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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release before the end of the week, but after pre-releases this past weekend, an affordable green creature has already exploded in market worth.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub attracted significant interest. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub has level 1 earthbending (perhaps the best within the four bending abilities in the set). The major perk here lies in another power: If a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, the card sold for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, though, its value jumped to $49.66 including listings for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this little creature? Mainly due to the rapid resource generation it enables.

When it arrives play, the cub converts one land so it becomes a creature with earthbend. And with that second ability, if it stays in play, every earthbent land generates double mana — in addition to other creatures on your side which tap for mana.

A clear choice to combine with includes the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate a green resource. But numerous creatures that make mana available. Another option costs a bit more a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value as an alternative.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a massive high-cost creature on the battlefield early in the game. And things just keep spiraling out of control with continued aggression from there.

By incorporating another color in this strategy, examples including versatile mana producers are all great options that can make any color of mana. And something like a useful enchantment creature enables playing another terrain every round AND transforms your entire land base into every basic land type. Another possibility is for example this six-mana enchantment, at a six-mana investment gives every card you own the capacity to be tapped for one mana of any color — even any creature you have on the board.

The cub may be OP regarding boosting mana production, yet what closes out the game in such a strategy? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats match how many lands you have, and it makes your non-token creatures to be Forests in addition to other subtypes. In other words, every single creature in play is able to generate two green mana by tapping.

This additional option is a costly, large threat that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, its power and toughness match the number of lands you control).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a staple. Her static effect makes every Forest generate an additional green mana. (If you have the cub, this results in each one yield three G.) One loyalty ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, adding counters to a noncreature land, which is great but does not overlap with the cub's ability. Her ultimate, however, grants all of your lands immune to destruction enabling you to search for your remaining Forests in your deck. If you can actually activate this power, it’s pretty much you win.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. By including red-green, you can use this legendary card. It possesses earthbend 4, plus if it hits a player to an opponent, each animated land untap and may attack once more. Even though Bumi is a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be one of the most, maybe the sought-after card in the collaboration.