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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar will not become widely available before the end of the week, however due to early access events recently, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in market worth.

Throughout the spoiler season, this small creature garnered significant interest. This two-power, two-toughness that costs one green and one colorless mana, the card includes level 1 earthbending (possibly the best among the elemental mechanics available). The major perk in its design lies in another power: If you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

At its cheapest, Badgermole Cub could be purchased at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, though, the market price has shot up to $49.66 including listings as high as $60. What explains Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mostly due to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

Upon entering the board, this creature turns one land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. And with that second ability, while it stays in play, each affected land generates double mana — along with mana-producing creatures you have which tap for mana.

An ideal partner for maximum effect would be Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that produces G mana. But numerous other mana generation creatures out there. This particular druid costs a bit more with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value as an alternative.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, you can easily get a very big and very expensive creature on the battlefield early in the game. And things just keep spiraling out of control by maintaining dominance after that.

If you dip into an additional hue in this strategy, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options which produce any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing another terrain each turn AND transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. Another possibility is such as this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the power to produce a mana of any type — even each creature in play.

The cub could be too strong regarding boosting mana production, but how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness match your land count, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests along with their other types. This means, every single creature in play is able to produce double green by tapping.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, its stats are based on your land total).

This Planeswalker fits really well in this deck. Her static effect makes all Forests produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, so each one yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, adding counters on terrain, handy but it isn't redundant with earthbend. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, makes your entire land base unbreakable and lets you draw out your remaining Forests from your library. Once you trigger this power, it’s pretty much the game ends.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have for all decks using green and Avatar that use the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red and green, consider Bumi Unleashed. He has level 4 earthbending, and if damage is dealt to an opponent, each animated land are ready again for another attack. Although this card has become a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of, if not the most desired card from this expansion.