# Witch King and Wizardry



## Mablung (Jan 12, 2003)

Ok so the leader of the Nazgul was known as the Witch King Gandalf called him a Sorceror. But did this grant him any powers? As a Nazgul we always see him fighting physically never using anything that resembled the power of Gandalf or Saruman. Does he have any of those powers? I would think he would since the Wizards were scared of him.


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## Heathertoes (Jan 13, 2003)

Gandalf was a maia from Valinor. The Witch King was just a man who was given a magic ring by Sauron and therefore had less power than Gandalf. The Witch King's greatest weapon was fear, with which he could paralyse most people. Those who came into contact with him suffered from 'The Black Breath', which could be fatal.


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## Mablung (Jan 13, 2003)

Gandalf feared him so I wouldn't say he was much of a lesser being than Gandalf I want to know though if he had any similar powers.


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## Gothmog (Jan 13, 2003)

I don't think it is said what powers the Witch King had. As for the difference between him and Gandalf, as an Istari Gandalf's power was limited. The amount of power that he was allowed to use was increased when he became the "White" but was still only a small fraction of the power he possessed as 'Olorin the Maia' and in the book even he did not know if he had enough power to overcome the Lord of the Nazgul.


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## Mablung (Jan 14, 2003)

Alright thanks.


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## greypilgrim (Jan 14, 2003)

What do you think Gandalf's "greatest power" was? I think if they would have had it out right there, Ol' man wizard would have won the day.


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## Eriol (Jan 14, 2003)

The Witch-King reputedly could make frost or thaw at his will when he was King of Angmar (Appendix A of LotR). This, remember, is a power even Tom Bombadil did not claim (I am not master of the weather...). This appears to be beyond his 'regular' Nazgûl abilities.

And at that point in the narration of the Battle of the Pelennor, the Witch-King (at least) thought he would beat Gandalf. Either he was stupid (I doubt that) or it would have been a nasty fight. In Tolkien's world magic could be beaten by strength of arms, and I think he would be surely better than Gandalf in that area.

Gandalf did not seem too sure, also. I give him the benefit of the doubt, but for me, it is still a doubt.


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## BlackCaptain (Jan 15, 2003)

yes, he had powers:

Black Breath
Mind controll over lesser beings (just one at a time)
Frost or Thaw
Cant be killed by a man

The istari are more conjourors than illusionists. They can blast rocks and stuff. Tolkien never even said specifically what powers wizards have. But it is known that the Witch -King had powers. Strider said so in his chapter in FOTR. I cant think of the quote now, and im pressed with time. 

HE DID have "magical" powers, depending on what magic exactly is. Tolkien never really said anything concerning specific magicall powers. He was vauge in this area.


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## Tatem (Jan 23, 2003)

I don't think Gandalf relied on his "powers" as much as his knowledge. The War of the Ring was won partly because of his wise counseling to Theoden and Aragorn. He was also skilled with a blade.


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## Arda (Mar 31, 2004)

*.*

Gandalf did not know how much power was really in him probably because he wasn't aloud to use it openly and to it's full extend. In essense Sauron and Gandalf are the same type of being in origin, but I have a feeling that Melkor fed into Sauron much more power than Gandalf said. But from a phrase in The Unfinished Tales is seems to me that the istari had extremely great powers. "Emmisaries they were from the Lords of the West, the Valar, who still took counsel for the governance of Middle-Earth, and when the shadow of Sauron began first to stir again took this meansof resisting him. For with the consent of Eru they sent members of their own high order, but clad in the bodies of Men, real and not feighned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain; though because of their noble spirits they did not die, and aged only by the cares and labours of many long years."
That is what Wizards are, but this next quote led me to beleive that infact that they do posess great power, but they are not alound to use it fully. "...and were messengers sent to contest the power or Sauron and to unite all those who had the will to resist him; but they were forbidden to match his power with power or to seek to dominate Elves or Men by force or fear."
This indeed leads me to beleive that they could possibly even hold within that as great as Sauron but as you said he seemed to fear the Witch King. Reffering back to what was said in the first quote they are subject to fears and pains. If the witch King's most feirce weapon was fear than even on Gandalf would it have an effect when subjected to it. Lastly though Gandalf was so far above the Witch King that if he did not feel fear could have squashed him like a bug. I hope that helps to answer your question somewhat.


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## Mithlond (Apr 17, 2004)

The Witch-King shattered Frodo's barrow blade at the Bruinen ford just by raising his hand didnt he? I would think that there was some sorcery at work there.


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## Melian_the_Maya (Apr 17, 2004)

I don't think Gandalf's powers can be compared to the Witch King's, because they have both different sources and different ways of acting. I agree that it was better for Eowyn and Merry to make sure the Nazgul King was killed by blade, because from what was hinted and from what we see in the books, the Witch King had a way with maybe less powerful but certainly much quicker acting spells than Gandalf... think of the speeches that represent Gandalf's magic!

Also, we mustn't underestimate the power of frightening most mortal beings out of their wits: mass mind control may be a very powerful weapon on a battlefield, both today and in the Middle Ages and on Middle Earth!


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