Among the Avatar-themed cutest MTG cards is a formidable small contender.

MTG’s collaboration with Avatar will not become widely available before the end of the week, however after prerelease weekends recently, one cheap green card saw a sharp rise in market worth.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub drew a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness that costs G and 1 mana, it has Earthbending 1 (possibly the most effective among the elemental mechanics available). The real boon with this card comes from an additional effect: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, this card was available for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, however, the going rate jumped above $45 including listings as high as $60. Why are we seeing such high costs on this adorable card? Mainly due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits the board, Badgermole Cub turns a land into a creature that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, as long as it is not removed, those lands produces twice the mana — in addition to mana-producing creatures in your control that generate mana.

A clear choice for maximum effect includes Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate one green mana. But many alternative mana dorks in the game. Another option is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature for two mana instead.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, alongside this card, you can easily get a very big and very expensive threat on the battlefield by round three or four. Momentum builds exponentially with continued aggression from there.

If you dip into another color using this method, examples including versatile mana producers work perfectly that can make any mana color. And something like a useful enchantment creature allows you to put one extra land each turn plus transforms every land you control providing all land types. You can also consider for example a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives every card you own the capacity to produce a mana of any type — even any creature in play.

The cub might seem overpowered regarding boosting mana production, however what closes out the game for a deck like this? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes each creature you own to be Forests as well as their other types. Essentially, all your creatures you control can produce double green when tapped.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from a high land count (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness match your land total).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities makes Forest lands tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, so each one yield three G.) Her main ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, adding counters to a noncreature land, handy but it isn't redundant with earthbending. Her -8 ability, however, grants all of your lands indestructible and lets you put onto the battlefield every Forest left in your deck. Once you trigger that ability, this typically means you win.

The cub is nearly mandatory for all green-based Avatar strategies that use earthbend. By including red-green, consider Bumi. It possesses earthbend 4, and if he deals combat damage to an opponent, each animated land untap and can attack again. Even though Bumi is a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of the most, maybe the desired card in the collaboration.