A standout from Avatar's cutest Magic cards is a nasty small powerhouse.

the popular card game’s special Avatar expansion isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, yet following pre-releases recently, one cheap green card has already exploded in market worth.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub garnered a lot of attention. A 2/2 priced at one green and one colorless mana, Badgermole Cub has Earthbending 1 (arguably the most effective within the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage in its design comes from another power: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, this card was available at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, yet, its value jumped to $49.66 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. What explains Vivi prices on this adorable card? Primarily because of the incredible mana acceleration it enables.

When it arrives the board, this creature transforms a terrain card to a creature land with earthbend. And with that second ability, if it is not removed, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — in addition to mana-producing creatures you have which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect includes this one-mana elf, a low-cost creature which can be tapped for a green resource. Yet numerous other mana generation creatures available. Another option costs a bit more that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value in comparison.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, plus the cub, it's simple to summon a massive pricey monster on the board early in the game. The situation escalates exponentially by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding an additional hue with this approach, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that generate any color of mana. Another card, this powerful dryad allows you to put one extra land each turn as well as turns all of your lands so they count as all basics. You can also consider something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana gives all of your permanents the ability to produce one mana of any color — including all creatures in play.

The cub might seem overpowered in terms of accelerating your resources, however how do you win for a deck like this? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness are both equal to your land count, plus it turns each creature you own into Forests as well as their original types. Essentially, each creature you control is able to tap for two G when tapped.

Another creature is a costly, large threat that thrives with a high land count (as with the previous card, its power and toughness are based on the number of lands you control).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit in this deck. Her static effect allows Forest lands produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, that means all earthbend forests produce triple green.) One loyalty ability functions like an early earthbend, adding counters on a land, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbend. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, renders each land you control indestructible and allows you to draw out all the remaining forests in your deck. Should you manage to use the ultimate, this typically means the game ends.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory in any green Avatar deck built around Earthbending. When branching into red-green, consider Bumi Unleashed. He has level 4 earthbending, plus if it hits a player to an opponent, land creatures are ready again for another attack. While that version has emerged as a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.

Rachel Allen
Rachel Allen

An avid hiker and writer sharing personal tales from remote trails and practical advice for safe outdoor adventures.