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MTG’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available in the coming days, but following early access events this past weekend, one cheap green card saw a sharp rise in price.

From the initial reveals, Badgermole Cub drew widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness that costs G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub has level 1 earthbending (possibly the most effective of the elemental mechanics available). The real boon in its design comes from its second ability: Whenever a creature is tapped to produce mana, add an additional green mana.

Initially, this card was available below $30. Post-prerelease, yet, the going rate escalated above $45 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits the board, Badgermole Cub converts one land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it remains on the board, those lands produces twice the mana — along with any creatures in your control which tap for mana.

A clear choice for maximum effect is this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 that taps to generate G mana. But many alternative mana dorks in the game. This particular druid is a higher-cost choice with stats 1/3 for two mana as an alternative.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, you can easily get a massive and very expensive creature into play within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling rapidly with continued aggression after that.

When adding another color with this approach, examples including versatile mana producers are all great options which produce all five colors. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature enables playing one extra land each turn as well as makes all of your lands providing all land types. It's also worth trying for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment provides all of your permanents the ability to tap and generate one mana of any color — including any creature you have on the board.

The cub could be too strong regarding boosting mana production, however how do you win with this archetype? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness are set by your land count, and it makes each creature you own to be Forests along with other subtypes. In other words, all your creatures you control can tap for two G when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness are equal to your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World fits really well as a staple. Her passive ability makes Forest lands tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in those lands generate three green mana.) Her plus ability acts as an early earthbend, adding counters on terrain, handy but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. The minus ability, however, grants each land you control unbreakable enabling you to search for your remaining Forests in your deck. If you can actually activate the ultimate, it almost certainly game over.

The cub is nearly mandatory in any decks using green and Avatar focusing on Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. This card features earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt in combat, all land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. Although this card has emerged as a beloved leader, the cub is set to be one of the most, maybe the popular pick in the collaboration.