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MTG’s special Avatar expansion will not get a wider release in the coming days, yet following early access events this past weekend, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in price.

From the initial reveals, Badgermole Cub attracted widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, the card features the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the best within the four bending abilities in the set). The real boon with this card lies in an additional effect: Each time mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, this card could be purchased below $30. Following the early events, yet, the going rate escalated to $49.66 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices on this adorable card? Mainly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

Upon entering the board, the cub transforms a terrain card into a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, while it remains on the board, those lands yields two mana instead of one — plus any creatures you have that generate mana.

An ideal partner for synergy is this one-mana elf, a low-cost creature that taps to generate one green mana. However there are plenty of other mana generation creatures available. Druid of the Cowl costs a bit more with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Deploying terrain, creatures that tap for mana, plus the cub, you can easily get a very big pricey monster on the board early in the game. And things just keep spiraling out of control with continued aggression after that.

If you dip into another color using this method, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that generate any color of mana. And something like a useful enchantment creature allows you to put one extra land every round plus turns every land you control into every basic land type. Another possibility is for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana gives every card you own the power to tap and generate any color mana — including each creature under your control.

The cub may be OP in terms of boosting mana production, but what closes out the game for a deck like this? An often-seen solution has been this legendary creature. Its power and toughness are both equal to your land count, and it changes each creature you own to be Forests along with their original types. In other words, all your creatures in play can generate two green mana by tapping.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature that thrives with many terrain cards (as with the previous card, P/T are equal to how many lands you have).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. Her static effect causes every Forest generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, so each one yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like an early earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect but it isn't redundant with earthbending. Her ultimate, though, renders all of your lands unbreakable and lets you draw out your remaining Forests in your deck. Once you trigger the ultimate, it almost certainly you win.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory in any green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. This card features level 4 earthbending, and when damage is dealt in combat, all land creatures untap for another attack. Although this card has become a fan favorite Commander, this small creature is set to be among the top, possibly the popular pick in the Avatar set.