I get the spiritual battle concept at Weathertop, but questions persist.

[Steve Melisi]

1) What do we think the plan for the Nazgul was when hunting through the Shire for “Baggins”? Say Frodo lingered in Bag End, and the Gaffer said, “Yup, he’s right there,” what would that Nazgul have done? Grabbed him? Put the fear of Sauron into him? Were they all equipped with Morgul blades?

2) Do we think that the Nazgul were unsure as to the powers of the current possessor of the Ring? They aren’t impressed by hobbits in general, but what do they really know about them? And could they have approached warily, thinking that perhaps the Ringbearer was someone capable of wielding it, and what would that mean for them?

 

[Zephen12]

(1) I think grabbing him would work. I would think the terror may cause Frodo to faint, in which case he’d be easy to carry (wraiths can carry). It would be a bonus if Frodo puts on the ring. Even if Frodo merely flees into the night, then the good guys’ plans are muffed form the beginning. However, if the plan isn’t grab him, then I think the Nazgul would call the others who are near (particularly the Witch-King, especially if he has the only Morgan blade) and then descend upon him.

(2) Good question, I don’t know about that one.

 

[Arnthro]

#2 Brings up an interesting notion in that this is the first time Sauron is having to regain the one ring from another bearer, simply meaning there are tons of unknowns for him. It all depends on how much information the interrogation of Gollum gave him, which really only seems to be "Shire and Baggins." So it isn't clear if Sauron knows what a Hobbit is. If he is not informed of what a Hobbit is, it is likely he would think that because this creature is bearing the one ring, it must be powerful, we must proceed with caution.

 

[Oakfen Ripsaw]

Maybe the Ring-Wraiths powers were similar to the Barrow Wight. The Wight easily subdued the hobbits, manipulated their belongings and clothing and placed them on the floor of the barrow.

 

[Faelivrin]

I can't recall if Gandalf surmised that Sauron realized Baggins must be a creature similar to Gollum himself. But I begin to think that even if he did, that didn't necessarily tell him a lot. Gollum wasn't powerful, but he hadn't faded or become a wraith in all the time he had the Ring (unknown to Sauron, but possibly the whole entire Third Age.) And Aragorn is much the same kind of creature as the wretched human slaves in the plantations of southeast Mordor.

If Sauron didn't realize that Gollum and Baggins were similar creatures, then he likely had no clue at all what a Baggins was.

Something else also just occurred to me: if Frodo claimed the Ring on Weathertop, he might have been able to command the Ringwraiths to stand back. They would want to do (whatever) before this occurred to him.