My solution is very simple:
when Smaug is in his temporary form he cannot pick up the ring. Going into details:
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In Early Game when you have not yet unlocked the spellbook power, as you just know only the tribute system is available. In this form Smaug is not able to pick up the ring anymore. I think i can justify this by the fact that could be too much at the starting game. The ring form must be of course a cool feauture, but not a necessary one: i want Smaug to be interesting anyway, also in the multiplayer matches in which the ring presence is removed (as i know the most of it). Therefore, this new constrain could justify even more his terrible power.
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In Late Game, after you buy the 5pp central spell here are the
very important news.
If the last Dragon Lair in game is destroyed when Smaug is in game,
the treasure of the Golden One is Lost , and Smaug has no more reasons to fight permanently on your side: immediately after the destruction, Smaug
turns back in is temporary form, with a timer that has to be set properly in order to give the possibility to build again the Lair. The restoration of his treasure (via rebuilding) is the only way to stop the running out of the timer.
Again, and that is the crucial point of the solution,
Smaug cannot pick up the ring in this form.
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Ring Mechanic: as proposed by esparado, when Smaug pick up the ring, the One is stored in The Dragon Lair (if there are more than one at the same time, the one in which you recruited Smaug).
Beside resolving the aforementioned problem, also it fits even best for Smaug. Many in the forum raised the issue if Smaug can or cannot wear the ring. In my view, would be fitting to consider the ring as the
most precious piece of Gold for him. As we all know, once the One recognize his new (temporary) keeper, it starts to cast his influence independently by the wearing or not. I deem this explanation sufficient to justify Smaug "storing" the ring instead of wearing it.
Anyway, coming back to the mechanic it self, the Lair storing the One it will be visible in some way by the other players. If it is destroyed, than Smaug Turns back on his normal form and the ring is available for the other players. If the destroyed Lair was the last in game, also the aforementioned timer start the runnig out.
I don't know about technical problems such as coding. If the storing is not allowed, then the Denethor idea of esperado could be very good imo, also making the ring more visible to the other players.
Conclusions: Smaug is now more confined by constrains. None of his temporary versions can use the ring anymore. But, the issue of the stuck-ring should be eliminated now. Also, the fact that the player has to protect the Lair, could justify an increase of his powers.
Let me know
