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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar will not get a wider release until later this week, yet following early access events over the last few days, an affordable green creature has already exploded in market worth.

Throughout the spoiler season, this small creature attracted a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 priced at a single green and one generic mana, the card includes level 1 earthbending (perhaps the strongest within the elemental mechanics available). The real boon with this card is an additional effect: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

When first listed, Badgermole Cub could be purchased at around $27. Following the early events, yet, the going rate has shot up to $49.66 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices on this adorable card? Mainly due to the rapid resource generation it can produce.

Upon entering the battlefield, the cub turns a terrain card to a creature land granting it earthbend. Combined with its other power, as long as it is not removed, each affected land produces twice the mana — plus mana-producing creatures you have that produce resources.

An ideal partner for synergy would be Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces one green mana. However numerous creatures that make mana available. Another option is a higher-cost choice with stats 1/3 for two mana instead.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, you may quickly play a massive and very expensive monster on the board within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling out of control by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding an additional hue using this method, cards like these mana-fixing creatures are all great options which produce any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put one extra land per turn AND turns every land you control into every basic land type. It's also worth trying something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana grants every card you own the power to produce any color mana — which covers each creature you have on the board.

This card may be OP in terms of accelerating your resources, however what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness are both equal to your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests as well as their original types. Essentially, each creature on your board is able to tap for two G when tapped.

Another creature is a costly, large threat that benefits from lots of lands (similar to Ashaya, P/T match your land total).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities makes every Forest generate an additional green mana. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability acts as a form of land animation, adding counters to a noncreature land, handy but does not overlap with earthbend. Her ultimate, however, grants all of your lands immune to destruction and lets you search for your remaining Forests in your deck. If you can actually activate that ability, it’s pretty much you win.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for all green Avatar deck built around the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider Bumi. It possesses level 4 earthbending, and if he deals combat damage to an opponent, each animated land untap and can attack again. While that version is a fan favorite Commander, this small creature is definitely going to remain one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.