Balrogs vs Dragons

[Boromir88]

in my opinion, dragons have more raw power, but are weak defensively and vulnerable to stealth. Balrogs are weaker, but it takes many good hits to take them down, so stealth is useless.

Actually Balrogs were quite agile. They aren't the big lumbering, bulky, beasts that Jackson portrays. Tolkien describes them as about the size of a man, or greater (so 6-8 feet?) and they were quite agile...

It came to the edge of the fire and the light faded as if a cloud had bent over it. Then with a rush it leaped across the fissure.~Bridge of Khazad-dum

Then later as Gandalf tells us.

In that despair my enemy was my only hope, and I pursued him, clutching at his heel...
"From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak it climbed, ascending in unbroken spiral in many thousand steps, until it issued at last in Durin's Tower carved in the living rock of Zirakzigil, the pinnacle of the Silvertine."~The White Rider

So, when the Balrog does flee from Gandalf he was able to "outrun" him, until he reached the top that is.

If you have read the Silmarillion, and read about Gothmog's battles. He slew Fingon with his axe, he slew Feanor, he bounded up Hurin and dragged him away. Then his fight with Echthelion, which is told in a another tale, that I have not read yet.

[Eonwe]

dragons vs. balrogs, eh? well, in the tales of dragons, they are usually more free agents, sort of. they seem to kind of do as the please, at least more so than balrogs. also, maybe that is why stealth doesn't work on balrogs: they are always holed up on a tower or on the field in a huge battle, whereas dragons make themselves comfy on a pile of someone's gold in a deep cavern somewhere by themselves. it is interesting to note, thought, that dragons very precise senses of hearing and smell (Bilbo and smaug episode), so they seem to have some defenses against stealth.

other than that, there is the obvious difference in flight capabilities.

[Bergil]

where, exaxctly did I say they were slow?

[Boromir88]

You didn't say they were slow, but you did say...

Balrogs are weaker, but it takes many good hits to take them down, so stealth is useless.

Which makes it seem like they didn't have stealth.

[Gurthang]

Well, considering that both are beings of fire, the outcome is rather hard to determine. All in all, it's an extremely tight match.

Balrog:
Sword
Whip
Magic(see Gandalf discussing the door in Balin's Tomb)
Creates Shadow
Maia

Dragon:
Teeth/Claws
Tough, Scaly Armour
Spellcasting Eyes
Emits Light
Fell Spirit.

All those attributes pretty much offset the opponents. There are only two aspects that give distinct advantages to one side: the Dragon's ability to fly and Dragon's weak stomach. Regardless of whether or not a Balrog has wings, it's generally assumed that it can't fly. So the Dragon, which definitely can, has the upperhand. On the other side, the Dragon's belly is soft and vulnerable, making it very susceptible to an underside attack.

So the real question is whether or not the Dragon's ability to fly overrides it's extremely weak tummy.

[Eonwe]

you forgot one thing in your otherwise excelent list. some dragons had fire. think on this: if a dragon can't or chooses not to fly, were are you going to attack him? i really see no way i would get killed if i was a dragon.

[Bergil]

I meant, that stealth wouldn't help AGAINST a balrog, but it would against a dragon, because the balrog can take a lot of damage.