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MTG’s special Avatar expansion will not hit the general market before the end of the week, however following pre-releases recently, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub attracted a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness priced at G and 1 mana, it has the Earthbend 1 ability (perhaps the most effective among the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage in its design comes from another power: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, the card sold for $26.98. Following the early events, yet, its value jumped to $49.66 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Primarily because of the rapid resource generation it provides.

Upon entering play, this creature turns one land into a creature with earthbend. Combined with its other power, if it remains on the board, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — plus any creatures in your control which tap for mana.

An ideal partner for synergy includes the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 which can be tapped for G mana. But many other mana generation creatures in the game. This particular druid costs a bit more a 1/3 creature for two mana instead.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon a very big high-cost creature on the battlefield within a few turns. The situation escalates rapidly with continued aggression from that point.

By incorporating an additional hue with this approach, options such as Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that can make any color of mana. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing an additional land per turn plus turns your entire land base providing all land types. Another possibility is something like a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana provides every card you own the power to tap and generate any color mana — including each creature you have on the board.

This card might seem overpowered in terms of accelerating your resources, yet how do you win with this archetype? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya. Power and toughness are both equal to how many lands you have, and it changes your non-token creatures into Forests along with their original types. In other words, each creature you control may generate two green mana when tapped.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from a high land count (as with the previous card, its power and toughness are equal to the number of lands you control).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a staple. Her static effect allows Forest lands produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, that means those lands generate three green mana.) Her main ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, placing counters on terrain, handy but does not overlap with earthbending. Her -8 ability, however, grants your entire land base indestructible and lets you put onto the battlefield every Forest left from your library. If you can actually activate that ability, this typically means the game ends.

The cub is pretty much essential in any green Avatar deck built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into Gruul colors, consider this legendary card. This card features earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt to a player, all land creatures are ready again for another attack. While that version has become a fan favorite Commander, the cub is definitely going to remain one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.