – Repeatable Earthbending powerhouse.
Toph, the Blind Bandit – Converts ramp into sheer power.

Chase Rares:

Earthbender Ascension – Landfall engine.
Secret Tunnel – Unblockable Earthbending target.
The Legend of Kyoshi – The ultimate ramp saga and a true bomb.

Selesnya (Green–White) — Allies / Go Wide

Selesnya wants you to go wide with Allies. This archetype thrives on creature synergies and stacking ETB effects. If you love building armies, this is for you. A splash of red adds Airbending support for retriggering ETBs.

Key Commons:

Avatar Enthusiasts – Buffs with each Ally entering.
Kyoshi Warriors – Makes Ally tokens.
Water Tribe Captain – Team-wide buffs.
Yip Yip! – Grants flying to Allies.

Key Uncommons:

Aang, the Last Airbender – Triggers ETBs through Airbending.
Allies at Last – Scales with your Ally count.
Appa, Loyal Sky Bison – Buff or Airbend each turn.

Chase Rare: Suki, Courageous Rescuer – Generates tokens whenever your permanents leave play.

Orzhov (White–Black) — Sacrifice

Orzhov embraces balance through sacrifice. Generate tokens, feed them to your engines, and profit from every death.

Key Commons:

Curious Farm Animals – Ideal fodder.
Deadly Precision – Cheap removal and sac outlet.
Merchant of Many Hats – Comes back for more.
Pirate Peddlers – Buffs through sacrifices.

Key Uncommons:

Destined Confrontation – Conditional board wipe.
Earth Kingdom Protectors – Offers protection and self-sacrifice options.
Hei Bai, Spirit of Balance – A massive sac payoff.

Chase Rares:

United Front – Token factory for your sacrifice engine.
Suki, Courageous Rescuer – Another excellent fit here.

Izzet (Blue–Red) — Combat Lessons

While Firebending feels like a natural fit for Izzet, this archetype focuses on the “Lessons” mechanic—balancing high-tempo plays and resource management. If you like juggling instants, sorceries, and bonus effects, this deck has a high skill ceiling.

Key Commons:

First-Time Flyer – Benefits from Lessons in your graveyard.
It’ll Quench Ya! – Flavorful and strong counterspell.
Octopus Form – Cheap protection.

Key Uncommons:

Dragonfly Swarm – Signpost uncommon; rewards Lessons.
Combustion Technique – Excellent removal.
Sokka’s Haiku – A flavorful counter + draw + mana fixer.

Chase Rares:

Ran and Shaw – Firebending dragon that doubles up with Lessons.
Redirect Lightning – A true Firebending masterstroke.

Golgari (Black–Green) — +1/+1 Counters

The classic +1/+1 counter archetype gets a new spin with Earthbending. Your creatures grow fast—and your lands might too.

Key Commons:

Badger Mole – Trample for all creatures with counters.
Earthbending Lesson – Huge payoff for green decks.
Origin of Metalbending – Enchantment removal or counter synergy.

Key Uncommons:

Dai Li Agents – Signpost uncommon; drains for creatures with counters.
Long Feng, Grand Secretariat – Consistent counter generation.
Toph, the Blind Bandit – Turns land counters into strength.

Chase Rares:

Avatar Destiny – Possible finisher.
Beifong’s Bounty Hunters – Great Earthbending synergy.
Earthbender Ascension – Converts your lands into counter engines.

Boros (Red–White) — Go Wide Aggro

The second Go Wide archetype focuses on fast-paced aggression and token generation. While slightly weaker alone, Boros pairs beautifully with green for a tri-color army.

Key Commons:

Deserter’s Disciple – Makes smaller creatures unblockable.

Key Uncommons:

Fire Nation Attacks – Firebender generation.
Jet, Freedom Fighter – ETB removal and Airbending target.
Southern Air Temple – Makes your army terrifying.

Chase Rares:

Iroh, Tea Master – Buffs and grows your board.
Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop – Land-based creature generation.

Simic (Blue–Green) — Ramp & Lessons

No surprises here—Simic loves ramp. You’ll use Lessons to fix mana, accelerate, and drop your biggest threats ahead of curve. Splash red for Firebending to burn through your leftover mana for extra value.

Key Commons:

Cycle of Renewal – Combines perfectly with Earthbending for free lands.

Key Uncommons:

Hermitic Herbalist – The signpost uncommon; double ramps for Lessons.
Kyoshi Island Plaza – Ramp shrine.
Seismic Sense – Reliable tutor option.

Chase Rares:

Great Divide Guide – Excellent mana fixer.
Elemental Teachings – Ramp payoff.
The Lion-Turtle – 3/6 for 3 that ties it all together.Prerelease deck building tips for MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender

Pre-Release deckbuilding tips for MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender

When building your prerelease deck, don’t feel locked into a single archetype. The bending mechanics make it surprisingly natural to mix colors or even splash a third for synergy.

Generally:

Waterbending = Blue
Earthbending = Green
Airbending = White
Firebending = Red and Black

Use your strongest rares and the mana fixing available — there’s enough flexibility in the set to support creative builds.

Here’s a sample mana curve for a solid limited deck:

1 Mana: 1–2 cards
2 Mana: 7–8 cards
3 Mana: 5–6 cards
4 Mana: 3–4 cards
5 Mana: 2–3 cards
6 Mana: 0–1 cards
And of course — 17 lands is the standard sweet spot.

Focus on having a smooth curve and consistent colors. Don’t be afraid to cut cards that look flashy but don’t fit your plan — it’s better to be consistent than clever.

What is the best archetype in MTG Avatar: The Last Airbender?

That really depends on your playstyle. Personally, I’m most excited to experiment with Earthbending, since it fits right into my love for Abzan-style decks and anything that involves +1/+1 counters. There’s something so satisfying about watching your board slowly grow into an unstoppable force while your opponent runs out of answers.

That said, Firebending looks like it’s going to light up the prerelease scene. It’s fast, explosive, and perfect for aggressive players who love keeping up the pressure. I think Firebending will end up being one of the strongest options in the Sealed format simply because of how consistent and efficient its cards are at closing out games quickly.

At the end of the day, every element offers something unique — whether it’s Earth’s resilience, Fire’s aggression, Water’s control, or Air’s precision. The best archetype is the one that fits your style and keeps the game fun.

Gameplay tips and strategies

Play to your element’s strengths: Waterbenders want to control and react, Firebenders push tempo and pressure, Earthbenders ramp and dominate late game, and Airbenders outmaneuver opponents.

Mulligan wisely: Don’t keep an unplayable hand — bending abilities often require mana commitment early.

Pay attention to synergy: Cards like Lessons or Bending abilities often chain together — think ahead about how your plays connect.

Stay flexible: Some of the strongest decks in this set will be hybrid builds using multiple bending styles for unexpected interactions.

Final Thoughts

While Edge of Eternities is still the best limited set of the year, Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar: The Last Airbender set is shaping up to be one of the most flavorful and mechanically rich crossovers yet. It captures the spirit of the Four Nations beautifully — from the calm precision of Waterbending to the fiery speed of the Fire Nation.

I’m personally most excited to try Earthbending builds, since they combine ramp, counters, and power in a really satisfying way. But whether you’re slinging fire or gliding through the skies with Appa, this prerelease is all about embracing your element and having fun.

Good luck, have fun, and may your draws be ever in balance.