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the popular card game’s special Avatar expansion will not get a wider release in the coming days, yet following pre-releases recently, one cheap green card experienced a surge in value.

From the initial reveals, this small creature attracted widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness priced at one green and one colorless mana, Badgermole Cub has the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the best of the set’s four “bending” mechanics). Its key advantage with this card is an additional effect: Whenever mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, the card could be purchased below $30. After the pre-release weekend, yet, its value has shot up to $49.66 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains premium pricing on this adorable card? Primarily because of the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

Upon entering the board, Badgermole Cub converts a land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. And with that second ability, if it remains on the board, each affected land produces twice the mana — plus mana-producing creatures on your side which tap for mana.

An ideal partner to combine with is the classic Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that produces one green mana. However many other mana generation creatures in the game. Another option is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, it's simple to summon a very big pricey monster into play within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling out of control if you keep the pressure on from that point.

When adding another color using this method, cards like these mana-fixing creatures are excellent picks that generate any mana color. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put an additional land per turn AND turns all of your lands into every basic land type. Another possibility is something like a card called A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment provides every card you own the ability to produce a mana of any type — which covers all creatures you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, yet what’s the endgame finisher in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice has been Ashaya. Its power and toughness are set by how many lands you have, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests as well as their other types. This means, all your creatures you control is able to produce double green by tapping.

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

Nissa fits really well in this deck. Her passive ability makes all Forests generate an additional green mana. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability acts as a proto-earthbend, adding counters on a land, handy but does not overlap with earthbend. The minus ability, on the other hand, makes all of your lands unbreakable enabling you to search for all the remaining forests in your deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it almost certainly game over.

This card is a must-have in any green-based Avatar strategies that use Earthbending. By including red-green, consider this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, plus if damage is dealt in combat, each animated land are ready again for another attack. Although this card has emerged as a beloved leader, this small creature is definitely going to remain among the top, possibly the popular pick from this expansion.