Just how hard is it to kill a Troll?

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Yes, that would explain a lot, except perhaps the incest! :s

[The Barrow-Wight]

Let's stay on topic.

[symestreem]

Another possible explanation for the very tough hide of the Moria troll was offered at a movie blooper site. Remember, the chamber where they were fighting was dimly lit with reflected sunlight. The light was not very strong at all, but it may have been strong enough to harden the troll's skin just a bit.

[Boromir88]

It was pippin who killed the Hill-troll at the morannon and easy way to remember this was he was talking about getting even with Merry slaying the witch-king.

Hurin is no elf-warrior he is from the race of men, better then Turin, best mortal fighter right there.

Ecthelion, however was an elf-lord and a great warrior, I don't know if he slayed 100 trolls but he did slay Gothmog. Balrogs are very strong creatures much stronger then trolls.

I read a comment on another thread "the balrog Gandalf fought was kind of a wimp."
Whoever thinks this is an idiot, the Balrog that Gandalf fight was the most powerful enemy save Sauron. Saruman might of been able to slay the balrog but thats debatable.

[doug*platypus]

Good point about Pippin, although he did have the advantage of not being noticed by the troll. He also had an ancient sword (probably made like Merry's in Cardolan), if he still had his barrow-blade.

Keeper is surely correct about the weapon making a large difference. But the incredibly powerful weapons of the First Age seem to have mainly belonged to the Eldar. The axe of Tuor and the sword of Túrin are mentioned, but Húrin is never explicitly credited with having a particularly special weapon.

Trolls were made in mockery of ents, and weaker (according to Treebeard, who might have been more than a little biased). I'd have to say that they probably weren't as tough as stone, as that would make them tougher than ents, in that department at least. Frodo's stab and Pippin's both point to the fact that their hides aren't all that difficult to pierce... but only if you happen to catch 'em napping. BUT... did Frodo really stab a troll, or a large orc-chieftain? Now you've got me confused...

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Frodo stabbed the Troll's foot whilst saying "FOR THE SHIRE" in Balins tomb.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Actually, it doesn't say who the foot belonged to. However, it uses the word 'great' to describe the foot, and just a few lines before Gandalf uses the word 'great' to describe what he believes was a cave-troll. He merely uses 'large' for the Uruks. So I believe it is implied that Frodo did in fact stab the foot of the troll.

We should always remember that Treebeard doesn't know everything that he thinks he knows, to paraphrase Tolkien. He might be spouting gibberish about Trolls. Who knows? We cannot take Treebeard's words as truth, simply by virtue of their being Treebeard's words.