Among the Avatar-themed most charming MTG cards proves to be a powerful small force.

Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar won’t get a wider release before the end of the week, but due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in market worth.

From the initial reveals, Badgermole Cub garnered significant interest. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub has level 1 earthbending (possibly the strongest among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk with this card is its second ability: If a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card could be purchased for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, though, the going rate has shot up above $45 including listings for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices for this little creature? Mostly due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

When it arrives the board, Badgermole Cub converts one land into a creature with earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it remains on the board, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — along with mana-producing creatures you have that produce resources.

An ideal partner to combine with is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that produces one green mana. Yet many other mana generation creatures out there. Another option is a higher-cost choice a 1/3 creature for two mana instead.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, you can easily get an enormous high-cost creature into play early in the game. The situation escalates exponentially with continued aggression from that point.

When adding an additional hue using this method, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are excellent picks that can make any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put another terrain per turn AND makes every land you control into every basic land type. Another possibility is such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives all of your permanents the power to produce one mana of any color — even each creature you have on the board.

The cub could be too strong when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, but how do you win for a deck like this? An often-seen solution is Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by how many lands you have, plus it turns your non-token creatures into Forests in addition to other subtypes. This means, each creature in play is able to produce double green by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, P/T are based on the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit in this deck. Her static effect causes all Forests produce extra green. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in all earthbend forests produce triple green.) One loyalty ability functions like a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, however, grants all of your lands unbreakable enabling you to draw out your remaining Forests in your deck. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it almost certainly game over.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential in any decks using green and Avatar that use earthbend. When branching into red-green, consider Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, plus if he deals combat damage to an opponent, each animated land become untapped and can attack again. Although this card has become a fan favorite Commander, the cub will surely stay one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.