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Magic: The Gathering’s special Avatar expansion will not hit the general market in the coming days, yet after pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in value.

Even during previews, this small creature garnered significant interest. This two-power, two-toughness that costs G and 1 mana, the card includes Earthbending 1 (possibly the strongest among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk with this card lies in an additional effect: Each time you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

At its cheapest, the card was available for $26.98. Following the early events, however, the going rate escalated above $45 including listings as high as $60. What explains Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mostly due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

As it hits play, this creature turns one land to a creature land that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it remains on the board, every earthbent land yields two mana instead of one — along with any creatures you have that produce resources.

An ideal partner for synergy includes Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces G mana. However numerous other mana generation creatures out there. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value as an alternative.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a very big pricey creature on the board early in the game. Momentum builds exponentially with continued aggression from there.

When adding an additional hue with this approach, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are excellent picks which produce any mana color. And something like Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put one extra land each turn plus makes your entire land base providing all land types. You can also consider something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment provides every card you own the ability to tap and generate one mana of any color — including each creature in play.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong when it comes to accelerating your resources, but what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? A common and powerful choice already is Ashaya. Power and toughness match how many lands you have, and it changes each creature you own into Forests in addition to their original types. In other words, all your creatures on your board is able to tap for two G by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that benefits from lots of lands (like Ashaya, P/T are equal to your land total).

Nissa fits really well as a go-to Planeswalker. One of her abilities makes Forest lands produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, that means all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, placing counters on a land, handy but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, grants all of your lands indestructible enabling you to search for all the remaining forests from your library. Should you manage to use that ability, it’s pretty much the game ends.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of green Avatar deck built around earthbend. When branching into Gruul colors, you can use this legendary card. It possesses level 4 earthbending, plus if damage is dealt to a player, each animated land are ready again and can attack again. Even though Bumi has become a popular Commander choice, this small creature will surely stay among the top, possibly the popular pick in the collaboration.