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MTG’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to become widely available until later this week, however following prerelease weekends over the last few days, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in value.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub garnered widespread focus. A 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub features the Earthbend 1 ability (possibly the best of the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage here lies in another power: Whenever a creature is tapped to produce mana, add an additional green mana.

Initially, this card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, yet, the going rate escalated to $49.66 including listings as high as $60. Why are we seeing such high costs for this little creature? Mainly thanks to the rapid resource generation it provides.

Upon entering the board, Badgermole Cub transforms a land to a creature land granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, if it stays in play, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — in addition to other creatures you have which tap for mana.

A clear choice for maximum effect would be Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that taps to generate G mana. But numerous alternative mana dorks out there. Another option is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

Deploying terrain, mana-producing creatures, alongside this card, you can easily get a massive pricey monster on the board within a few turns. Momentum builds rapidly with continued aggression after that.

When adding a secondary color in this strategy, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are excellent picks that generate any mana color. Another card, this powerful dryad lets you play one extra land per turn plus transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. Another possibility is such as this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana provides all of your permanents the capacity to tap and generate any color mana — including any creature under your control.

The cub could be too strong when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, yet what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes your non-token creatures into Forests as well as other subtypes. This means, all your creatures on your board may tap for two G if used for mana.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, its stats are equal to the number of lands you control).

Nissa fits really well in this deck. One of her abilities allows all Forests tap for one more G. (If you have the cub, this results in each one produce triple green.) One loyalty ability is essentially a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, which is great but it isn't redundant with earthbend. The minus ability, on the other hand, makes your entire land base unbreakable and lets you put onto the battlefield all the remaining forests in the deck. Once you trigger this power, this typically means you win.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have in any green-based Avatar strategies focusing on Earthbending. If you dip into red and green, consider Bumi. This card features level 4 earthbending, and if damage is dealt to a player, each animated land untap and may attack once more. Although this card has become a beloved leader, this small creature is set to be one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.