Trueheart Duelist MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 35
2017-04-28 - Number 13
2017-04-29 - Number 35
2002-06-24 - Number 64424
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Warrior |
| Abilities | Embalm |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Trueheart Duelist can block an additional creature each combat. Embalm (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie Human Warrior with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.)
Cards like Trueheart Duelist
Trueheart Duelist carves out its unique space within the vast array of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its comparison with other creatures reveals a focus on defense. Like Wall of Omens, another defensive creature, Trueheart Duelist can deter multiple attackers, yet Wall of Omens brings card draw to the table. While not offering card advantage, Trueheart Duelist’s ability to block an additional creature each combat sets it apart, ensuring that you maintain a strong defense.
Looking at the utility of Sentry of the Underworld, we see it also has a defensive angle with vigilance and the ability to regenerate. However, the Duelist stands out with a lower casting cost and the capacity for double blocking. We can also look to Anointer Priest. Both the Duelist and the Priest have embalm, but they serve different strategies; the Priest boosts life gain, whereas the Duelist reinforces battlefield presence.
Assessing Trueheart Duelist amidst its peers, it holds a solid position for players who privilege a strong defensive strategy with a creature that can serve as an effective wall against a multitude of threats in the game of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Trueheart Duelist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Trueheart Duelist can be a key asset when it comes to card advantage. While it may not draw you additional cards directly, its ability to block an additional creature each combat can indirectly preserve your other creature resources on the battlefield, effectively keeping your hand free to play other strategies.
Resource Acceleration: Although Trueheart Duelist doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, its low casting cost makes it an efficient use of mana. This allows you to deploy more threats or hold mana for reactive plays. Its presence on the board can also be seen as a sort of ‘tempo acceleration’ due to its ability to handle multiple attackers.
Instant Speed: The embalm ability of Trueheart Duelist can bring it back from the graveyard at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to wait for the perfect moment during your opponent’s turn to recreate your defensive line. This instant rebirth can catch opponents off guard and help maintain a strategic upper hand.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Trueheart Duelist doesn’t force you to discard cards, but it also doesn’t help restock your hand, which could be problematic when needing more options.
Specific Mana Cost: Trueheart Duelist requires both white mana and generic mana, restricting its use primarily to decks with a white mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, including one white, Trueheart Duelist can be costly considering its 2/2 stats; other creatures provide more impact for the same cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Trueheart Duelist boasts the ability to block an additional attacker each combat, making it a stable defensive option in a variety of decks. It can seamlessly integrate into strategies valuing board presence and protection for key planeswalkers or life totals.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with equipment and aura spells that elevate its defense capabilities. Furthermore, its embalm ability allows it to double its utility by coming back from the graveyard as a token, offering long-term value and combo interactions with graveyard mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where aggressive strategies dominate, Trueheart Duelist shines by dampening the onslaught of multiple attackers. The durable two-drop serves as an effective roadblock, maintaining board control and extending the game for setups that benefit from the late game.
How to beat
Trueheart Duelist can be a resilient obstacle in Magic: The Gathering due to its ability to block additional creatures each turn. One approach to strategize against this card is to employ removal spells that can bypass its blocking capabilities. Board wipes such as Wrath of God negate its defensive advantage by clearing the field of all creatures, regardless of their blocking abilities. Targeted removal spells such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile are also effective, as they can remove Trueheart Duelist before the combat phase begins.
Another technique is to use spells that restrict the duelist’s ability to block. Enchantment-based control tools like Pacifism limit the card’s functionality without having to remove it from the battlefield. Alternatively, evasion tactics such as flying or unblockable creatures can circumvent Trueheart Duelist’s block. This way, Trueheart Duelist’s strength in combat is effectively neutralized, allowing for a more direct path to victory.
Lastly, optimizing the timing of your attacks can be crucial. Engaging in combat when your opponent is tapped out or when you have combat tricks up your sleeve can reduce the effectiveness of Trueheart Duelist in defending strategically important attacks. Keeping these strategies in mind will help you overcome the challenge posed by the duelist without sacrificing the tempo of your gameplay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Trueheart Duelist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Amonkhet, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Trueheart Duelist and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Trueheart Duelist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2017-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 64424 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Magali Villeneuve | ||
| 2 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 35 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 3 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 13 | 2015 | Token | Black | Izzy | |
| 4 | 2017-04-29 | Amonkhet Promos | PAKH | 35 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Magali Villeneuve |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Trueheart Duelist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Trueheart Duelist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-04-18 | For each card with embalm, a corresponding game play supplement token can be found in some Amonkhet booster packs. These supplements are not required to play with cards with embalm; you can use the same items to represent an embalmed token as you would any other token. |
| 2017-04-18 | The token copies exactly what was printed on the original card and nothing else. It doesn’t copy any information about the object the card was before it was put into your graveyard. |
| 2017-04-18 | The token is a Zombie in addition to its other types and is white instead of its other colors. It has no mana cost, and thus its converted mana cost is 0. These are copiable values of the token that other effects may copy. |
| 2017-07-14 | If a spell or ability puts a creature card with embalm into your graveyard during your main phase, you’ll have priority immediately after that spell or ability resolves. You can activate the creature card’s embalm ability before any player can exile it with an effect, such as that of Crook of Condemnation, if it’s legal for you to do so. |
| 2017-07-14 | Once you’ve activated an embalm ability, the card is immediately exiled. Opponents can’t try to stop the ability by exiling the card with an effect such as that of Crook of Condemnatnion. |