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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to become widely available in the coming days, yet after prerelease weekends over the last few days, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub garnered widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs one green and one colorless mana, it features the Earthbend 1 ability (possibly the most effective among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk with this card comes from another power: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, this card was available at around $27. Post-prerelease, yet, the going rate escalated above $45 with at least one listed as high as $60. Why are we seeing such high costs for this little creature? Mostly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it enables.

As it hits the board, Badgermole Cub converts a terrain card so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, while it remains on the board, every earthbent land generates double mana — in addition to other creatures you have which tap for mana.

An ideal partner for maximum effect includes the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces a green resource. Yet there are plenty of alternative mana dorks available. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 for two mana as an alternative.

Using land cards, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a massive pricey threat on the board by round three or four. The situation escalates rapidly if you keep the pressure on from there.

If you dip into an additional hue using this method, options such as these mana-fixing creatures work perfectly which produce all five colors. Another card, a useful enchantment creature allows you to put an additional land each turn as well as makes your entire land base providing all land types. Another possibility is something like this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana provides every card you own the power to tap and generate a mana of any type — including all creatures under your control.

The cub might seem overpowered in terms of boosting mana production, yet what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya. Its power and toughness are both equal to how many lands you have, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests along with other subtypes. Essentially, each creature on your board can generate two green mana by tapping.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with a high land count (like Ashaya, P/T are based on how many lands you have).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability allows all Forests tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, so each one yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like a form of land animation, placing counters on terrain, handy though it doesn't stack with earthbend. The minus ability, on the other hand, makes your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to search for your remaining Forests in the deck. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it almost certainly the game ends.

This card is a must-have for any kind of decks using green and Avatar that use the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red-green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, plus if it hits a player to a player, land creatures untap and may attack once more. Although this card has become a fan favorite Commander, this small creature will surely stay among the top, possibly the popular pick in the Avatar set.