🔗 Share this article

MTG’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to hit the general market in the coming days, but following early access events over the last few days, one cheap green card saw a sharp rise in value.

From the initial reveals, Badgermole Cub garnered a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness that costs G and 1 mana, it includes level 1 earthbending (perhaps the best within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon in its design lies in an additional effect: Whenever a creature is tapped to produce mana, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, Badgermole Cub was available for $26.98. Post-prerelease, yet, the going rate has shot up above $45 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. What explains such high costs for this little creature? Primarily due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits the battlefield, Badgermole Cub turns one land so it becomes a creature with earthbend. Combined with its other power, as long as it remains on the board, every earthbent land generates double mana — along with any creatures you have that generate mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect would be the classic Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 that taps to generate one green mana. Yet there are plenty of creatures that make mana available. Another option costs a bit more that’s a 1/3 for two mana as an alternative.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play an enormous pricey creature into play early in the game. The situation escalates rapidly if you keep the pressure on from that point.

When adding an additional hue in this strategy, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that can make any mana color. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature lets you play one extra land every round as well as turns all of your lands so they count as all basics. Another possibility is for example this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana gives all of your permanents the power to be tapped for a mana of any type — including any creature under your control.

This card may be OP regarding accelerating your resources, but how do you win in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice is this legendary creature. Its stats are both equal to the number of lands you control, plus it turns all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests as well as their other types. This means, each creature in play can generate two green mana if used for mana.

This additional option provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from a high land count (as with the previous card, P/T match your land total).

Nissa works perfectly as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability allows all Forests produce extra green. (Combined with earthbend, this results in those lands produce triple green.) Her plus ability acts as a proto-earthbend, adding counters on terrain, a useful effect but it isn't redundant with earthbending. Her ultimate, though, renders each land you control indestructible and lets you put onto the battlefield all the remaining forests in your deck. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it’s pretty much game over.

The cub is nearly mandatory in any green-based Avatar strategies built around earthbend. When branching into red-green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, and when it hits a player to a player, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Even though Bumi has become a fan favorite Commander, this small creature will surely stay one of, if not the most desired card from this expansion.