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the popular card game’s special Avatar expansion will not hit the general market until later this week, yet due to prerelease weekends recently, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in value.

Throughout the spoiler season, this small creature drew significant interest. This two-power, two-toughness priced at a single green and one generic mana, it includes level 1 earthbending (perhaps the best among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk here lies in an additional effect: Whenever you tap a creature for mana, you gain one extra green mana.

Initially, this card was available for $26.98. Post-prerelease, however, the going rate escalated to nearly $50 and one seller offering for sale at $60.00. Why are we seeing premium pricing for this little creature? Mainly thanks to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

When it arrives the board, this creature transforms one land into a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, as long as it stays in play, each affected land generates double mana — in addition to mana-producing creatures you have that produce resources.

The obvious go-to for synergy would be the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature which can be tapped for one green mana. Yet there are plenty of alternative mana dorks available. This particular druid costs a bit more a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value in comparison.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, plus the cub, you can easily get a massive and very expensive threat into play by round three or four. Momentum builds exponentially by maintaining dominance after that.

By incorporating a secondary color using this method, examples including Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that generate any mana color. And something like Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put another terrain every round plus transforms every land you control so they count as all basics. Another possibility is something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment gives each permanent you control the capacity to be tapped for any color mana — including any creature you have on the board.

This card may be OP regarding accelerating your resources, yet how do you win for a deck like this? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness are set by the number of lands you control, and it makes each creature you own Forests along with their other types. This means, every single creature on your board may produce double green by tapping.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature that benefits from many terrain cards (like Ashaya, its stats match how many lands you have).

This Planeswalker fits really well as a staple. One of her abilities allows all Forests generate an additional green mana. (If you have the cub, so each one yield three G.) One loyalty ability functions like a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect but does not overlap with earthbending. Her ultimate, on the other hand, renders all of your lands immune to destruction enabling you to draw out your remaining Forests in your deck. Once you trigger that ability, it’s pretty much the game ends.

The cub is pretty much essential for any kind of green-based Avatar strategies focusing on Earthbending. When branching into Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. It possesses earthbend 4, and if damage is dealt to a player, all land creatures become untapped for another attack. Even though Bumi has become a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.