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MTG’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to hit the general market until later this week, but following prerelease weekends recently, one cheap green card has already exploded in price.

From the initial reveals, this small creature garnered widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs a single green and one generic mana, Badgermole Cub includes the Earthbend 1 ability (possibly the most effective of the elemental mechanics available). The major perk with this card is another power: If you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, this card sold at around $27. Following the early events, however, the going rate escalated to nearly $50 and one seller offering as high as $60. The reason for premium pricing on this adorable card? Mainly due to the rapid resource generation it can produce.

Upon entering the board, the cub turns a land so it becomes a creature that has earthbending. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, if it is not removed, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — plus other creatures you have that generate mana.

A clear choice for maximum effect would be the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature that produces G mana. But numerous creatures that make mana in the game. This particular druid is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature at a two-mana value in comparison.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get a very big high-cost creature on the battlefield early in the game. And things just keep spiraling rapidly by maintaining dominance from that point.

If you dip into another color using this method, cards like versatile mana producers are all great options that can make any color of mana. And something like this powerful dryad allows you to put an additional land every round plus transforms all of your lands so they count as all basics. Another possibility is for example this six-mana enchantment, costing six mana provides each permanent you control the ability to produce a mana of any type — including all creatures under your control.

This card could be too strong when it comes to ramping up your mana generation, yet how do you win in such a strategy? An often-seen solution has been this legendary creature. Its stats are both equal to how many lands you have, and it makes each creature you own to be Forests in addition to other subtypes. Essentially, every single creature you control may produce double green if used for mana.

Another creature is a costly, large threat that benefits from a high land count (similar to Ashaya, P/T match the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability causes every Forest tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, this results in each one yield three G.) One loyalty ability is essentially a form of land animation, putting +1/+1 counters on terrain, which is great but does not overlap with earthbending. Her -8 ability, on the other hand, makes all of your lands indestructible enabling you to draw out every Forest left in your deck. If you can actually activate this power, it almost certainly the game ends.

The cub is pretty much essential for all green-based Avatar strategies that use the earthbend mechanic. If you dip into red and green, you can use Bumi Unleashed. He has earthbend 4, and when damage is dealt to a player, each animated land untap and can attack again. Even though Bumi has become a beloved leader, the cub is set to be one of, if not the most sought-after card from this expansion.