The Fire Elemental is the elemental you want to use against creatures with very quick attacks (Griffawns) or against massive amounts of smaller creatures (Clearing away the hall trash). Fire Elemental have good strength (About equal to a Barbarian) and good agility (About equal to an elf). They have the least HP of any elemental, but compensate with an innate Fire Shield that damages an attacker every time the attacker hits the elemental. This means that a creature is getting hit by the elemental and taking damage every time they hit the elemental.
Level 50+ Fire Elemental now cast a variety of Wizard based spells including Force Shock, Flame Shock, Shock of Lightning, Shieldskin, O'Keils Radiation and Dispel Magic.