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the popular card game’s special Avatar expansion will not become widely available before the end of the week, yet after pre-releases this past weekend, an affordable green creature has already exploded in market worth.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub drew a lot of attention. A 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, it features Earthbending 1 (possibly the most effective of the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk with this card is an additional effect: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, this card sold for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, however, the going rate jumped to nearly $50 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. The reason for Vivi prices for this little creature? Mostly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

When it arrives the battlefield, Badgermole Cub converts one land to a creature land with earthbend. Combined with its other power, if it is not removed, those lands generates double mana — plus other creatures on your side that generate mana.

An ideal partner for maximum effect includes the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 which can be tapped for one green mana. Yet there are plenty of other mana generation creatures out there. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get an enormous pricey creature into play early in the game. Momentum builds exponentially by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding another color using this method, options such as versatile mana producers are excellent picks that generate any color of mana. And something like this powerful dryad lets you play another terrain per turn AND turns every land you control into every basic land type. Another possibility is something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana provides every card you own the power to produce one mana of any color — which covers any creature in play.

The cub could be too strong when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, but what’s the endgame finisher in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness match the number of lands you control, and it makes all of your nontoken creatures Forests in addition to their original types. In other words, each creature you control is able to generate two green mana when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a staple. Her static effect allows Forest lands tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in those lands generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability is essentially an early earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, handy though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, renders your entire land base indestructible and allows you to search for every Forest left from your library. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it almost certainly you win.

This card is nearly mandatory for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. He has level 4 earthbending, and if he deals combat damage to an opponent, land creatures untap for another attack. Although this card has emerged as a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.