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Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to hit the general market in the coming days, however due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in value.

From the initial reveals, Badgermole Cub garnered significant interest. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, the card includes level 1 earthbending (arguably the most effective among the four bending abilities in the set). The major perk with this card is an additional effect: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, the card could be purchased at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, yet, the market price has shot up to nearly $50 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. Why are we seeing such high costs for this cute lil guy? Mainly due to the incredible mana acceleration it enables.

Upon entering the battlefield, the cub transforms one land into a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, while it is not removed, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — in addition to any creatures you have which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for synergy is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate one green mana. But many other mana generation creatures available. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value as an alternative.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon a very big pricey threat into play early in the game. The situation escalates exponentially if you keep the pressure on after that.

By incorporating an additional hue using this method, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are excellent picks that can make all five colors. And something like this powerful dryad lets you play one extra land each turn AND turns all of your lands providing all land types. Another possibility is for example this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana grants all of your permanents the capacity to tap and generate a mana of any type — which covers any creature in play.

This card could be too strong regarding accelerating your resources, but how do you win in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness are both equal to how many lands you have, plus it turns each creature you own Forests in addition to other subtypes. Essentially, each creature in play is able to produce double green by tapping.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from lots of lands (as with the previous card, P/T are equal to your land total).

This Planeswalker works perfectly in this deck. Her static effect makes Forest lands tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, this results in those lands produce triple green.) One loyalty ability acts as a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. The minus ability, on the other hand, renders your entire land base indestructible enabling you to search for your remaining Forests in your deck. If you can actually activate this power, it almost certainly game over.

The cub is a must-have in any green Avatar deck focusing on the earthbend mechanic. By including Gruul colors, consider Bumi Unleashed. This card features level 4 earthbending, plus if he deals combat damage to a player, land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. While that version has emerged as a fan favorite Commander, this small creature will surely stay among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the Avatar set.