What were the Witch-king's powers?

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"Witch-King? More like Bitch-King!" - Éowyn Shieldmaiden of the House of Eorl, 3020 AA (Anno Aragorni)

It's a little boring, but the Witch-King must've had some real ability to manage a large organization, since ruling isn't just about scaring people.

I dont think Witch Kings sorcery powers were exclusive to him. It is said Nazgul carried blades of flame ( in plural) and that some of them were sorcerers but it also seems like Witch King was a special one from the start. Like a super Ringwraith. Even before Saurons demonic empoverement Witch King was still a menace. I think this may have to do with his superior ancestry. It is said 3 of the Nine were Numenoreans and Witch King, along with 2 other Ringwraith were the ones that passed Bruienen first and the ones that stabbed Frodo. I dont think this is a coincidence . Not to mention WK was a Numenorean wizard in the earlier drafts.

I love how you completely trash-talked Saruman at the end and then threw shade at the Witch-King too just for good measure. 😂 Also, do a video on Shelob. Anything about her fascinates me. Powers, origin story, comparison with other Middle-Earth villains, her physical appearance, personality, favorite TV shows, etc. Literally anything.

It's notable that their Morgul powers existed beyond the destruction of the One Ring and the undoing of the 9. Frodos wound never healed, for example.

He's one of my favourite characters from the story honestly. Enigmatic af really. We have so little but also a lot of information available. It's just not told in relation to him. I have a tattoo of him and the eye from the films on my leg! It's based on Alan Lee's concept art. I love it!

YEAAAAAAAH THE TRILOGY IS COMPLETE

Excellent video! Love your final taunt to the Witch King at the end! Ha! Ha!

Some powers of the Witch-king in D&D 5e: - Silence: "By Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair,’ said Frodo with a lasteffort, lifting up his sword, ‘you shall have neither the Ring nor me!’ Then the leader, who was now half across the Ford, stood up menacing in his stirrups, and raised up his hand. Frodo was stricken dumb. He felt his tongue cleave to his mouth, and his heart labouring. His sword broke and fell out of his shaking hand." Here we already have the use of a spell rarely remembered in the book: in addition to having given a "silence" lv 2, it still made Frodo lose consciousness. For those who play D&D 5e, we can make a list of some of the Witch King's abilities: A) Black breath: "He seemed to be asleep. ‘‘I thought I had fallen into deep water,’’ he says to me, when I shook him. Very queer he was, and as soon as I had roused him, he got up and ran back here like a hare.’ ‘I am afraid that’s true,’ said Merry, ‘though I don’t know what I said. I had an ugly dream, which I can’t remember. I went to pieces. I don’t know what came over me.’ ‘I do,’ said Strider. ‘The Black Breath" B) An aura of Inexplicable Terror to the point of driving the armies of Gondor and generating a fighting frenzy for the allied forces: "Some said that it could be seen, like a great black horseman, a dark shadow under the moon. Wherever he came a madness filled our foes, but fear fell on our boldest, so that horse and man gave way and fled." C) Control of the weather to the point of generating a windstorm and a blizzard: "Do not mount on this sea-monster! If they have them, let the seamen bring us food and other things that we need, and you may stay here till the Witch-king goes home. For in summer his power wanes; but now his breath is deadly, and his cold arm is long." (...) "But Arvedui did not take his counsel. He thanked him, and at parting gave him his ring [the Ring of Barahir], saying: 'This is a ring of worth beyond your reckoning. For its ancientry alone. It has no power, save the esteem in which those hold it who love my house. It will not help you, but if ever you are in need, my kin will ransom it with great store of all that you desire." And a lightning storm in Minas Morgul: "And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds." D) A certain ability of necromancy to imprison evil spirits for the creation of Barrow Wight. E) Control over fire - to trigger an explosion spell on Grond: "Then the Black Captain rose in his stirrups and cried aloud in a dreadful voice, speaking in some forgotten tongue words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone. Thrice he cried. Thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a flash of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground. " And create a flame-sword (Azor Ahai): "Old fool!' he said. 'Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!' And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade." There is a writing by Tolkien that speaks (in letter 210) of the "Demonics force" that anabolized the witch king, to the point of making him an active weapon in addition to the innate fear he generated in opponents, so much so that he managed to approach a region "on fire" (fire being a weapon against the Nazgûl) in the siege of Minas Tirith

I've always wondered why Aragorn and the Hobbits didn't suffer from Black Breath after the battle on Weathertop. They were in fairly close proximity for at least a few minutes (which seems to be all it takes) and it would have greatly benefitted the Nazgul to use it then. I suppose it could have simply been a classic case of "Crap, I forgot to pop my cooldowns!" but there's probably a better explanation.

Thank you for another great bideo daddy darth

Thank you! One minor observation and possible addition to weapons being destroyed on striking the WK: but Merry's arm was disabled immediately upon doing so, and Aragorn later says that Eowyn suffered more from her sword arm than the shield arm that was broken. Perhaps this is all part of the Black Breath. But perhaps it's a separate thing, more associated with weapon destruction. If so, maybe the Black Breath tends to only have its most serious effect when there is a wound associated with it, or upon physical contact with the Wraith or its weapons. This could explain why Merry isn't long affected the first time he comes into contact with it in Bree, and why no-one but Frodo is affected after Weathertop. (Or maybe Tolkien was just winging it.) Ted Sandyman's powers next please! :P

About the climate in Eriador, I believe he was responsible, because when the ring was destroyed Eriador became warmer again and the Shire even more fertile

Don't forget the ability to command armies of orcs. Regular humans never command orcs, only dark magic users can do that. Sauron and Saruman were each able to command sizeable orc forces, but Sauron's were much more numerous because he had the Nazgul to help keep them organized. It was his command of the orc armies that made Sauron rich and powerful enough to corrupt and intimidate kings of men into allying with him as well.

Nice video. Remember that even if analytics tell you that a Sarumon video wouldn't be generste views, sometimes it's best to be complete with your coverage. Not everyone likes mint flavored or banana flavored ice cream, but many ice cream parlors still offer it.

Good video! Would have been interesting to hear your take on the scene from the extended edition of RotK, in which Jackson had the Witch King shatter Gandalf's staff. Personally, that kind of messing with the power dynamics of a story really pisses me off. Gandalf the White is apparently even more Maiar than he was as the Grey, and this entity who has but a fraction of Sauron's power is going to disarm him just like that? Even worse, it's just done to manufacture fake, unneeded, tension. But I appreciate you are probably just sticking to what's in the books and other original source material - one source of truth is definitely a smart choice to make.

Wonderful video. 👍 I have an idea for a what if Szenario. What if Sauron would rebel Morgoth, or if Morgoth betrayed and abandoned Sauron during the first age. Would Sauron become a third party in the war in Beleriand or would he redeem himself and join the elves, men and dwarves against his former master. And what would the Vala do to him after they defeat Morgoth? What would you think? PS: You make wonderful videos and greetings from Austria 👍👍👍

Hey!, I want a video on Saruman! At least he tried to betray Sauron; the Witch King couldn't do that.

A bit of an OT: the With-king was most likely a Numenorean right? RoP added a sister of Isildur and Anarion completely out of the blue right? Are you telling me that...