Since the new Avatar: the Last Airbender (TLA) MTG set launched on November 21, the market price for copies of Electro, Assaulting Battery have risen steadily from a historic price just under $4, up to $11.80, according to the market tracker on MTG Goldfish. One of the only noteworthy cards in the recent Marvel's Spider-Man set, Electro's ability to retain unspent red mana as steps and phases end synergises incredibly well with TLA's new firebending mechanic, making him a must-included in several Avatar Commander decks.
When the Spider-set launched earlier this year, Electro was one of just a handful of cards we thought might see play in constructed MTG. He's stacked with abilities: not only does he prevent red mana draining from your pool, whenever you cast an instant or sorcery you add one red mana: and when he leaves the battlefield, you can pay any amount of mana and deal that much damage to one target opponent.
At the time, people were eyeing his utility in mono-red aggro or Izzet cauldron. With prowess creatures or (then legal) Vivi Ornitier on the board, his mana generation let you churn through cantrips and create some huge threats - and when your opponent removed him, you could fireball them in the face. Vivi may be gone from standard but spell-heavy aggro decks persist, and Electro may have a role.
But it's the new Avatar Commanders that seem to be behind Electro's rising popularity, specifically the ones with firebending, an ability that creates red mana when they attack. Firebending mana lasts for the whole of combat to give you time to spend it to your advantage, but with Electro in play you can hold onto it round after round.
Electro is useful alongside any commander with firebending, but he's extra juicy with some commanders in particular. Ozai the Phoenix King costs a massive six mana, shares Electro's ability to prevent mana from expiring at the end of phases, and has flying and indestructible as long as you have six or more unspent mana. If you can get Electro out early you can start harvesting mana to set up an Ozai that is invincible as soon as it enters play.
Fire Lord Zuko wants to flicker permanents, since he gets a +1/+1 counter whenever you cast a spell from exile or have a permanent enter from exile, and his firebending X ability is equal to his power. With Electro's on-exit ability to deal damage, flickering him is a viable way to kill an opponent.
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