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the popular card game’s collaboration with Avatar will not hit the general market until later this week, yet after pre-releases this past weekend, an affordable green creature has already exploded in price.

Even during previews, this small creature attracted a lot of attention. A 2/2 requiring one green and one colorless mana, it includes the Earthbend 1 ability (perhaps the most effective within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). Its key advantage here is another power: Each time you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

Initially, Badgermole Cub could be purchased below $30. Post-prerelease, though, its value has shot up to $49.66 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

When it arrives play, the cub converts a land into a creature with earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it stays in play, those lands produces twice the mana — in addition to other creatures you have that generate mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect includes the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces one green mana. But numerous alternative mana dorks in the game. Druid of the Cowl is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a massive pricey creature into play early in the game. Momentum builds out of control with continued aggression from there.

By incorporating a secondary color in this strategy, examples including these mana-fixing creatures are excellent picks that can make all five colors. Another card, a useful enchantment creature lets you play an additional land each turn plus turns every land you control providing all land types. You can also consider such as a card called A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment gives every card you own the power to tap and generate any color mana — including each creature you have on the board.

This card might seem overpowered regarding boosting mana production, yet how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice already is this legendary creature. Power and toughness match the number of lands you control, and it changes each creature you own into Forests as well as their other types. In other words, every single creature on your board is able to produce double green if used for mana.

This additional option is another expensive, beefy creature that thrives with a high land count (similar to Ashaya, its stats are equal to your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability allows every Forest tap for one more G. (If you have the cub, that means those lands generate three green mana.) Her main ability functions like an early earthbend, placing counters on terrain, a useful effect but does not overlap with earthbend. Her ultimate, on the other hand, renders your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to draw out all the remaining forests in your deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it almost certainly you win.

The cub is pretty much essential for all green-based Avatar strategies focusing on the earthbend mechanic. By including Gruul colors, you can use Bumi. It possesses earthbend 4, and when it hits a player to an opponent, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Although this card is a beloved leader, this small creature will surely stay among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.