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the popular card game’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, however after pre-releases over the last few days, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, the earthbending cub attracted a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 requiring one green and one colorless mana, Badgermole Cub has Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest within the elemental mechanics available). Its key advantage with this card comes from another power: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, the card sold at around $27. Following the early events, however, the market price has shot up to $49.66 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this little creature? Mostly because of the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

Upon entering play, the cub transforms a terrain card into a creature that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, as long as it remains on the board, those lands generates double mana — in addition to any creatures on your side that generate mana.

The obvious go-to for synergy would be Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that taps to generate G mana. Yet there are plenty of other mana generation creatures available. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play a massive and very expensive creature on the board within a few turns. Momentum builds exponentially if you keep the pressure on after that.

When adding an additional hue in this strategy, options such as versatile mana producers are all great options which produce any color of mana. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put one extra land each turn as well as turns your entire land base so they count as all basics. Another possibility is something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana grants all of your permanents the power to be tapped for one mana of any color — including all creatures in play.

This card could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, but how do you win with this archetype? 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 Forests in addition to their other types. This means, all your creatures in play may produce double green if used for mana.

Harmonious Grovestrider is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its stats are based on your land total).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a staple. Her passive ability makes Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, that means those lands yield three G.) One loyalty ability acts as a proto-earthbend, placing counters on terrain, handy but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her ultimate, on the other hand, renders each land you control indestructible and lets you search for all the remaining forests from your library. Once you trigger this power, it almost certainly you win.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have for all decks using green and Avatar built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt to an opponent, each animated land untap and may attack once more. Even though Bumi has emerged as a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of the most, maybe the desired card in the Avatar set.