🔗 Share this article

MTG’s collaboration with Avatar will not become widely available until later this week, yet after early access events recently, a low-cost green spell saw a sharp rise in price.

Throughout the spoiler season, Badgermole Cub garnered widespread focus. A creature with stats 2/2 that costs G and 1 mana, the card includes the Earthbend 1 ability (arguably the most effective within the set’s four “bending” mechanics). The major perk here comes from an additional effect: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, it provides bonus green mana.

Initially, the card sold below $30. Following the early events, however, its value jumped to $49.66 and one seller offering priced at sixty dollars. The reason for premium pricing for this cute lil guy? Mostly due to the explosive mana ramping it can produce.

Upon entering the board, Badgermole Cub converts one land into a creature that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, as long as it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — in addition to mana-producing creatures you have that produce resources.

The obvious go-to for synergy is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for G mana. But there are plenty of creatures that make mana available. Another option is a more expensive alternative a 1/3 creature for two mana in comparison.

By playing lands, creatures that tap for mana, alongside this card, you can easily get a massive pricey threat on the board by round three or four. The situation escalates out of control if you keep the pressure on from there.

When adding an additional hue using this method, options such as Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that can make all five colors. Another card, a useful enchantment creature lets you play one extra land each turn AND turns every land you control providing all land types. It's also worth trying something like the enchantment A Realm Reborn, which for six mana provides every card you own the power to be tapped for any color mana — including any creature under your control.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, but how do you win with this archetype? One obvious and popular answer already is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Power and toughness match how many lands you have, plus it turns your non-token creatures Forests in addition to their other types. Essentially, each creature you control is able to generate two green mana by tapping.

This additional option is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from many terrain cards (similar to Ashaya, its stats match your land total).

This Planeswalker fits really well as a staple. One of her abilities makes every Forest tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means all earthbend forests yield three G.) Her plus ability is essentially a form of land animation, placing counters on terrain, which is great though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. The minus ability, on the other hand, makes your entire land base unbreakable and lets you search for every Forest left from your library. Once you trigger this power, this typically means game over.

Badgermole Cub is nearly mandatory for all decks using green and Avatar built around the earthbend mechanic. When branching into Gruul colors, consider Bumi Unleashed. This card features level 4 earthbending, and if it hits a player to an opponent, all land creatures become untapped and can attack again. While that version has emerged as a popular Commander choice, the cute little Badgermole Cub will surely stay among the top, possibly the sought-after card in the collaboration.