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Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar won’t get a wider release in the coming days, however following early access events over the last few days, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in market worth.

From the initial reveals, this small creature drew significant interest. A creature with stats 2/2 requiring one green and one colorless mana, it has level 1 earthbending (arguably the best within the elemental mechanics available). The real boon here comes from an additional effect: Each time a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, however, the market price has shot up to nearly $50 and one seller offering priced at sixty dollars. What explains Vivi prices on this adorable card? Primarily thanks to the explosive mana ramping it enables.

As it hits the board, Badgermole Cub converts one land to a creature land that has earthbending. And with that second ability, while it is not removed, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — plus mana-producing creatures on your side that generate mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect would be Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that taps to generate one green mana. However there are plenty of other mana generation creatures out there. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 for two mana in comparison.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, you may quickly play an enormous and very expensive threat on the battlefield within a few turns. Momentum builds out of control with continued aggression from that point.

If you dip into an additional hue using this method, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make any mana color. Another card, this powerful dryad allows you to put one extra land every round AND turns every land you control providing all land types. It's also worth trying such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana provides each permanent you control the power to be tapped for a mana of any type — which covers all creatures under your control.

Badgermole Cub may be OP when it comes to boosting mana production, yet what closes out the game with this archetype? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by your land count, plus it turns each creature you own to be Forests as well as their other types. Essentially, all your creatures you control is able to produce double green if used for mana.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from lots of lands (similar to Ashaya, its stats match the number of lands you control).

Nissa fits really well in this deck. Her static effect makes all Forests tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, so each one yield three G.) Her main ability functions like an early earthbend, adding counters on a land, which is great but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, however, renders your entire land base unbreakable and lets you put onto the battlefield all the remaining forests from your library. Should you manage to use the ultimate, this typically means game over.

The cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies that use the earthbend mechanic. By including red-green, consider Bumi Unleashed. He has earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt in combat, all land creatures are ready again and can attack again. While that version is a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the desired card in the Avatar set.