Among the Avatar-themed most charming Magic cards turns out to be a formidable compact force.
MTG’s Avatar crossover set isn't set to hit the general market in the coming days, however due to pre-releases recently, a low-cost green spell experienced a surge in market worth.
From the initial reveals, this small creature garnered widespread focus. This two-power, two-toughness that costs a single green and one generic mana, the card includes level 1 earthbending (arguably the strongest of the elemental mechanics available). The major perk here lies in another power: Each time a creature is tapped to produce mana, add an additional green mana.
Initially, Badgermole Cub was available for $26.98. After the pre-release weekend, yet, the going rate escalated above $45 with at least one listed as high as $60. The reason for Vivi prices for this cute lil guy? Primarily because of the explosive mana ramping it enables.
As it hits the battlefield, the cub converts a terrain card to a creature land that has earthbending. Combined with its other power, while it stays in play, those lands generates double mana — along with mana-producing creatures you have that produce resources.
The obvious go-to to combine with is this one-mana elf, a cheap 1/1 that produces G mana. Yet numerous creatures that make mana in the game. Druid of the Cowl costs a bit more that’s a 1/3 costing two mana in comparison.
Using land cards, dorks that generate resources, and Badgermole Cub, you can easily get an enormous high-cost creature on the board by round three or four. And things just keep spiraling rapidly with continued aggression from that point.
If you dip into another color using this method, cards like Fuel Tank Feaster, Ilysian Caryatid, and Paradise Druid are all great options that generate any mana color. And something like a useful enchantment creature lets you play another terrain each turn as well as transforms every land you control into every basic land type. Another possibility is something like this six-mana enchantment, at a six-mana investment provides each permanent you control the capacity to produce a mana of any type — even all creatures under your control.
Badgermole Cub could be too strong when it comes to accelerating your resources, but what’s the endgame finisher in such a strategy? A common and powerful choice has been this legendary creature. Its power and toughness match the number of lands you control, and it makes all of your nontoken creatures into Forests as well as other subtypes. This means, each creature in play is able to tap for two G by tapping.
Harmonious Grovestrider is a costly, large threat that thrives with lots of lands (as with the previous card, its stats are equal to the number of lands you control).
Nissa, Who Shakes the World is an excellent fit in this deck. One of her abilities causes all Forests tap for one more G. (Combined with earthbend, so each one generate three green mana.) Her plus ability acts as an early earthbend, putting +1/+1 counters to a noncreature land, a useful effect though it doesn't stack with the cub's ability. Her -8 ability, however, makes each land you control indestructible and allows you to draw out every Forest left from your library. Should you manage to use that ability, it’s pretty much you win.
The cub is a must-have for any kind of decks using green and Avatar focusing on Earthbending. If you dip into Gruul colors, consider Bumi. He has level 4 earthbending, plus if he deals combat damage to an opponent, each animated land become untapped for another attack. Although this card has emerged as a fan favorite Commander, the cub will surely stay among the top, possibly the desired card in the Avatar set.