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MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to become widely available before the end of the week, however due to early access events over the last few days, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in market worth.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub garnered significant interest. A 2/2 priced at G and 1 mana, the card features Earthbending 1 (possibly the most effective among the elemental mechanics available). The real boon with this card is an additional effect: If a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

Initially, this card was available below $30. Following the early events, however, its value jumped to $49.66 and one seller offering as high as $60. The reason for premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the incredible mana acceleration it can produce.

When it arrives play, this creature converts a land so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it remains on the board, each affected land produces twice the mana — in addition to any creatures in your control that generate mana.

A clear choice for synergy includes the classic Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that produces a green resource. However there are plenty of alternative mana dorks out there. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature for two mana as an alternative.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, plus the cub, you may quickly play a very big high-cost monster into play early in the game. Momentum builds exponentially with continued aggression after that.

By incorporating an additional hue using this method, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that can make any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play one extra land per turn as well as transforms every land you control into every basic land type. You can also consider something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment provides every card you own the ability to produce any color mana — including any creature you have on the board.

This card could be too strong regarding accelerating your resources, however what closes out the game in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice already is this legendary creature. Its power and toughness are set by your land count, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests as well as other subtypes. Essentially, all your creatures you control is able to produce double green by tapping.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature that benefits from a high land count (similar to Ashaya, its stats are equal to the number of lands you control).

Nissa fits really well as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability allows all Forests produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, this results in those lands yield three G.) One loyalty ability acts as a proto-earthbend, adding counters to a noncreature land, handy but does not overlap with the cub's ability. The minus ability, on the other hand, grants all of your lands indestructible and lets you draw out every Forest left in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, this typically means you win.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of decks using green and Avatar that use Earthbending. If you dip into Gruul colors, you can use this legendary card. It possesses level 4 earthbending, and when it hits a player to an opponent, all land creatures become untapped for another attack. Even though Bumi has emerged as a popular Commander choice, this small creature is definitely going to remain one of the most, maybe the sought-after card from this expansion.