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Magic: The Gathering’s special Avatar expansion isn't set to get a wider release in the coming days, yet following pre-releases this past weekend, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in value.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub drew a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, it includes level 1 earthbending (possibly the most effective among the four bending abilities in the set). The real boon here is its second ability: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card could be purchased below $30. After the pre-release weekend, though, its value escalated to $49.66 with at least one listed as high as $60. The reason for premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the rapid resource generation it provides.

When it arrives the battlefield, Badgermole Cub turns a land into a creature with earthbend. And with that second ability, while it remains on the board, those lands yields two mana instead of one — along with any creatures you have which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect would be the classic Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for G mana. But there are plenty of other mana generation creatures in the game. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value as an alternative.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, you may quickly play a very big and very expensive threat into play by round three or four. And things just keep spiraling exponentially by maintaining dominance after that.

If you dip into a secondary color with this approach, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that generate all five colors. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing one extra land every round as well as transforms every land you control providing all land types. Another possibility is such as a card called A Realm Reborn, costing six mana gives every card you own the capacity to tap and generate any color mana — even each creature under your control.

Badgermole Cub may be OP regarding accelerating your resources, yet what’s the endgame finisher with this archetype? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness match the number of lands you control, plus it turns your non-token creatures into Forests as well as their original types. In other words, all your creatures in play is able to produce double green when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, its stats are equal to how many lands you have).

Nissa is an excellent fit in this deck. Her static effect makes all Forests produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, so all earthbend forests yield three G.) Her main ability is essentially an early earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters on terrain, which is great but does not overlap with earthbend. The minus ability, though, grants your entire land base immune to destruction and lets you put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests in the deck. Should you manage to use this power, it’s pretty much you win.

This card is nearly mandatory for any kind of decks using green and Avatar focusing on Earthbending. If you dip into red-green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. He has level 4 earthbending, and when damage is dealt to an opponent, all land creatures untap for another attack. Even though Bumi is a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.