@hudyman: The point being that the OP shouldn't debate on behalf of either combatant.
I'm going to quote some feats from the books in order...
Fellowship of the Ring
With that he sprang forth nimbly, and then Frodo noticed as if for the first time, though he had long known it, that the Elf had no boots, but wore only light shoes, as he always did, and his feet made little imprint in the snow.
--Page 188.
Legolas is so agile and quick that he barely leaves an imprint in the snow when running
Then swift as a runner over firm sand he shot away, and quickly overtaking the toiling men, with a wave of his hand he passed them, and sped into the distance, and vanished round the rocky turn.
--Page 188
He's fast. Very fast.
At a gap in the circle a great dark wolf-shape could be seen halted, gazing at them. A shuddering howl broke from him, as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault.
Gandalf stood up and strode forward, holding his staff aloft. 'Listen, Hound of Sauron! ' he cried. `Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring.'
The wolf snarled and sprang towards them with a great leap. At that moment there was a sharp twang. Legolas had loosed his bow. There was a hideous yell, and the leaping shape thudded to the ground; the elvish arrow had pierced its throat.
--Page 191
Legolas doesn't have an arrow on his string when the wolf shows up, yet he's able to send an arrow through the wolf's throat. Since the wolf had only just leaped, that's a reaction time feat, as well as an accuracy feat.
The last arrow of Legolas kindled in the air as it flew, and plunged burning into the heart of a great wolf-chieftain. All the others fled.
--Page 192.
Legolas manages to hit a wolf in the heart. The "burning" thing is the result of a spell Gandalf threw.
No trace of the fight remained but the charred trees and the arrows of Legolas lying on the hill-top. All were undamaged save one of which only the point was left.
--Page 192.
I feel I need to mention this. Legolas' arrows don't break. Thoughout the fight, should he miss (which is unlikely), he can gather his arrows as the fight goes on.
How many there were the Company could not count. The affray was sharp, but the orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of the defence. Legolas shot two through the throat. Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung up on Balin's tomb. Boromir and Aragorn slew many. When thirteen had fallen the rest fled shrieking. leaving the defenders unharmed, except for Sam who had a scratch along the scalp.
--Page 207
Consider this short battle. Legolas shoots two Orcs through the throat while they are attacking in that fairly small room, the Chamber of Mazarbul. This puts him at incredibly close range, and he still manages to fire arrows. Close range arrow feats are as, if not more impressive than long-range ones, since you have to shoot your foe before they get within range for their melee weapon. Gimli has enough range to hew the legs off of an Orc, and his lack of reach is well known.
The others followed; but Gimli had to be dragged away by Legolas: in spite of the peril he lingered by Balin's tomb with his head bowed.
--208
Legolas is able to drag Gimli away from Balin's tomb. This is a strength feat. Gimli is short and stocky, whereas Legolas is tall and lithe, yet he is able to pull Gimli after him with no apparent problems.
Legolas turned and set an arrow to the string, though it was a long shot for his small bow. He drew, but his hand fell, and the arrow slipped to the ground.
--210
Legolas does aim at the Orcs who have opened fire on them despite it being an improbable shot due to the distance. Legolas doesn't aim unless he can hit the target, however he does not take the shot because he sees something that makes him so afraid he drops the arrow (a Balrog).
`I will climb up,' said Legolas. `I am at home among trees, by root or bough, though these trees are of a kind strange to me, save as a name in song. _Mellyrn_ they are called, and are those that bear the yellow blossom, but I have never climbed in one. I will see now what is their shape and way of growth.'
--218
and
He sprang lightly up from the ground and caught a branch that grew from the trunk high above his head. But even as he swung there for a moment, a voice spoke suddenly from the tree-shadows above him.
--218
The Forest provides Legolas with as much of a terrain advantage as it does Hood. He has a natural ability to climb trees and an impressive leaping ability.
`Yes, they are Elves,' said Legolas; `and they say that you breathe so loud that they could shoot you in the dark.'
--218
An example of Elvish hearing. Unless Robin can control his breathing for a very long time, Legolas will be able to 'shoot [him] in the dark.' The Elves in question are perched high in the trees, so that's a possible tactic Legolas could employ.
`There is one of my people yonder across the stream,' he said `though you may not see him.' He gave a call like the low whistle of a bird, and out of a thicket of young trees an Elf stepped, clad in grey, but with his hood thrown back; his hair glinted like gold in the morning sun. Haldir skilfully cast over the stream a coil of grey rope, and he caught it and bound the end about a tree near the bank.
`Celebrant is already a strong stream here, as you see,' said Haldir 'and it runs both swift and deep, and is very cold. We do not set foot in it so far north, unless we must. But in these days of watchfulness we do not make bridges. This is how we cross! Follow me!' He made his end of the rope fast about another tree, and then ran lightly along it, over the river and back again, as if he were on a road.
--221
Elf agility and balance. Ever seen an Elf rope? They are thin as strands of spiderweb. Haldir, an Elf of the same kin as Legolas, easily runs along the rope and back.
`I will go first,' said Haldir. 'Let Frodo come next and with him Legolas. The others may follow as they wish. It is a long climb for those that are not accustomed to such stairs, but you may rest upon the way.'
As he climbed slowly up Frodo passed many flets: some on one side, some on another, and some set about the bole of the tree, so that the ladder passed through them. At a great height above the ground he came to a wide _talan_, like the deck of a great ship. On it was built a house, so large that almost it would have served for a hall of Men upon the earth. He entered behind Haldir, and found that he was in a chamber of oval shape, in the midst of which grew the trunk of the great mallorn, now tapering towards its crown, and yet making still a pillar of wide girth.
--225/226
More Elf tree climbing. Frodo actually has to climb with Legolas just behind him in case he falls.
To Legolas she gave a bow such as the Galadhrim used, longer and stouter than the bows of Mirkwood, and strung with a string of elf-hair. With it went a quiver of arrows.
--239
Legolas gets a longer, stronger bow, which should reverse the problem faced earlier, where Legolas suffered from a lack of range.
Soon it appeared as a great winged creature, blacker than the pits in the night. Fierce voices rose up to greet it from across the water. Frodo felt a sudden chill running through him and clutching at his heart; there was a deadly cold, like the memory of an old wound, in his shoulder. He crouched down, as if to hide.
Suddenly the great bow of Lórien sang. Shrill went the arrow from the elven-string. Frodo looked up. Almost above him the winged shape swerved. There was a harsh croaking scream, as it fell out of the air, vanishing down into the gloom of the eastern shore. The sky was clean again. There was a tumult of many voices far away, cursing and wailing in the darkness, and then silence. Neither shaft nor cry came again from the east that night.
--246
Legolas hits a flying beast, which I assume is something to do with the Nazgul, given Frodo's wound growing cold. I'm tempted to say it could be a Nazgul's Flying Steed, and Legolas sends it packing with a single arrow.
That concludes the feats from the book of the Fellowship of the Ring I wanted to point out.
Next post will be The Two Towers.
(P.S. Sorry it took so long, I had to find the USB I keep the LOTR pdfs on.
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