# 2023 Magic: The Gathering Tales of Middle-earth Promos #401s

> The 2023 Magic: The Gathering Tales of Middle-earth Promos release includes the Gandalf, Friend of the Shire foil card (401s), a legendary Avatar Wizard with unique gameplay mechanics.

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## Identity

- **Year**: 2023
- **Brand**: Magic: The Gathering
- **Set**: Tales of Middle-earth Promos
- **Card Number**: 401s
- **Featured**: Gandalf, Friend of the Shire
- **Game**: Magic: The Gathering
- **Rarity**: Uncommon
- **Mana cost**: {3}{U}
- **Type**: Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard
- **Power / Toughness**: 2 / 4
- **Color**: U
- **Language**: English
- **Material**: Card Stock
- **Finish**: Foil

## Description

The 2023 Magic: The Gathering Tales of Middle-earth Promos release features the Gandalf, Friend of the Shire foil card, designated as card number 401s. This Uncommon rarity card brings a specific piece of the Lord of the Rings universe into the Magic: The Gathering tabletop environment. As a Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard, it carries a mana cost of {3}{U} and boasts a power and toughness of 2/4. The card’s design and mechanics are tailored for collectors and players who appreciate the crossover appeal of these two major franchises.

Gameplay-wise, the card offers distinct advantages through its Flash ability, allowing you to cast sorcery spells as though they had flash. This flexibility can be crucial for timing your plays effectively during a match. Additionally, the card includes a triggered ability related to the Ring: whenever the Ring tempts you and you chose a creature other than Gandalf as your Ring-bearer, you draw a card. This mechanic encourages strategic decision-making regarding Ring-bearer assignments, rewarding players for diversifying their creature choices.

The foil finish adds a premium tactile and visual element to the card, making it a desirable addition for those who value aesthetic quality in their collection. Artist Livia Prima’s work is featured on this promotional release, which is part of the PLTR set code. The card’s color identity is strictly blue, focusing on its spell-casting capabilities as a Wizard. The 2023 Tales of Middle-earth Promos release features this foil card, numbered 401s, depicting Gandalf, Friend of the Shire. It serves as a tangible connection to the broader Middle-earth lore within the Magic: The Gathering framework, appealing to fans of both the card game and the literary source material. The unique rules text ensures that it plays a specific role in games, offering both defensive utility and card advantage under certain conditions.

## FAQ

### What is the mana cost of Gandalf, Friend of the Shire in Magic: The Gathering?

The mana cost for Gandalf, Friend of the Shire is {3}{U}, requiring three generic mana and one blue mana to cast.

### What abilities does Gandalf, Friend of the Shire have?

This card has Flash, allowing you to cast sorcery spells as though they had flash. It also draws a card whenever the Ring tempts you and you chose a creature other than Gandalf as your Ring-bearer.

### What is the rarity and type of this card?

Gandalf, Friend of the Shire is an Uncommon Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard from the 2023 Tales of Middle-earth Promos set.

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Editorial content updated: 2026-10-02.

Site deployment: 2025-11-29.