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Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available until later this week, yet following early access events recently, one cheap green card has already exploded in market worth.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub attracted significant interest. A 2/2 priced at G and 1 mana, it features level 1 earthbending (possibly the best among the elemental mechanics available). The real boon here comes from an additional effect: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, Badgermole Cub could be purchased below $30. After the pre-release weekend, though, the market price jumped to nearly $50 with at least one listed as high as $60. What explains premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mainly because of the rapid resource generation it can produce.

As it hits play, this creature turns a land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it remains on the board, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — in addition to mana-producing creatures on your side that produce resources.

The obvious go-to to combine with would be this one-mana elf, a low-cost creature that produces G mana. But many alternative mana dorks out there. Druid of the Cowl is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 for two mana instead.

Using land cards, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, you can easily get a very big high-cost creature on the battlefield within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling rapidly by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding an additional hue with this approach, cards like these mana-fixing creatures are excellent picks that can make any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing another terrain each turn plus transforms all of your lands so they count as all basics. You can also consider something like this six-mana enchantment, at a six-mana investment provides every card you own the ability to be tapped for any color mana — including all creatures in play.

The cub might seem overpowered in terms of accelerating your resources, but how do you win with this archetype? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Power and toughness are both equal to your land count, and it makes each creature you own to be Forests in addition to other subtypes. In other words, each creature you control can generate two green mana if used for mana.

This additional option is a costly, large threat that thrives with lots of lands (like Ashaya, its stats are equal to your land total).

This Planeswalker fits really well as a go-to Planeswalker. Her static effect makes Forest lands produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, that means those lands yield three G.) One loyalty ability is essentially a form of land animation, placing counters on terrain, handy though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her ultimate, on the other hand, renders your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to draw out your remaining Forests in your deck. Should you manage to use this power, this typically means the game ends.

This card is pretty much essential for all green-based Avatar strategies focusing on the earthbend mechanic. By including red and green, consider Bumi. It possesses level 4 earthbending, and when damage is dealt in combat, land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. While that version is a fan favorite Commander, the cub is definitely going to remain one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.