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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, but following early access events recently, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in price.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub drew a lot of attention. A 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub includes level 1 earthbending (perhaps the best among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk here comes from another power: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card was available at around $27. Post-prerelease, however, the going rate has shot up to $49.66 and one seller offering as high as $60. The reason for Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mostly because of the incredible mana acceleration it enables.

Upon entering play, the cub converts one land into a creature that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, while it stays in play, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — plus any creatures in your control which tap for mana.

A clear choice for synergy would be Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that taps to generate a green resource. But numerous creatures that make mana in the game. Another option is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 for two mana instead.

Deploying terrain, mana-producing creatures, alongside this card, it's simple to summon an enormous and very expensive creature into play early in the game. The situation escalates out of control by maintaining dominance from there.

By incorporating another color in this strategy, options such as these mana-fixing creatures work perfectly that generate any color of mana. And something like Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play one extra land per turn AND turns all of your lands providing all land types. You can also consider something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana grants every card you own the capacity to be tapped for a mana of any type — including all creatures you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered regarding boosting mana production, but what’s the endgame finisher in such a strategy? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness match how many lands you have, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures into Forests along with their other types. Essentially, each creature you control may produce double green when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, its stats match the number of lands you control).

Nissa works perfectly in this deck. Her passive ability makes every Forest tap for one more G. (If you have the cub, this results in all earthbend forests yield three G.) Her plus ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, adding counters on a land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her ultimate, however, grants each land you control indestructible and allows you to draw out every Forest left in the deck. Should you manage to use this power, this typically means game over.

This card is pretty much essential in any green Avatar deck focusing on the earthbend mechanic. By including Gruul colors, you can use Bumi. This card features earthbend 4, plus if it hits a player in combat, land creatures untap for another attack. Although this card is a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.