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the popular card game’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to hit the general market until later this week, yet after pre-releases this past weekend, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, this small creature drew significant interest. This two-power, two-toughness priced at G and 1 mana, it features level 1 earthbending (possibly the strongest within the elemental mechanics available). Its key advantage here lies in another power: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

Initially, the card was available at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, though, its value has shot up above $45 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. The reason for such high costs for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the rapid resource generation it can produce.

Upon entering play, the cub turns one land to a creature land granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — in addition to any creatures on your side which tap for mana.

An ideal partner for maximum effect is Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that taps to generate one green mana. Yet there are plenty of alternative mana dorks available. Druid of the Cowl is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 costing two mana instead.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, you may quickly play a massive and very expensive threat on the battlefield within a few turns. The situation escalates rapidly if you keep the pressure on after that.

If you dip into a secondary color in this strategy, cards like versatile mana producers are all great options which produce any color of mana. And something like a useful enchantment creature lets you play another terrain each turn plus makes all of your lands so they count as all basics. You can also consider such as this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the capacity to produce any color mana — which covers each creature in play.

The cub could be too strong when it comes to accelerating your resources, but what closes out the game in such a strategy? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by how many lands you have, plus it turns each creature you own to be Forests in addition to other subtypes. In other words, each creature you control is able to tap for two G by tapping.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness match how many lands you have).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit in this deck. Her static effect causes Forest lands produce extra green. (If you have the cub, so those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability acts as a proto-earthbend, placing counters on a land, handy though it doesn't stack with earthbending. Her ultimate, though, renders all of your lands immune to destruction and lets you search for every Forest left in your deck. Once you trigger the ultimate, this typically means you win.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have in any green Avatar deck focusing on the earthbend mechanic. When branching into red-green, you can use Bumi. He has earthbend 4, plus if he deals combat damage to an opponent, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Although this card has become a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.