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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market before the end of the week, but after prerelease weekends this past weekend, one cheap green card has already exploded in market worth.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub drew a lot of attention. A 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub features the Earthbend 1 ability (perhaps the best within the four bending abilities in the set). The real boon with this card lies in its second ability: If you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

When first listed, the card could be purchased below $30. After the pre-release weekend, though, the market price jumped above $45 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices for this little creature? Mainly due to the explosive mana ramping it enables.

Upon entering the battlefield, Badgermole Cub transforms one land into a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, if it is not removed, each affected land produces twice the mana — plus other creatures you have that produce resources.

A clear choice for synergy is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces a green resource. Yet many alternative mana dorks out there. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a massive pricey monster into play within a few turns. The situation escalates out of control by maintaining dominance from there.

When adding an additional hue using this method, cards like versatile mana producers are all great options that generate all five colors. Another card, a useful enchantment creature lets you play an additional land every round plus transforms all of your lands providing all land types. Another possibility is something like this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana provides each permanent you control the capacity to tap and generate any color mana — including each creature under your control.

The cub may be OP when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, yet how do you win for a deck like this? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness are set by your land count, and it makes your non-token creatures Forests along with their other types. In other words, each creature on your board can produce double green if used for mana.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, its power and toughness match how many lands you have).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. Her static effect causes all Forests produce extra green. (If you have the cub, so all earthbend forests produce triple green.) One loyalty ability acts as a form of land animation, adding counters on terrain, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbending. The minus ability, however, grants each land you control unbreakable enabling you to draw out your remaining Forests in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, this typically means game over.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have in any decks using green and Avatar that use the earthbend mechanic. By including red and green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. He has earthbend 4, and if he deals combat damage to a player, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Although this card is a popular Commander choice, the cub will surely stay one of the most, maybe the sought-after card in the Avatar set.