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MTG’s special Avatar expansion isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, but following prerelease weekends over the last few days, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in value.

From the initial reveals, this small creature drew a lot of attention. A 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, Badgermole Cub includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the most effective of the four bending abilities in the set). The major perk in its design lies in another power: If you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, Badgermole Cub was available at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, though, the market price jumped to nearly $50 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices for this little creature? Mostly because of the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

When it arrives the board, this creature converts one land into a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — along with other creatures on your side that generate mana.

An ideal partner to combine with is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature which can be tapped for a green resource. However many creatures that make mana available. Another option is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 for two mana in comparison.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play an enormous and very expensive threat on the battlefield early in the game. Momentum builds out of control by maintaining dominance from that point.

If you dip into an additional hue using this method, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing another terrain every round as well as makes every land you control into every basic land type. You can also consider something like a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana grants every card you own the capacity to produce a mana of any type — even all creatures you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub may be OP when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, but what’s the endgame finisher in such a strategy? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Power and toughness are both equal to your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures to be Forests along with other subtypes. In other words, every single creature you control is able to produce double green when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat which gains from lots of lands (as with the previous card, its stats match how many lands you have).

Nissa works perfectly as a staple. Her passive ability allows Forest lands produce extra green. (If you have the cub, this results in those lands yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like an early earthbend, placing counters to a noncreature land, which is great but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, however, renders each land you control unbreakable enabling you to put onto the battlefield every Forest left in the deck. Once you trigger the ultimate, it’s pretty much the game ends.

This card is a must-have for all green-based Avatar strategies focusing on the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red and green, consider Bumi. He has level 4 earthbending, plus if it hits a player to an opponent, all land creatures become untapped and may attack once more. Although this card is a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be one of the most, maybe the popular pick from this expansion.