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Magic: The Gathering’s special Avatar expansion will not hit the general market before the end of the week, however after pre-releases recently, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in value.

From the initial reveals, the earthbending cub attracted a lot of attention. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs one green and one colorless mana, the card includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the strongest within the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here comes from another power: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

At its cheapest, the card sold at around $27. Post-prerelease, however, its value has shot up to $49.66 including listings priced at sixty dollars. What explains premium pricing on this adorable card? Mainly because of the explosive mana ramping it provides.

Upon entering play, this creature converts a terrain card into a creature with earthbend. Combined with its other power, as long as it is not removed, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — along with other creatures on your side that generate mana.

A clear choice for synergy is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for one green mana. But numerous creatures that make mana out there. Another option is a higher-cost choice with stats 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, you may quickly play a massive pricey threat into play within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling exponentially if you keep the pressure on from that point.

If you dip into a secondary color with this approach, options such as versatile mana producers are excellent picks that can make any color of mana. Additionally, this powerful dryad allows you to put one extra land every round plus transforms your entire land base into every basic land type. Another possibility is such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment gives all of your permanents the ability to be tapped for one mana of any color — including each creature under your control.

Badgermole Cub might seem overpowered when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, but how do you win for a deck like this? An often-seen solution has been Ashaya. Power and toughness match the number of lands you control, and it changes your non-token creatures Forests along with other subtypes. Essentially, each creature in play can generate two green mana by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, P/T are equal to how many lands you have).

Nissa works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. One of her abilities allows all Forests tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, so all earthbend forests produce triple green.) Her plus ability acts as a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters on a land, handy but does not overlap with earthbending. Her -8 ability, however, makes your entire land base immune to destruction and allows you to draw out every Forest left in your deck. Should you manage to use this power, it’s pretty much you win.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for all decks using green and Avatar focusing on Earthbending. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider Bumi Unleashed. It possesses level 4 earthbending, plus if damage is dealt to an opponent, all land creatures are ready again for another attack. Although this card has become a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be one of, if not the most desired card from this expansion.