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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to become widely available in the coming days, however due to prerelease weekends this past weekend, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in value.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub garnered widespread focus. A 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, it has Earthbending 1 (possibly the most effective of the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk here comes from its second ability: Whenever a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

Initially, the card sold at around $27. Post-prerelease, yet, the going rate has shot up to $49.66 with at least one listed as high as $60. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this little creature? Primarily because of the incredible mana acceleration it can produce.

When it arrives the board, Badgermole Cub converts a terrain card into a creature granting it earthbend. Combined with its other power, as long as it remains on the board, those lands produces twice the mana — in addition to mana-producing creatures you have which tap for mana.

A clear choice to combine with is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that taps to generate one green mana. But many other mana generation creatures in the game. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon an enormous pricey creature on the board early in the game. The situation escalates rapidly with continued aggression from that point.

By incorporating an additional hue in this strategy, options such as these mana-fixing creatures are all great options that can make any color of mana. Another card, this powerful dryad enables playing another terrain per turn AND transforms your entire land base into every basic land type. Another possibility is something like this six-mana enchantment, at a six-mana investment grants each permanent you control the power to tap and generate a mana of any type — even each creature in play.

This card might seem overpowered in terms of ramping up your mana generation, but what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? One obvious and popular answer is Ashaya. Power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures into Forests in addition to their other types. This means, every single creature in play may tap for two G if used for mana.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with lots of lands (similar to Ashaya, its stats are based on your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World fits really well as a staple. Her static effect allows all Forests produce extra green. (If you have the cub, so those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability functions like a form of land animation, placing counters to a noncreature land, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, though, renders your entire land base indestructible and lets you draw out every Forest left in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, this typically means you win.

The cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of decks using green and Avatar focusing on earthbend. When branching into red-green, you can use this legendary card. This card features earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt to a player, each animated land become untapped and may attack once more. While that version is a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the popular pick in the Avatar set.