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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar won’t get a wider release until later this week, however after pre-releases this past weekend, one cheap green card experienced a surge in price.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub drew a lot of attention. A 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, the card features level 1 earthbending (possibly the best within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk in its design is an additional effect: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, this card sold at around $27. Post-prerelease, however, the market price jumped above $45 and one seller offering as high as $60. Why are we seeing such high costs on this adorable card? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits the battlefield, Badgermole Cub transforms a terrain card so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it stays in play, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — plus any creatures you have which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to to combine with would be this one-mana elf, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces a green resource. However there are plenty of creatures that make mana in the game. Druid of the Cowl costs a bit more with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Deploying terrain, mana-producing creatures, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon a very big high-cost threat on the battlefield early in the game. Momentum builds rapidly with continued aggression after that.

If you dip into an additional hue using this method, cards like these mana-fixing creatures work perfectly which produce any mana color. Another card, this powerful dryad enables playing one extra land every round AND turns all of your lands so they count as all basics. You can also consider such as a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the ability to tap and generate any color mana — including any creature under your control.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered when it comes to boosting mana production, yet how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya. Its stats are both equal to your land count, and it makes each creature you own to be Forests as well as other subtypes. Essentially, every single creature you control can generate two green mana by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on your land total).

Nissa is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities makes every Forest produce extra green. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) Her main ability acts as a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters on a land, which is great but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, however, grants all of your lands unbreakable and lets you search for every Forest left in the deck. If you can actually activate the ultimate, it almost certainly you win.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential for all green Avatar deck focusing on the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider this legendary card. It possesses earthbend 4, plus if he deals combat damage to an opponent, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Although this card has become a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub is definitely going to remain among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.