🔗 Share this article

the popular card game’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available in the coming days, however following prerelease weekends this past weekend, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in market worth.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub attracted a lot of attention. A 2/2 priced at G and 1 mana, Badgermole Cub has Earthbending 1 (possibly the strongest within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The real boon in its design comes from another power: Each time you tap a creature for mana, it provides bonus green mana.

When first listed, the card could be purchased at around $27. Following the early events, though, the market price jumped above $45 including listings as high as $60. Why are we seeing Vivi prices on this adorable card? Mainly thanks to the incredible mana acceleration it provides.

Upon entering play, this creature converts a land to a creature land that has earthbending. And with that second ability, while it is not removed, those lands produces twice the mana — along with any creatures on your side that produce resources.

A clear choice to combine with is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that taps to generate one green mana. But many creatures that make mana available. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative with stats 1/3 costing two mana instead.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play a very big high-cost monster 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 another color with this approach, examples including these mana-fixing creatures are all great options that generate any mana color. Additionally, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play another terrain each turn AND makes your entire land base providing all land types. It's also worth trying something like this six-mana enchantment, which for six mana gives each permanent you control the power to be tapped for one mana of any color — including all creatures you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong in terms of accelerating your resources, but what closes out the game for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice has been this legendary creature. Its power and toughness match the number of lands you control, plus it turns each creature you own into Forests along with their other types. Essentially, every single creature you control may generate two green mana when tapped.

Another creature provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from lots of lands (like Ashaya, its power and toughness are equal to the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World works perfectly in this deck. Her static effect allows Forest lands generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, that means all earthbend forests generate three green mana.) Her plus ability is essentially an early earthbend, placing counters on terrain, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, renders all of your lands immune to destruction and allows you to search for your remaining Forests in the deck. Once you trigger the ultimate, it’s pretty much game over.

Badgermole Cub is pretty much essential in any green-based Avatar strategies built around Earthbending. By including Gruul colors, you can use Bumi. This card features earthbend 4, plus if it hits a player in combat, land creatures untap for another attack. While that version is a fan favorite Commander, the cub is set to be one of, if not the most desired card in the Avatar set.