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MTG’s Avatar crossover set will not become widely available until later this week, however following pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in value.

From the initial reveals, this small creature drew a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, the card features level 1 earthbending (perhaps the strongest among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon in its design comes from another power: Each time a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

When first listed, this card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, though, the going rate jumped to nearly $50 including listings for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Primarily thanks to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

Upon entering the board, this creature converts a land to a creature land with earthbend. Combined with its other power, while it stays in play, those lands yields two mana instead of one — plus other creatures you have that generate mana.

The obvious go-to to combine with is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that produces G mana. But many alternative mana dorks out there. Another option costs a bit more with stats 1/3 costing two mana instead.

By playing lands, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, you can easily get an enormous high-cost threat into play by round three or four. Momentum builds rapidly with continued aggression from there.

If you dip into another color with this approach, examples including versatile mana producers are excellent picks that can make any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put another terrain every round plus transforms all of your lands into every basic land type. It's also worth trying for example this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana gives each permanent you control the power to be tapped for any color mana — which covers all creatures under your control.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered when it comes to boosting mana production, but what closes out the game in such a strategy? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Its stats match the number of lands you control, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests along with their original types. This means, every single creature on your board can produce double green when tapped.

Another creature is a costly, large threat which gains from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, its power and toughness match your land total).

Nissa fits really well as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability allows Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, that means each one generate three green mana.) One loyalty ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters on terrain, handy but does not overlap with earthbend. Her -8 ability, however, grants your entire land base unbreakable and allows you to search for every Forest left in your deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it’s pretty much game over.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential in any green Avatar deck built around earthbend. When branching into red and green, you can use Bumi. This card features level 4 earthbending, and if he deals combat damage in combat, all land creatures are ready again and can attack again. While that version has emerged as a popular Commander choice, the cub is set to be among the top, possibly the desired card in the collaboration.