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MTG’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available before the end of the week, however following prerelease weekends over the last few days, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in value.

Even during previews, this small creature garnered widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, the card includes Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest of the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here comes from another power: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, add an additional green mana.

Initially, this card sold at around $27. Post-prerelease, however, its value has shot up above $45 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. The reason for Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

When it arrives play, this creature converts one land into a creature that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, if it is not removed, each affected land generates double mana — along with mana-producing creatures you have which tap for mana.

An ideal partner for maximum effect is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate a green resource. But numerous creatures that make mana available. Another option costs a bit more with stats 1/3 costing two mana instead.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, it's simple to summon an enormous pricey creature on the board within a few turns. The situation escalates out of control by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding another color in this strategy, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options which produce all five colors. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove enables playing another terrain per turn as well as makes all of your lands into every basic land type. It's also worth trying for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the capacity to be tapped for one mana of any color — including each creature in play.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered regarding accelerating your resources, yet how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness are set by your land count, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests in addition to their other types. In other words, every single creature in play can produce double green by tapping.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability makes every Forest tap for one more G. (If you have the cub, so those lands yield three G.) Her main ability acts as a form of land animation, placing counters on a land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbending. Her -8 ability, however, renders all of your lands indestructible and allows you to search for all the remaining forests from your library. Should you manage to use that ability, it almost certainly you win.

The cub is pretty much essential for all green Avatar deck focusing on the earthbend mechanic. By including Gruul colors, you can use Bumi. It possesses earthbend 4, and if damage is dealt to an opponent, each animated land untap for another attack. Even though Bumi has become a beloved leader, the cub is definitely going to remain one of, if not the most sought-after card from this expansion.