🔗 Share this article

MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to become widely available before the end of the week, however after pre-releases recently, an affordable green creature has already exploded in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub drew widespread focus. A 2/2 priced at a single green and one generic mana, the card includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the best within the elemental mechanics available). Its key advantage with this card comes from an additional effect: If you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, the card was available for $26.98. Post-prerelease, however, the market price has shot up to nearly $50 and one seller offering as high as $60. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this little creature? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it can produce.

As it hits the battlefield, this creature turns a terrain card to a creature land with earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it remains on the board, every earthbent land generates double mana — plus any creatures you have that produce resources.

An ideal partner for synergy includes the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 which can be tapped for one green mana. But many other mana generation creatures available. Druid of the Cowl is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a very big pricey threat on the battlefield within a few turns. The situation escalates out of control by maintaining dominance from that point.

When adding a secondary color with this approach, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly which produce any color of mana. Additionally, this powerful dryad lets you play another terrain each turn as well as turns every land you control so they count as all basics. Another possibility is for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana grants each permanent you control the ability to tap and generate one mana of any color — which covers any creature in play.

The cub could be too strong regarding boosting mana production, however what closes out the game in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya. Power and toughness match how many lands you have, and it changes all of your nontoken creatures into Forests as well as other subtypes. In other words, every single creature you control is able to produce double green if used for mana.

This additional option is another expensive, beefy creature that benefits from many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are based on your land total).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly as a staple. Her static effect causes Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in each one yield three G.) One loyalty ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, placing counters to a noncreature land, which is great but does not overlap with earthbend. The minus ability, however, grants each land you control immune to destruction and allows you to search for all the remaining forests from your library. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it almost certainly the game ends.

The cub is a must-have for all green Avatar deck focusing on Earthbending. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider Bumi. It possesses level 4 earthbending, and when it hits a player to an opponent, all land creatures become untapped and can attack again. Although this card is a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of the most, maybe the desired card in the collaboration.