A standout from Avatar's most adorable Magic cards proves to be a formidable compact force.
the popular card game’s Avatar crossover set won’t become widely available before the end of the week, however after pre-releases this past weekend, an affordable green creature experienced a surge in price.
From the initial reveals, this small creature garnered a lot of attention. This two-power, two-toughness priced at one green and one colorless mana, Badgermole Cub includes level 1 earthbending (perhaps the most effective among the elemental mechanics available). The real boon here comes from an additional effect: If mana is generated by tapping a creature, you gain one extra green mana.
Initially, this card sold for $26.98. Post-prerelease, though, its value has shot up to nearly $50 with at least one listed for sale at $60.00. The reason for premium pricing for this little creature? Primarily thanks to the explosive mana ramping it provides.
When it arrives the board, the cub converts one land so it becomes a creature granting it earthbend. And with that second ability, while it remains on the board, each affected land yields two mana instead of one — along with other creatures in your control which tap for mana.
A clear choice for maximum effect is this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 which can be tapped for a green resource. But numerous alternative mana dorks in the game. Another option costs a bit more a 1/3 creature costing two mana in comparison.
By playing lands, dorks that generate resources, alongside this card, it's simple to summon a very big high-cost creature into play by round three or four. The situation escalates rapidly by maintaining dominance from there.
If you dip into a secondary color using this method, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid work perfectly that generate all five colors. Another card, this powerful dryad lets you play another terrain per turn as well as transforms your entire land base 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 capacity to produce any color mana — including all creatures in play.
The cub could be too strong regarding ramping up your mana generation, yet what’s the endgame finisher for a deck like this? An often-seen solution has been this legendary creature. Power and toughness are set by your land count, and it makes your non-token creatures to be Forests along with other subtypes. This means, all your creatures in play can produce double green if used for mana.
Harmonious Grovestrider provides a high-cost, powerful body which gains from many terrain cards (as with the previous card, its stats are based on your land total).
This Planeswalker is an excellent fit as a go-to Planeswalker. Her passive ability causes all Forests produce extra green. (With a Badgermole Cub, so each one yield three G.) Her plus ability functions like a proto-earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, handy but does not overlap with earthbending. Her -8 ability, though, grants each land you control indestructible and lets you put onto the battlefield your remaining Forests from your library. If you can actually activate this power, it’s pretty much the game ends.
Badgermole Cub is a must-have for any kind of green Avatar deck built around earthbend. By including Gruul colors, there’s this legendary card. He has earthbend 4, plus if it hits a player to a player, land creatures become untapped for another attack. Although this card has become a popular Commander choice, the cub is set to be one of, if not the most desired card in the collaboration.