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MTG’s special Avatar expansion isn't set to get a wider release before the end of the week, but following early access events this past weekend, an affordable green creature has already exploded in market worth.

Even during previews, the earthbending cub attracted a lot of attention. A 2/2 requiring G and 1 mana, it has Earthbending 1 (arguably the strongest within the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here comes from an additional effect: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, you gain one extra green mana.

At its cheapest, the card could be purchased below $30. After the pre-release weekend, though, the market price has shot up above $45 with at least one listed priced at sixty dollars. Why are we seeing Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Primarily due to the explosive mana ramping it provides.

Upon entering play, this creature converts a terrain card so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, as long as it is not removed, those lands yields two mana instead of one — in addition to mana-producing creatures in your control which tap for mana.

The obvious go-to for maximum effect is Llanowar Elves, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for one green mana. But there are plenty of creatures that make mana in the game. Druid of the Cowl is a more expensive alternative that’s a 1/3 at a two-mana value instead.

Using land cards, mana-producing creatures, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a massive and very expensive creature on the battlefield by round three or four. The situation escalates exponentially if you keep the pressure on from there.

By incorporating another color in this strategy, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that can make any color of mana. And something like this powerful dryad allows you to put one extra land every round plus turns your entire land base so they count as all basics. You can also consider something like this six-mana enchantment, at a six-mana investment provides all of your permanents the ability to produce any color mana — including each creature you have on the board.

Badgermole Cub could be too strong when it comes to boosting mana production, but what closes out the game for a deck like this? A common and powerful choice is Ashaya, Soul of the Wild. Its stats are both equal to your land count, plus it turns each creature you own Forests as well as their other types. Essentially, each creature on your board may generate two green mana if used for mana.

Another creature is another expensive, beefy creature which gains from lots of lands (similar to Ashaya, its power and toughness match how many lands you have).

This Planeswalker fits really well in this deck. Her passive ability allows every Forest tap for one more G. (With a Badgermole Cub, that means all earthbend forests produce triple green.) Her plus ability is essentially a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters on a land, handy but it isn't redundant with earthbend. The minus ability, though, makes your entire land base immune to destruction and lets you search for all the remaining forests from your library. Should you manage to use the ultimate, it’s pretty much game over.

Badgermole Cub is a must-have in any green Avatar deck built around Earthbending. When branching into red-green, you can use this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, and when he deals combat damage to a player, land creatures become untapped and may attack once more. While that version is a popular Commander choice, this small creature is set to be one of, if not the most popular pick in the collaboration.