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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar won’t get a wider release until later this week, however due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in market worth.

Even during previews, this small creature attracted a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness priced at one green and one colorless mana, the card has Earthbending 1 (arguably the best within the four bending abilities in the set). The real boon here comes from an additional effect: If a creature is tapped to produce mana, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, Badgermole Cub could be purchased for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, however, its value has shot up above $45 including listings as high as $60. Why are we seeing such high costs for this cute lil guy? Mainly thanks to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

Upon entering the board, this creature turns a land so it becomes a creature with earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — along with other creatures in your control that generate mana.

A clear choice to combine with includes the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces a green resource. However numerous alternative mana dorks available. This particular druid is a higher-cost choice with stats 1/3 costing two mana as an alternative.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play a massive and very expensive monster on the battlefield within a few turns. Momentum builds out of control with continued aggression from there.

By incorporating another color in this strategy, examples including versatile mana producers are excellent picks that can make any mana color. Another card, a useful enchantment creature enables playing another terrain each turn AND transforms every land you control providing all land types. It's also worth trying for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana gives each permanent you control the capacity to produce one mana of any color — even each creature in play.

Badgermole Cub may be OP when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, however what closes out the game for a deck like this? An often-seen solution is Ashaya. Power and toughness are both equal to how many lands you have, and it makes each creature you own Forests as well as their original types. In other words, all your creatures in play is able to tap for two G by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that benefits from a high land count (like Ashaya, P/T match your land total).

Nissa is an excellent fit as a staple. Her static effect allows Forest lands tap for one more G. (If you have the cub, so those lands produce triple green.) Her main ability is essentially a form of land animation, placing counters on terrain, a useful effect but does not overlap with earthbending. The minus ability, on the other hand, grants each land you control immune to destruction enabling you to put onto the battlefield every Forest left from your library. Should you manage to use that ability, it almost certainly the game ends.

This card is pretty much essential for all green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. By including red-green, consider Bumi. He has earthbend 4, and if damage is dealt to a player, land creatures become untapped and may attack once more. Although this card has emerged as a fan favorite Commander, this small creature will surely stay one of, if not the most popular pick from this expansion.