Spoilers What do people get wrong about Tolkien?

[Willie the Duck]

Of course he is. He's a 5th level wizard

Heh. I don't remember seeing him cast anything hire than 3rd level(fireball, lightning bolt) in the books, but from the numbers of lightning bolts he threw in The Hobbit and fireballs he threw on Weathertop, he had to be at least 12th level. Probably 18th or higher. He threw a lot on Weathertop against the 9.

For reference.
I always thought of it as 1) to cut off the 'no, he's a Maiar!' response, "fine. but then he's a Maiar cosplaying as a Xth-level wizard," and 2) he's playing a spell-point variant of the game*, where he could be 7th or 8th level but still cast more than a dozen 3rd level spells. *or non-D&D fantasy RPG

 

[Maxperson]

For reference.
I always thought of it as 1) to cut off the 'no, he's a Maiar!' response, "fine. but then he's a Maiar cosplaying as a Xth-level wizard," and 2) he's playing a spell-point variant of the game*, where he could be 7th or 8th level but still cast more than a dozen 3rd level spells. *or non-D&D fantasy RPG

Yeah, but then we know he had to limit his power when in Middle Earth, so 7th or 8th level would just be what we see and he's really much higher. That's why I prefer to count the slots and just make him very high level, but limits himself to 3rd level and lower spells.

Both work, though, to explain all the 3rd level spells he tosses around.

 

[The Soloist]

Those who use D&D rules to try to define Gandalf's power level. It makes as much sense as a reverse-centaur.