🔗 Share this article One of Avatar's cutest Magic cards is a formidable compact contender. Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar won’t become widely available in the coming days, yet after pre-releases over the last few days, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in price. Even during previews, this small creature drew a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, Badgermole Cub features the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the most effective of the four bending abilities in the set). The real boon in its design comes from an additional effect: Whenever a creature is tapped to produce mana, add an additional green mana. Initially, Badgermole Cub sold at around $27. Following the early events, however, the market price escalated to $49.66 including listings for sale at $60.00. The reason for Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Mainly because of the rapid resource generation it can produce. As it hits the battlefield, this creature converts a terrain card into a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, while it remains on the board, those lands produces twice the mana — along with any creatures you have which tap for mana. The obvious go-to for maximum effect is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for G mana. But numerous creatures that make mana in the game. Another option is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value in comparison. Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a very big and very expensive threat on the battlefield early in the game. Momentum builds out of control if you keep the pressure on from there. If you dip into an additional hue with this approach, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play an additional land every round as well as turns your entire land base so they count as all basics. It's also worth trying such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment grants every card you own the capacity to be tapped for any color mana — even each creature in play. This card may be OP in terms of accelerating your resources, however what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is this legendary creature. Its power and toughness are set by your land count, and it makes your non-token creatures to be Forests along with other subtypes. In other words, all your creatures in play may tap for two G when tapped. Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that thrives with a high land count (as with the previous card, P/T are based on the number of lands you control). Nissa is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. One of her abilities makes all Forests generate an additional green mana. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means each one produce triple green.) One loyalty ability acts as a form of land animation, adding counters on a land, handy but does not overlap with the cub's ability. Her ultimate, though, makes your entire land base indestructible and allows you to put onto the battlefield all the remaining forests in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it almost certainly game over. This card is nearly mandatory for any kind of decks using green and Avatar built around the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red-green, you can use Bumi. It possesses earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt in combat, each animated land become untapped for another attack. Although this card is a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of, if not the most sought-after card in the Avatar set.