One of the Avatar-themed most charming collectible cards proves to be a powerful small contender.

Magic: The Gathering’s collaboration with Avatar isn't set to get a wider release in the coming days, but following prerelease weekends over the last few days, an affordable green creature has already exploded in price.

Even during previews, this small creature attracted a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness priced at a single green and one generic mana, Badgermole Cub includes Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest among the set’s four “bending” mechanics). Its key advantage with this card lies in an additional effect: If a creature is tapped to produce mana, you gain one extra green mana.

At its cheapest, the card was available at around $27. After the pre-release weekend, yet, its value jumped to $49.66 and one seller offering priced at sixty dollars. The reason for Vivi prices on this adorable card? Mainly because of the incredible mana acceleration it can produce.

As it hits the board, Badgermole Cub transforms one land to a creature land with earthbend. Combined with its other power, while it remains on the board, every earthbent land produces twice the mana — in addition to any creatures in your control which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to to combine with is the classic Llanowar Elves, an inexpensive 1/1 that produces a green resource. However there are plenty of alternative mana dorks available. Druid of the Cowl is a higher-cost choice that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value in comparison.

By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get a very big and very expensive threat into play by round three or four. And things just keep spiraling exponentially with continued aggression from there.

When adding another color in this strategy, cards like versatile mana producers are excellent picks which produce any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove lets you play one extra land per turn AND makes all of your lands providing all land types. You can also consider such as a card called A Realm Reborn, which for six mana gives every card you own the ability to tap and generate any color mana — even all creatures in play.

This card might seem overpowered when it comes to boosting mana production, however how do you win for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya. Its stats match your land count, and it changes each creature you own into Forests along with their original types. This means, all your creatures in play is able to tap for two G when tapped.

Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that thrives with a high land count (like Ashaya, P/T match how many lands you have).

Nissa fits really well as a staple. Her static effect allows all Forests tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means all earthbend forests yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, placing counters on a land, which is great though it doesn't stack with earthbending. Her -8 ability, though, grants all of your lands indestructible and lets you search for all the remaining forests in your deck. If you can actually activate that ability, this typically means game over.

This card is a must-have for any kind of green Avatar deck built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into red and green, consider this legendary card. This card features earthbend 4, and when he deals combat damage to an opponent, land creatures are ready again and may attack once more. While that version has emerged as a fan favorite Commander, the cute little Badgermole Cub is definitely going to remain one of the most, maybe the popular pick in the Avatar set.

Jill Price
Jill Price

A passionate vintage collector and stylist with over a decade of experience in curating retro fashion and decor.