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the popular card game’s special Avatar expansion isn't set to get a wider release until later this week, but due to early access events recently, an affordable green creature saw a sharp rise in price.

Even during previews, Badgermole Cub attracted a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness requiring G and 1 mana, it has the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the strongest of the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon with this card comes from its second ability: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

At its cheapest, the card could be purchased for $26.98. Following the early events, yet, the market price jumped above $45 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. What explains such high costs for this little creature? Mostly due to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

As it hits the battlefield, this creature converts a land into a creature that has earthbending. And with that second ability, while it stays in play, every earthbent 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 the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate one green mana. But there are plenty of creatures that make mana in the game. This particular druid is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value in comparison.

Using land cards, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get a massive and very expensive monster on the board early in the game. And things just keep spiraling out of control if you keep the pressure on from that point.

When adding another color with this approach, options such as Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are excellent picks that can make any color of mana. Additionally, a useful enchantment creature allows you to put an additional land each turn plus turns your entire land base into every basic land type. Another possibility is such as the enchantment A Realm Reborn, costing six mana gives every card you own the power to tap and generate any color mana — including each creature you have on the board.

This card might seem overpowered regarding accelerating your resources, but how do you win with this archetype? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats are set by the number of lands you control, and it makes all of your nontoken creatures Forests as well as their other types. This means, each creature in play can generate two green mana when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that benefits from lots of lands (like Ashaya, its stats match your land total).

This Planeswalker is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities makes every Forest produce extra green. (With a Badgermole Cub, so all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) Her main ability functions like an early earthbend, adding counters on terrain, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her ultimate, on the other hand, renders each land you control indestructible and allows you to search for all the remaining forests in the deck. Should you manage to use that ability, it’s pretty much game over.

This card is nearly mandatory for any kind of green Avatar deck built around Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, consider Bumi Unleashed. It possesses earthbend 4, and when it hits a player to a player, all land creatures are ready again for another attack. Although this card has emerged as a beloved leader, the cute little Badgermole Cub is set to be among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.