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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, but following pre-releases recently, one cheap green card experienced a surge in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, this small creature drew significant interest. This two-power, two-toughness that costs a single green and one generic mana, the card includes Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest among the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage here is its second ability: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

At its cheapest, Badgermole Cub sold below $30. Post-prerelease, though, the market price escalated to $49.66 with at least one listed as high as $60. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mainly because of the rapid resource generation it provides.

Upon entering the battlefield, Badgermole Cub turns one land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, while it remains on the board, those lands produces twice the mana — plus other creatures you have which tap for mana.

A clear choice for synergy would be the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that taps to generate a green resource. However there are plenty of other mana generation creatures available. Another option is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value in comparison.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, you may quickly play a very big and very expensive monster on the battlefield by round three or four. Momentum builds rapidly with continued aggression from there.

When adding another color using this method, cards like these mana-fixing creatures are all great options which produce any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing one extra land every round AND transforms your entire land base so they count as all basics. You can also consider for example a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the capacity to tap and generate a mana of any type — including any creature you have on the board.

This card may be OP in terms of boosting mana production, yet what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats are set by your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests in addition to their other types. This means, every single creature on your board is able to generate two green mana when tapped.

This additional option is a costly, large threat that benefits from a high land count (similar to Ashaya, its stats are based on your land total).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a staple. One of her abilities causes Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means each one generate three green mana.) Her plus ability acts as a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters on terrain, which is great but does not overlap with the cub's ability. The minus ability, on the other hand, makes your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests from your library. Once you trigger this power, it’s pretty much you win.

The cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt in combat, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Even though Bumi has emerged as a popular Commander choice, the cub is set to be one of the most, maybe the desired card in the collaboration.