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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market before the end of the week, yet due to early access events over the last few days, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in value.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub attracted significant interest. A creature with stats 2/2 priced at one green and one colorless mana, it includes Earthbending 1 (arguably the best among the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here is its second ability: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, this card could be purchased below $30. Post-prerelease, however, its value escalated to nearly $50 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. What explains Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mainly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

As it hits play, Badgermole Cub converts a terrain card into a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, if it remains on the board, those lands produces twice the mana — along with other creatures you have which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect would be this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 that produces one green mana. But there are plenty of alternative mana dorks available. Another option is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, you may quickly play an enormous high-cost creature on the battlefield early in the game. Momentum builds out of control by maintaining dominance after that.

If you dip into another color using this method, cards like versatile mana producers work perfectly which produce all five colors. And something like a useful enchantment creature allows you to put one extra land every round AND transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. It's also worth trying for example this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana provides every card you own the capacity to be tapped for a mana of any type — which covers each creature you have on the board.

The cub could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, however what closes out the game with this archetype? One obvious and popular answer is Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures Forests in addition to their original types. This means, every single creature in play may generate two green mana by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that benefits from many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a staple. One of her abilities causes Forest lands tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, that means each one produce triple green.) Her plus ability is essentially a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect but it isn't redundant with earthbend. Her -8 ability, though, renders each land you control unbreakable and lets you search for every Forest left in your deck. If you can actually activate this power, it’s pretty much the game ends.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have in any green Avatar deck built around Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s Bumi Unleashed. It possesses level 4 earthbending, and if it hits a player in combat, land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. Even though Bumi has become a beloved leader, this small creature is definitely going to remain one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.