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MTG’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available until later this week, but due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in price.

From the initial reveals, this small creature garnered widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness requiring a single green and one generic mana, the card has level 1 earthbending (arguably the most effective among the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage in its design lies in its second ability: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, you gain one extra green mana.

At its cheapest, Badgermole Cub sold for $26.98. Post-prerelease, though, its value escalated above $45 and one seller offering as high as $60. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mainly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

As it hits the battlefield, Badgermole Cub transforms one land to a creature land granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it is not removed, those lands produces twice the mana — plus other creatures on your side which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for synergy includes this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for a green resource. But numerous other mana generation creatures out there. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a very big pricey creature on the board within a few turns. Momentum builds exponentially with continued aggression from there.

By incorporating another color in this strategy, examples including these mana-fixing creatures are excellent picks which produce all five colors. Another card, this powerful dryad allows you to put another terrain each turn plus transforms all of your lands providing all land types. It's also worth trying such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana provides each permanent you control the power to be tapped for a mana of any type — including any creature under your control.

This card may be OP in terms of ramping up your mana generation, however how do you win with this archetype? A common and powerful choice already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its power and toughness match your land count, plus it turns each creature you own to be Forests along with their original types. Essentially, each creature on your board may produce double green by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that thrives with lots of lands (like Ashaya, P/T are based on the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. One of her abilities makes all Forests produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, so each one produce triple green.) Her plus ability acts as a proto-earthbend, adding counters on a land, handy but it isn't redundant with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, though, grants all of your lands immune to destruction and lets you put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests in your deck. Once you trigger this power, it’s pretty much you win.

This card is pretty much essential for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. If you dip into Gruul colors, you can use Bumi Unleashed. He has earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt to a player, each animated land become untapped and can attack again. Although this card has emerged as a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay among the top, possibly the desired card in the Avatar set.