Why did the Nazgul not succeed in Bree and on Weathertop?

[Michael Wilhelmson]

I was about to say that the Nazgul might not have been powerful enough at the time that they were sent out to find the Ring. The only real record of a Nazgul at the height of its power was during the Arnor-Angmar war, and that war was lost to the army of Gondor even with the Witch-King in charge. I had always assumed that Sauron's and their power was not yet great enough to directly fight, and that they were sent only to seek and capture the Ring from some Shirelings, not to fight in open battle.
But the time frame seems off on this. Not a few months later, the Nazgul were flying, and leading the armies of Mordor into combat. Even with a few distracted and weakened by Gandalf, being afraid of fire and water, hearing the name of Elbereth, being stabbed by a Numenorean dagger, fighting the King of Men himself, in a place of great Mannish and Elvish power, far from Mordor and their master, and being surprised and shocked by all of these events intersecting...there should have been no way that nine immortal phantom warriors could not have found and killed some hobbits and a Dunedain.

[The 1,000 Reader]

Like I said, ultimate author plot manipulation. The Nazgul were so deadly, only Tolkien himself could effectively save the hobbits.

[A_Brandybuck]

I think, that it is worth considering the fact, that the Nazgûl were abroad and deep in the 'enemies land'. Although they are very powerful in spreading fear, they had to be careful not to attract much attention, because there are enemies, which are more powerful then they are.

Taking Glorfindel as a example, who drove four Nazgûl from the Bridge and Gandalf was still 'lurking around'. There was a bunch of 'terrible' High-Elves in Rivendell and many Ranger in the wilderness.

And before weathertop, the Nazgûl weren't sure about the bearer of the Ring. That is, in my meaning, important to know to understand the behaviour of the Nazgûl in Bree. A direct attack could fail, if the bearer has been very powerful and could use the Ring. Especially because a Ranger with a powerful aura is with them.

[Anguirel]

I've just thought of an ingenious, flawless conspiracy theory.

We neet to examine the Nazgul at two stages-during the hunt for the Ring, and at the siege of Minas Tirith.

While searching for the Ring in the Shire, they're quite scary, but only because we're seeing them from the Hobbit point of view. They're a bit feeble and pathetic really. Gandalf can take all nine of them, Glorfindel four or five. Aragon can scare them with a fiery stick.

Nevertheless-as detailed above-despite being vulnerable shadows (ho-ho) of their former selves, at several points they could easily have grabbed the Hobbits and nabbed the Ring...so why didn't they?

Because, fair readers, if they had seized the Ring before it reached Rivendell and taken it to their master, they would be quite unnecessary to Sauron. The Dark Lord, all-powerful, would have no need to increase their power or reward them.

As it is, the Ring slipped through their fingers, they were needed to counter the threat of a possible King of Gondor with the Ring, and so they-most notably the Witch King-had vastly augmented might and command. At Minas Tirith the Nazgul are truly terrifying, riding their beasties from an older world, with dark-flamed blades, souped-up armour...

This was the state they wanted to attain. And so they let the Ring go...

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by A_Brandybuck

I think, that it is worth considering the fact, that the Nazgûl were abroad and deep in the 'enemies land'. Although they are very powerful in spreading fear, they had to be careful not to attract much attention, because there are enemies, which are more powerful then they are.

I agree; as stated in the Hunt for the ring, "but Sauron did not underesteem the powers and vigilance of the Wise, and the Nazgul were commanded to act as secretly as they could".

They're a bit feeble and pathetic really
...
This was the state they wanted to attain. And so they let the Ring go

I disagree with both ideas:

Originally Posted by Hunt for the ring, UT

At length he resolved that no others would serve him in this case but his mightiest servants, the Ringwraiths, who had no will but his own, being each utterly subservient to the ring that had enslaved him, which Sauron held.
Now few could understand even one of these fell creatures, and (as Sauron deemed) none could withstand them when gathered together under their terrible captain, the Lord of Morgul
...
They were by far the most powerful of his servants, and the most suitable for such a mission, since they were entirely enslaved to their Nine Rings, which he now himself held; they were quite incapable of acting against his will, and if one of them, even the Witch-king their captain, had seized the One Ring, he would have brought it back to his Master

Originally Posted by Letter #246

I do not think they could have attacked him with violence, nor laid hold upon him or taken him captive; they would have obeyed or feigned to obey any minor commands of his that did not interfere with their errand - laid upon them by Sauron, who still through their nine rings (which he held) had primary control of their wills.

[Anguirel]

Who'd 've thought it'd need a scholarly exegesis on Nazgul monoethelitism to disprove my frippery!

Pah. I still like the idea of a scheming Blackadder Witch-King...

[The 1,000 Reader]

They could have just killed Sauron and taken the ring for themselves in that case.