Do the Ringwraiths feel pain?

[Blind Guardian]

But them that wouldn't answer them on the battlefield. Everyone would be trying to hit them, right? (I would! Even though I cheer them on till the end) Why was it that Eowyn was able to kill the Witch-King?

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Blind Guardian

But them that wouldn't answer them on the battlefield. Everyone would be trying to hit them, right? (I would! Even though I cheer them on till the end) Why was it that Eowyn was able to kill the Witch-King?

Merry's sword helped quite a bit if I recall.

So passed the sword of the Barrow-downs, work of the Westernesse. But glad would he have been to know its fate who wrought it slowly long ago in the North-kingdom when the Dúnedain were young, and chief among their foes was the dread realm of Angmar and its sorcerer king. No other blade, though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter, cleaving the undead flesh, breaking the spell that knit his undead sinews to his will.

I don't think normal weapons were as effective so to speak and that is why fire is made mention in particular and the blade of Westernesse as well. There are particular weapons that are more effective than others. Plus how would one get close to the W-k is probably the better question. Most were terrified of them and ran from them; one of their chief weapons was fear.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by mormegil

I don't think normal weapons were as effective so to speak and that is why fire is made mention in particular and the blade of Westernesse as well. There are particular weapons that are more effective than others. Plus how would one get close to the W-k is probably the better question. Most were terrified of them and ran from them; one of their chief weapons was fear.

As this is in the Movies part of the forum, I'm restricting myself to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. We see the one Ringwraith get burned by Aragorn, and all Nine drowned by Arwen. They next appear in TTT by doing a Fell Beast flyover of the Dead Marshes.

This seems to indicate that while the Nine may or may not have felt any physical pain, they may be sensitive to being uncloaked. Fire does this, and water and boulders might do just as well. The uncloaking may be an inconvenience, or somewhat painful, so they avoid things that could remove their wrappings.

I never did figure out where the torched Nazgul got his new cloak between Weathertop and the Ford...