Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Alex Horley-Orlandelli’s True Believer Era: White Clerics That Shine

If you’ve ever wandered the halls of a white aggro or control deck during the mid-2000s, you’ve likely bumped into True Believer—the stubborn, unwavering 2/2 with a cost of {W}{W} that refuses to be a target. Released in Tenth Edition (a core set that sought to reintroduce classic staples with a new frame of nostalgia), this rare creature is a compact study in protection and presence. The card’s flavor text—“So great is his certainty that mere facts cannot shake it”—feels like a haughty sermon delivered by a cleric who believes in conviction as a shield. 🧙‍♂️💎

At first glance, True Believer looks like a simple white beater: a 2/2 body for two mana. But its true trick is its keyword ability: You have shroud. That means you, the creature’s wielder, cannot be targeted by spells or abilities. In practice, this makes True Believer a stubborn obstacle for removal spells and a reliable blocker when the battlefield is crowded with heavy hitters. In a game where targeted removal is common, a shroud creature can quietly buy you turns, letting you weather a dangerous swing or two while you set up your plan. ⚔️

So great is his certainty that mere facts cannot shake it.

Horley-Orlandelli’s artwork—bold lines, high contrast, and a stance that radiates unwavering resolve—captures the vibe of a cleric who stands his ground against a world of uncertainty. The 2007 flavor matches the era’s aesthetic: clean, legible silhouettes and a sense of stoic guardianship. It’s the kind of card you put on the table and say, “I’m not going anywhere.” That visual certainty is what makes this card a fan favorite among collectors who adore white midrange and protection themes. 🎨

Design, Mechanics, and Flavor

• Mana cost and stats: A modest {W}{W} for a 2/2 creature. It doesn’t explode into combat greatness, but it doesn’t fade away when the chips are down either. This is white mana efficiency at work—value through resilience rather than raw power. 🧙‍♂️
• Shroud in action: The ability to “not be the target of spells or abilities” presents strategic scenarios. It means removal must be non-targeting (think board wipes or global effects) to impact True Believer directly. In practice, this makes it a solid anchor for a white deck that leans on tempo and protection. 🔒
• Rarity and reprint: Rare in 10th Edition, later reprints helped cement its place in the white creature toolkit. For collectors, that rarity tag plus a classic Alex Horley-Orlandelli illustration makes it a neat commemorative pick from the early 2000s. 💎
• Flavor and identity: The flavor text elevates a simple stat line into a character moment—certainty as a shield, faith as armor. It’s a reminder that combat isn’t just about numbers; it’s about narrative weight and the role a single card can play in shaping a game’s storyline. 🧙‍♂️

From a gameplay perspective, True Believer slots into white’s archetypes with a calm confidence: it’s a reliable early drop that can stall aggression while you assemble your plan. In Commander, it serves as a sturdy frontline for a cautious, protective strategy. In formats where direct removal is common, its shroud can be a quiet shield against a multitude of targeted answers. The card’s color identity is white, so it can slot into a variety of white-based control, blink, or life-gain shells where survivability matters as much as raw offense. 🥅

Valuation and access are worth noting, too. Scryfall lists True Believer as a rare from 10e, with price points around the low two-dollar range in non-foil form, reflecting both its nostalgia factor and practical utility in casual play. The card’s EDH/Commander ranking sits in a modest tier, underscoring its niche appeal: beloved by fans of Horley-Orlandelli’s art and by players who prize defensive resilience over brute force. For anyone chasing a sense of calendar-era MTG charm, True Believer is a small but satisfying centerpiece. 🔍

For collectors and players who love a story behind the card, True Believer is a wonderful snapshot of a particular design philosophy: a creator’s conviction embodied in a creature that simply refuses to be targeted. It’s the kind of card that feels small in the moment but grows in appreciation as you recount the games it helped you weather, the tournaments it carried you through, and the art that reminded you why you fell in love with the game in the first place. 🧭

And if you’re inspired to celebrate the era and the artist beyond MTG, a small wardrobe upgrade could be on the horizon—perhaps something that brings that classic card-collecting vibe into the real world. Speaking of vibes, a little shop detour can be fun during a long drafting night: Neon Card Holder MagSafe Phone Case for iPhone 13 & Galaxy S21/S22. It’s not a card, but it keeps your precious sleeves and cards protected in style while you plan your next deckbuilding session. Neon Card Holder MagSafe Phone Case for iPhone 13 & Galaxy S21/S22 🛡️

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