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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market in the coming days, but following pre-releases over the last few days, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in value.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub attracted significant interest. 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 major perk here is an additional effect: Each time you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

When first listed, Badgermole Cub could be purchased at around $27. Post-prerelease, however, the going rate escalated to $49.66 including listings priced at sixty dollars. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mainly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

When it arrives the battlefield, Badgermole Cub converts a terrain card into a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it is not removed, those lands generates double mana — along with other creatures you have that generate mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect is Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces one green mana. However numerous creatures that make mana available. Another option is a higher-cost choice a 1/3 creature for two mana instead.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, it's simple to summon an enormous and very expensive threat on the battlefield within a few turns. Momentum builds out of control by maintaining dominance from there.

By incorporating a secondary color using this method, options such as these mana-fixing creatures are excellent picks which produce any color of mana. And something like this powerful dryad allows you to put one extra land every round AND transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. It's also worth trying something like this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana gives every card you own the power to be tapped for a mana of any type — including all creatures in play.

This card might seem overpowered in terms of boosting mana production, however how do you win with this archetype? An often-seen solution is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness are set by your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures to be Forests along with their other types. Essentially, each creature you control can generate two green mana by tapping.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from lots of lands (like Ashaya, its stats are based on your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World fits really well in this deck. Her static effect allows Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (If you have the cub, so those lands yield three G.) Her plus ability is essentially an early earthbend, adding counters on terrain, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, grants each land you control immune to destruction and lets you draw out every Forest left in your deck. If you can actually activate this power, this typically means game over.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential for all green-based Avatar strategies that use the earthbend mechanic. When branching into red and green, you can use this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, and if it hits a player to a player, each animated land become untapped for another attack. While that version has become a fan favorite Commander, this small creature is set to be among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the Avatar set.