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MTG’s Avatar crossover set will not hit the general market before the end of the week, but following pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in market worth.

Throughout the spoiler season, the earthbending cub drew widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, the card features Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest of the elemental mechanics available). The real boon with this card lies in its second ability: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card was available below $30. Post-prerelease, however, its value escalated above $45 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices on this adorable card? Mainly due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

When it arrives the board, the cub converts one land to a creature land that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, as long as it stays in play, those lands produces twice the mana — plus any creatures in your control which tap for mana.

A clear choice to combine with includes this one-mana elf, a low-cost creature that produces one green mana. However numerous creatures that make mana available. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon a very big high-cost threat into play by round three or four. The situation escalates out of control with continued aggression after that.

When adding a secondary color with this approach, options such as versatile mana producers are all great options which produce any color of mana. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature lets you play another terrain each turn plus makes your entire land base providing all land types. Another possibility is something like a card called A Realm Reborn, costing six mana provides every card you own the capacity to be tapped for any color mana — which covers any creature under your control.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong when it comes to boosting mana production, but what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats match your land count, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures into Forests as well as other subtypes. In other words, all your creatures you control can tap for two G when tapped.

This additional option is a costly, large threat that thrives with lots of lands (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness are equal to your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability makes Forest lands produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, so each one produce triple green.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her ultimate, on the other hand, makes all of your lands immune to destruction and allows you to draw out your remaining Forests in the deck. If you can actually activate the ultimate, it’s pretty much game over.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for all green-based Avatar strategies that use the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider this legendary card. This card features level 4 earthbending, plus if damage is dealt to a player, all land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. Even though Bumi has emerged as a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is definitely going to remain among the top, possibly the desired card from this expansion.