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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar will not become widely available before the end of the week, however after prerelease weekends over the last few days, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in market worth.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub garnered widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness priced at G and 1 mana, it has level 1 earthbending (arguably the most effective among the elemental mechanics available). The major perk in its design lies in another power: Each time you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, this card was available at around $27. Post-prerelease, though, its value has shot up above $45 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mostly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

As it hits play, Badgermole Cub transforms a land so it becomes a creature with earthbend. And with that second ability, while it remains on the board, each affected land produces twice the mana — in addition to mana-producing creatures on your side which tap for mana.

A clear choice to combine with would be this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 that taps to generate a green resource. Yet many alternative mana dorks available. Another option costs a bit more with stats 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play a very big and very expensive creature on the battlefield within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling out of control by maintaining dominance after that.

When adding an additional hue with this approach, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that generate all five colors. And something like Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play one extra land every round AND turns your entire land base so they count as all basics. Another possibility is for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment provides every card you own the ability to be tapped for one mana of any color — which covers each creature under your control.

The cub could be too strong when it comes to accelerating your resources, yet how do you win in such a strategy? An often-seen solution has been this legendary creature. Power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests as well as other subtypes. Essentially, every single creature you control can produce double green when tapped.

Another creature is a costly, large threat that benefits from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, P/T match your land total).

This Planeswalker works perfectly as a staple. Her static effect allows Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, so all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) Her plus ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, adding counters on terrain, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, though, grants your entire land base unbreakable and lets you search for your remaining Forests from your library. Once you trigger the ultimate, it almost certainly the game ends.

The cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. If you dip into red-green, consider Bumi Unleashed. This card features level 4 earthbending, and when he deals combat damage to a player, land creatures become untapped and can attack again. Although this card is a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.