system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[LOTR] Let's say Sauron decided the One Ring plan is too risky. How would he have tried to take over Middle Earth?

I'm guessing some form of trickery and deceit like what he tried to pull with the Numenoreans.

How would he have also gone about elevating his own personal power, without using the whole "placing his essence inside a very easy to misplace piece of jewelry"? Were there any other magical means available to him?
gpt
> Let's say Sauron decided the One Ring plan is too risky. How would he have tried to take over Middle Earth?

The same way he tried over and over again - by force. 

The Rings of Power were created because Sauron thought he could dominate the wearers. Why conquer Middle Earth when you can just enslave its rulers to your will? Except this only worked on the Men. Dwarves can't be dominated. And the Elven Rings were crafted only by Celebrimbor. They were aware when Sauron used the One Ring. 

So if Sauron isn't creating the Rings of Power, then he's skipping Plan A and going straight to Plan B. Conquer Middle Earth by force. 

Assuming the Second Age goes the same way, Sauron destroys Eregion, kills Celebrimbor, but is then defeated by the Numenoreans. 1,500 years later, Sauron convinces Ar-Pharazon to attack Valinor, Numenor is destroyed, and the War of the Last Alliance plays out. Without the One Ring, Sauron is killed by Elendil and Gil-galad, and doesn't return in the Third Age. 

Maybe the Second Age plays out differently. Maybe Sauron takes his time, builds up his power more, and actually overruns Middle Earth. Either way, he still can't defeat Numenor. Numenor attacks and defeats Sauron. Sauron dies. 

Also, if Sauron doesn't create the Rings of Power, there are no Nazgul. How much weaker is Sauron without his most powerful servants?

> Were there any other magical means available to him?

Probably. Maybe he should've made a magic eyepatch. That would've been cool.