Why does the One Ring make you invisible when you put it on?

[Celefinel]

Follows interwebs opinion:

Frodo always used (and often carried) the ring in the looming presence of some dark power, or an agent projecting Sauron's power in the vicinity - whereas Bilbo's Shire was pretty much uncorrupted free-peoples land between the elf-havens and ruins of old dunadan kingdoms, far away from anything having to do anything with Sauron.

I am sure Bilbo noticed some definite changes when he put on the ring, but to Bilbo, these were just the side effects of going invisible. I'm sure material people and objects were less distinct, perhaps even fuzzy/blurry and things from the shadow world would be more distinct, but Bilbo would have just attributed it to an aspect of going invisible. He didn't know it was the master ring, or even a ring of power, so the idea of claiming it never occurred to him.

Just as the Ring wanted it. If he had thought it to be anything more than just a magic trinket, he might not have agreed to pass it on to a more potent brearer. If Bilbo had kept the ring we would have just ended up with another Gollum hoarding the Ring.

The power of one's mind does make a difference - I think there was something about this relating to the palantiri in Unfinished Tales. To me Bilbo seemed more like a simple hobbit, while Frodo was truly exceptional and much more tuned to lore and ancient powers than hobbits in general, or even the vast majority of men. Bilbo was easy to deceive, but Frodo bore the Ring in full knowledge of what it was and already feared it for a good reason.

[tuor66]

The PJ effects, although a little over the top, are probably closer to what Frodo would have experienced after Sauron was in full power, has focused his will on the ring, and knew the ring had gone to the Shire and was carried by a hobbit that traveled to Rivendell with a few powerful friends.

I would have been happier if the movie slowly ramped up the effects as Frodo got closer to Mordor, would have nicely shown how the Ring was becoming more potent. Too late now

[Glorvillas]

I'm not sure this is 100% true, but i have read all the books... soo... What happens is when you put it on, you are transported into the wraith world (nazgul) that's why the nazgul (ringwraiths) can see you perfectly. If you wear the ring for a long time, you will eventually start to fade, and will be the the wraith world forever.

[bethanna]

I had a questions to add after I read this
http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q0-InvWhy

why is the spirit world so terrible? everything's grey and hazy. I'd understand if it was only the Enemy's world, but high elves live in both. I just wondered if Tolkien explained it any, if the enemy and his servants made it that way later or if that's the true spirit world.

[danmax67]

Also on this subject, how exactly would one use the ring against Sauron? For example, Galadriel seems to think she would replace him. Sauron himself seems to fear someone such as Aragorn using the ring against him. There never seems to be any good explanation of how anyone other than Sauron could utilize the ring for anything more than invisibility. Certainly none of the ring bearers we encounter (though they are humble creatures) appear to gain any other powers or abilities.

[sir-rinthian]

Also on this subject, how exactly would one use the ring against Sauron? For example, Galadriel seems to think she would replace him. Sauron himself seems to fear someone such as Aragorn using the ring against him. There never seems to be any good explanation of how anyone other than Sauron could utilize the ring for anything more than invisibility. Certainly none of the ring bearers we encounter (though they are humble creatures) appear to gain any other powers or abilities.

The ring empowers people based on their current power.

A simple hobbit was more or less harmless with the ring, except against an equally harmless opponent (until they got into Mount Doom, that is).

A man of the line of Elendil would have been a formidable opponent, but it is unlikely Aragorn would have been able to overthrow Sauron completely. At best he would probably have traded places with Sauron, forcing him to hide in his Minas Tirith the way the men of Gondor had been hiding in theirs.

Someone of true power like Galadriel, Elrond, etc would have been extremely dangerous to Sauron. Galadriel clearly thought that she would have had the upper hand, given the time to master the ring.

What we know for sure is that Gandalf (and probably the other wizards, except Saruman after his weakening) would have been too much for Sauron. Sauron and the Istari were all Maia, so they would have had very similar potential for greatness. If one of the Istari had taken and mastered the ring, they would have had their own innate power on top of a large portion of Sauron's power, making them much stronger than Sauron could ever hope to be.

[bb-15]

The ring empowers people based on their current power.

A simple hobbit was more or less harmless with the ring, except against an equally harmless opponent (until they got into Mount Doom, that is).

A man of the line of Elendil would have been a formidable opponent, but it is unlikely Aragorn would have been able to overthrow Sauron completely. At best he would probably have traded places with Sauron, forcing him to hide in his Minas Tirith the way the men of Gondor had been hiding in theirs.

Someone of true power like Galadriel, Elrond, etc would have been extremely dangerous to Sauron. Galadriel clearly thought that she would have had the upper hand, given the time to master the ring.

What we know for sure is that Gandalf (and probably the other wizards, except Saruman after his weakening) would have been too much for Sauron. Sauron and the Istari were all Maia, so they would have had very similar potential for greatness. If one of the Istari had taken and mastered the ring, they would have had their own innate power on top of a large portion of Sauron's power, making them much stronger than Sauron could ever hope to be.

I agree there are different ways in which the Ruling Ring affects people including the Wise (Wizards and the leaders of the Elves).

- For me what the Ruling Ring could do for the powerful (Gandalf or Galadriel) is allow this person to control weaker beings. Saruman had a ring probably made by him and he developed an Orc army. The Ruling Ring imo would expand this kind of power. It might also allow the wearer to create their own Nazgul.

Gandalf or Galadriel would not try to do this at first. With the Ruling Ring they would try to use it for good. But the power of Sauron would corrupt any wearer of the Ring eventually and for the Wise they would be transformed to a "Dark Lord" or a "Queen... beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night!".