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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar will not become widely available before the end of the week, but due to early access events recently, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in price.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub drew widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness requiring G and 1 mana, the card includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the most effective of the elemental mechanics available). The major perk in its design comes from its second ability: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, this card was available for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, yet, its value has shot up to nearly $50 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this little creature? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

Upon entering the board, the cub transforms a terrain card into a creature granting it earthbend. Combined with its other power, as long as it is not removed, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — along with other creatures in your control that generate mana.

The obvious go-to to combine with would be the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate G mana. However many alternative mana dorks available. Druid of the Cowl costs a bit more with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value as an alternative.

Deploying terrain, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, it's simple to summon an enormous and very expensive creature into play early in the game. The situation escalates rapidly by maintaining dominance from there.

By incorporating another color using this method, cards like versatile mana producers work perfectly that generate any color of mana. And something like a useful enchantment creature enables playing another terrain per turn AND transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. It's also worth trying for example this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana gives each permanent you control the ability to produce a mana of any type — including all creatures under your control.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, however what closes out the game for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice already is Ashaya. Power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes your non-token creatures to be Forests along with other subtypes. This means, all your creatures you control may produce double green by tapping.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are equal to the number of lands you control).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a staple. Her static effect causes Forest lands produce extra green. (If you have the cub, that means all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, adding counters on a land, a useful effect but it isn't redundant with earthbending. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, renders each land you control unbreakable and lets you draw out every Forest left in the deck. If you can actually activate the ultimate, this typically means you win.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential in any green Avatar deck built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into red and green, you can use this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, and if damage is dealt in combat, all land creatures become untapped and can attack again. Even though Bumi has become a fan favorite Commander, the cub is set to be one of, if not the most popular pick from this expansion.