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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release before the end of the week, however after prerelease weekends this past weekend, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in market worth.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub attracted a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, Badgermole Cub features level 1 earthbending (possibly the best among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon with this card comes from another power: Each time a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

At its cheapest, the card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, though, the market price jumped to $49.66 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains such high costs for this little creature? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits play, the cub turns one land to a creature land with earthbend. And with that second ability, as long as it stays in play, each affected land produces twice the mana — plus mana-producing creatures on your side that produce resources.

An ideal partner for maximum effect is the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces a green resource. But many alternative mana dorks available. Another option is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature for two mana instead.

Using land cards, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a massive pricey threat on the board early in the game. And things just keep spiraling rapidly if you keep the pressure on after that.

By incorporating a secondary color using this method, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make all five colors. Additionally, this powerful dryad enables playing another terrain every round as well as transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. It's also worth trying such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment gives each permanent you control the capacity to be tapped for any color mana — even all creatures in play.

Badgermole Cub may be OP in terms of boosting mana production, however what closes out the game in such a strategy? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness match your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests along with their other types. In other words, each creature in play can tap for two G by tapping.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, its stats are based on how many lands you have).

This Planeswalker fits really well as a staple. Her static effect allows Forest lands produce extra green. (If you have the cub, this results in all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) Her main ability is essentially an early earthbend, adding counters on terrain, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, though, grants each land you control unbreakable enabling you to search for every Forest left from your library. Once you trigger this power, it almost certainly the game ends.

This card is nearly mandatory for all green-based Avatar strategies focusing on Earthbending. By including red-green, consider this legendary card. It possesses earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt to a player, land creatures untap and can attack again. While that version is a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the popular pick from this expansion.