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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Agback" data-source="post: 1386588" data-attributes="member: 5328">That approach is as reasonable as any other, since no characters in the setting have the specific abilities of D&D class characters.Fair enough, since a 'demon of might' is exactly what it is. Not in Sauron's class though.Gandalf turns a Balrog and several Nazgul. Produces that protective circle of fire when the Fellowship are attacked by Saruman's ghostly wolves in Eregion. A Lock spell on the door of the Chamber of Mazar-bul. Comes back from the dead. Produces fires and lights.It is, truly, nothing much compared with the feats of a run-of-the-mill D&D superhuman. But LotR and Middle-Earth in general are much less inclined than D&D is to gratify adolescent wish-fulfilment fantasy.By the way, the only magic items that we have any reason to suppose that Gandalf has are his sword Glamdring and his magic ring Narya. The only ability ascribed to Narya in the text is the very ability that you suppose is the only one that Gandalf possesses innately: his ability to cheer, encourage, inspire, and lead people.He also cures supernatural afflictions by laying on of hands. Commands an army of ghosts. Wrests control of the plantir from Sauron by force of will and divine right. Drives off four or five Nazgûl…. Tracks with astounding skill.Not really. Sam sticks a cave-troll in the foot under non-combat conditions. Merry stabs a Nazgûl in the back of the knee when it doesn't realise he is there, and distracts it long enough for Éowyn to kill it (or perhaps Merry's magic sword of Angmar-bane is critical: but it plainly isnt any special skill of Merry's). Pippin lands a fatal sneak attack on a troll in the battle outside the Black Gates, and that is the only clear victory to a hobbit until the Scouring of hte Shire.I'm by no means convinced that you are applying a reasonable standard. Aragorn is the greatest traveller and outdoorsman of his age, and one of the greatest fighters. Sam can garden and cook a bit. Frodo is a middle-aged dilettante. Merry and Pippin are a pair of upper-class fribbles, and not even from a society with a militarised upper class. Endur's asseertion that the Fellowship of the Ring spans an enormous range of ability is well-justified. Even though none of the members is a D&D character.Regards,Agback[edited: typos]</blockquote>

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