By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging
encounters against a Fire Elemental
Note: This has been prepared utilizing only the 5E Core Rules. The Fire Elemental can be found in the Monster Manual page 125.
Fire Elementals are summoned, not evolved creatures, as such they have no specific form, they can be bound into a shape by the will of their summoner. Fire Elementals are compelled creatures, bound to serve and to assume the form that their summoner desires. When summoned without a specific shape requirement, they tend to take a shape that fits their nature, appearing as a faint humanoid shape within a core of blazing twisted flame.
Fire Elementals can only be summoned through a flame. Even the flame on a candle is enough. They cannot be summoned to a place where a flame cannot survive. (such as underwater)
Step 1) Let’s review what we know about the Fire Elemental
Fire Elementals extremely nimble and tough, but only average in strength. They have very little in the way of personality and intelligence. Fire Elementals can move quickly, with a ground speed of 50 feet per round. They can move through an opening a mere one inch in diameter without slowing. They can also enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there.
Fire Elementals burn everything wherever they go, even without making an attack, their fire form causes damage.
Fire Elementals take half damage from non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing attacks. They are completely immune to poison and fire damage.
Fire Elementals are conditionally immune to Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained and Unconscious. They do not need to consume (eat or drink), breathe or sleep.
Fire Elementals are forces of capricious devastation, wherever it moves, it sets its surroundings ablaze. Fire Elementals enjoy burning and turning the world to ash, smoke and cinders.
Fire Elemental senses include Darkvision 60 feet, they have a passive perception of 10.
Fire Elementals can be stopped by water.
Fire Elementals provide bright illumination within 30 feet and dim light out to 60 feet.
Step 2) Determine the probable Strategy
Fire Elementals are constructs that exist only to serve their creator. They do come with certain default combat techniques built in that serve much like the instincts of an animal. Their low intelligence makes it hard for them to change tactics, thus they will often continue even a losing strategy unless directed to do something else by their creator.
These elementals maintain a telepathic link to their creator if that creator remains within 120 feet. The creator can receive the sensory input of the elemental.
Step 3) Determine Tactics
The primary attack is of course their multi-attack fire touch. Provided the target or creature is flammable it ignites and will continue burning each round until it takes action to douse the fire.
The Fire Form is a passive ability to ignite the material in proximity, this includes people. A size large creature with a move of 50 can cover a lot of ground, potentially affecting every member of the party. This passive ability does damage initially and continues until the flames have been put out.
These creatures are aware of their vulnerability to water, anyone who attempts to “put out the flames” will probably become targeted.
These powerful creatures that would seem to be no more than brutes, but they do have a few programed techniques available to them.
Technique #1: Fire Form Trail – Wherever the Elemental moves will ignite and continue to burn for a time. The elemental will purposefully leave a fire trail in areas both to herd the target away from water or into a more flammable area, or to cut off escape.
Technique #2: The Inferno – The Elemental will ignite any structure the environment provides. It’s hard to fight when the building is burning.
Technique #3: The Flare – The Fire Elemental will utilize its illumination to spoil the Darkvision and Night-Sight of those it is fighting, making it harder for them to see other combatants in the area. This technique is only used at the command of the creator/summoner.