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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market until later this week, but following pre-releases recently, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in market worth.

Throughout the spoiler season, the earthbending cub garnered a lot of attention. A 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub includes the Earthbend 1 ability (perhaps the best within the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here comes from an additional effect: Each time you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, Badgermole Cub could be purchased below $30. Following the early events, however, the market price escalated to nearly $50 including listings for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices for this little creature? Mainly due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

As it hits the battlefield, this creature transforms a land to a creature land that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it is not removed, every earthbent land yields two mana instead of one — in addition to mana-producing creatures on your side that generate mana.

A clear choice for synergy is Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces G mana. But numerous creatures that make mana in the game. Druid of the Cowl costs a bit more with stats 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, plus the cub, it's simple to summon an enormous and very expensive threat on the battlefield early in the game. And things just keep spiraling rapidly by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding an additional hue using this method, examples including versatile mana producers work perfectly that generate any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put another terrain every round as well as transforms your entire land base providing all land types. It's also worth trying something like this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana gives all of your permanents the power to be tapped for any color mana — which covers all creatures under your control.

This card might seem overpowered regarding boosting mana production, however what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, and it changes each creature you own into Forests in addition to their other types. This means, each creature in play may generate two green mana if used for mana.

Harmonious Grovestrider is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, P/T are based on the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World fits really well as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability makes Forest lands produce extra green. (If you have the cub, this results in those lands generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability functions like a proto-earthbend, placing counters to a noncreature land, which is great but does not overlap with earthbend. Her -8 ability, though, renders each land you control unbreakable and allows you to search for every Forest left in your deck. If you can actually activate that ability, this typically means game over.

The cub is a must-have for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into red and green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. He has level 4 earthbending, and when it hits a player in combat, land creatures are ready again and can attack again. Even though Bumi is a fan favorite Commander, the cub is set to be one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.