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the popular card game’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market before the end of the week, but due to early access events recently, one cheap green card saw a sharp rise in value.

From the initial reveals, this small creature attracted widespread focus. A 2/2 priced at one green and one colorless mana, it includes Earthbending 1 (perhaps the most effective within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon with this card is an additional effect: Each time you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

Initially, this card sold at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, yet, the market price jumped to nearly $50 including listings as high as $60. The reason for premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mostly because of the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

As it hits the battlefield, Badgermole Cub converts a terrain card to a creature land with earthbend. And with that second ability, if it remains on the board, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — in addition to other creatures on your side that produce resources.

A clear choice for maximum effect is the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 which can be tapped for one green mana. However many creatures that make mana in the game. Another option costs a bit more with stats 1/3 for two mana instead.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a massive and very expensive threat on the battlefield within a few turns. Momentum builds rapidly if you keep the pressure on from that point.

By incorporating a secondary color with this approach, options such as versatile mana producers work perfectly which produce all five colors. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put one extra land per turn as well as turns all of your lands 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 be tapped for a mana of any type — which covers any creature in play.

This card may be OP regarding accelerating your resources, yet how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya. Power and toughness are set by your land count, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures Forests as well as their other types. In other words, all your creatures in play can generate two green mana if used for mana.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its stats are based on how many lands you have).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities allows every Forest tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, this results in those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability is essentially a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, which is great though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, renders your entire land base indestructible and lets you draw out your remaining Forests in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, this typically means you win.

The cub is pretty much essential for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around earthbend. When branching into Gruul colors, you can use Bumi. He has earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt in combat, land creatures become untapped and can attack again. Even though Bumi is a popular Commander choice, the cub will surely stay one of the most, maybe the sought-after card from this expansion.