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Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar crossover set won’t get a wider release before the end of the week, but due to pre-releases this past weekend, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in value.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub drew widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub features Earthbending 1 (arguably the most effective within the elemental mechanics available). The real boon in its design is an additional effect: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

When first listed, this card could be purchased below $30. Post-prerelease, however, the going rate jumped above $45 including listings as high as $60. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this little creature? Mostly because of the rapid resource generation it enables.

When it arrives the board, this creature transforms a land into a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it is not removed, each affected land generates double mana — along with other creatures in your control that produce resources.

The obvious go-to for synergy includes the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate G mana. Yet many creatures that make mana out there. Another option costs a bit more with stats 1/3 for two mana as an alternative.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a very big pricey threat on the battlefield by round three or four. Momentum builds out of control if you keep the pressure on from that point.

By incorporating an additional hue with this approach, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that generate all five colors. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature enables playing one extra land each turn AND transforms your entire land base into every basic land type. It's also worth trying such as this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana grants all of your permanents the ability to be tapped for a mana of any type — even each creature under your control.

The cub may be OP regarding ramping up your mana generation, however what closes out the game for a deck like this? One obvious and popular answer is this legendary creature. Its stats are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures into Forests as well as other subtypes. Essentially, every single creature you control can tap for two G when tapped.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on your land total).

Nissa is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability causes all Forests produce extra green. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, placing counters on a land, which is great but does not overlap with earthbending. Her -8 ability, though, renders your entire land base immune to destruction and lets you draw out all the remaining forests in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it’s pretty much game over.

This card is nearly mandatory in any decks using green and Avatar built around Earthbending. By including red and green, there’s Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt to a player, land creatures untap and may attack once more. While that version has become a beloved leader, the cub is set to be one of the most, maybe the sought-after card from this expansion.