🔗 Share this article

MTG’s collaboration with Avatar will not hit the general market before the end of the week, yet due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell has already exploded in market worth.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub drew widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 requiring one green and one colorless mana, it has the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the best within the four bending abilities in the set). Its key advantage in its design comes from another power: If you tap a creature for mana, add an additional green mana.

When first listed, Badgermole Cub sold for $26.98. Following the early events, however, the going rate jumped to nearly $50 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. The reason for Vivi prices on this adorable card? Primarily thanks to the rapid resource generation it enables.

When it arrives play, the cub converts a terrain card so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. Alongside its mana-doubling effect, as long as it is not removed, each affected land generates double mana — in addition to other creatures you have that produce resources.

A clear choice to combine with is the classic Llanowar Elves, a low-cost creature which can be tapped for one green mana. However many alternative mana dorks available. Another option is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.

Deploying terrain, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, you may quickly play a massive and very expensive creature into play within a few turns. And things just keep spiraling rapidly by maintaining dominance after that.

When adding another color in this strategy, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make any color of mana. Another card, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove allows you to put one extra land each turn AND makes every land you control so they count as all basics. Another possibility is for example the enchantment A Realm Reborn, at a six-mana investment gives each permanent you control the ability to tap and generate one mana of any color — even any creature you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong regarding accelerating your resources, yet what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? An often-seen solution already is Ashaya. Power and toughness are both equal to the number of lands you control, and it changes each creature you own into Forests in addition to other subtypes. This means, every single creature on your board can generate two green mana by tapping.

Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body that benefits from a high land count (as with the previous card, P/T are equal to the number of lands you control).

Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. One of her abilities causes all Forests generate an additional green mana. (Combined with earthbend, so all earthbend forests yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, adding counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with earthbending. Her ultimate, however, renders your entire land base unbreakable and allows you to put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests in your deck. Should you manage to use this power, it almost certainly you win.

The cub is nearly mandatory for any kind of decks using green and Avatar built around earthbend. By including red-green, there’s Bumi Unleashed. This card features earthbend 4, plus if he deals combat damage to an opponent, all land creatures become untapped and can attack again. Although this card has become a fan favorite Commander, this small creature will surely stay one of, if not the most sought-after card in the collaboration.