# Elemental
The elemental monster class is represented by the symbol E and consists of five monster types:

Four proper elementals:
E air elemental
E earth elemental
E fire elemental
E water elemental
One additional monster type:
E&nbsp;stalker
The stalker is quite unlike the others, and so the term “elemental” usually refers only to the four proper elementals.
Stalkers are genocidable but the proper elementals are not, so using a blessed genocide on the E class will only wipe out stalkers.
Elementals generated on the corresponding Elemental Plane will have three times the normal amount of hit points.[1]

Contents

1 Air elemental

1.1 Generation
1.2 Strategy

1.2.1 Polymorph
1.2.2 Combat

1.3 History
1.4 See also

2 Earth elemental
3 Fire elemental
4 Water elemental
5 SpliceHack
6 Encyclopedia entry
7 References

Air elemental

E air elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Engulf 1d10

E air elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Engulf 1d10

Base level

8

Base experience

126

Speed

36

Base AC

2

Base MR

30

Alignment

0 (neutral)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

No

Weight

0

Nutritional value

0

Size

Huge

Resistances

poison, petrification

Resistances conveyed

None

An air elemental:

 can fly.

 has no eyes.

 has no limbs.
 has no head.
 is mindless.

 does not have a solid form.

 does not eat. (*)
 is neither male nor female.

 is strong.

 never leaves a corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line1364

The air elemental is by far the fastest of elementals and, indeed, the fastest monster of any sort in the entire game.
Unlike other elementals, air elementals can engulf players. Their main attack is to pummel the player with debris; this can be quite deadly to unprepared characters due to their extreme speed and because, unlike against other whirly monsters, one cannot acquire a resistance against the physical damage. Air elementals are not genocidable.  They are also immune to petrification and poison. They cannot deal much damage to players polymorphed into a huge monster, e.g. a titan.

Generation
They appear both on the Plane of Air (guaranteed) and in the main dungeon (random). On the Plane of Air, they have three times as many hit points.

Strategy
Polymorph
They make surprisingly bad fighter forms to polymorph into, though they are good for travel. E.g. hunting the vibrating square, or crossing the Plane of Air. They are less good for the Plane of Fire because a boulder-throwing, lava-splashing giant might rehumanize you right over lava, and outright bad for the Plane of Water where you cannot see the portal move. Once polymorphed, you cannot use your hands, including to put on or remove rings or operate a bag. Since they are blind, you might want to pack a wand of probing to make picked-up items seen, or wear the Eyes of the Overworld (if you have them).

Combat
If you are engulfed by an air elemental, you can escape by either teleporting yourself out if the level allows teleport, or zapping in any direction with a wand of teleportation if you are on a non-teleport level (such as the Plane of Air).
Casting slow monster or zapping in any direction with a wand of slow monster will "disrupt" the air elemental and you will be immediately expelled. It is also susceptible to a wand or spell of sleep, allowing plenty of time to give it your own pummeling.

History
In previous versions of NetHack, the air elemental's pummel attack dealt twice as much damage as currently; this was changed in version 3.4.0.

See also
The Air Elemental FAQ

Earth elemental

E earth elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 4d6

E earth elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 4d6

Base level

8

Base experience

126

Speed

6

Base AC

2

Base MR

30

Alignment

0 (neutral)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

No

Weight

2500

Nutritional value

0

Size

Huge

Resistances

fire, cold, poison, petrification

Resistances conveyed

None

An earth elemental:

 can phase through walls.

 does not breathe.

 has no eyes.

 has no limbs.
 has no head.
 is mindless.

 has a thick hide.

 does not eat. (*)
 is neither male nor female.

 is strong.

 never leaves a corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line1378

Earth elementals are slow and thus easily dealt with, although you may find yourself overwhelmed by large numbers of them as they can phase through walls.

Fire elemental

E fire elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 3d6 fire, passive (level + 1)d4 fire

E fire elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 3d6 fire, passive (level + 1)d4 fire

Base level

8

Base experience

134

Speed

12

Base AC

2

Base MR

30

Alignment

0 (neutral)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

No

Weight

0

Nutritional value

0

Size

Huge

Resistances

fire, poison, petrification

Resistances conveyed

None

A fire elemental:

 can fly.

 cannot pick up items.
 has no eyes.

 has no limbs.
 has no head.
 is mindless.

 does not have a solid form.

 does not eat. (*)
 is neither male nor female.

 is strong.

 never leaves a corpse.

 gives out light.

Reference

monst.c#line1371

Fire elementals are not fast and not hard to fight, especially if you have fire resistance, in which case they can do you no damage.

Water elemental

E water elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 5d6

E water elemental 

Difficulty

10

Attacks

Claw 5d6

Base level

8

Base experience

126

Speed

6

Base AC

2

Base MR

30

Alignment

0 (neutral)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

No

Weight

2500

Nutritional value

0

Size

huge

Resistances

poison, petrification

Resistances conveyed

None

A water elemental:

 can swim.

 can survive underwater.

 has no eyes.

 has no limbs.
 has no head.
 is mindless.

 does not eat. (*)
 is neither male nor female.

 is strong.

 never leaves a corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line1387

Water elementals may be summoned by drinking from a sink and can easily kill an early character should they hit. Unlike the air elemental, water elementals are slow and easy to run away from.

SpliceHack
Main articles: Elemental (SpliceHack) and scroll of elementalism
SpliceHack introduces many new elementals. It also adds a scroll of elementalism that summons elementals.

Encyclopedia entry

Elementals are manifestations of the basic nature of the
universe.  There are four known forms of elementals:  air, fire,
water, and earth.  Some mystics have postulated the necessity
for a fifth type, the spirit elemental, but none have ever
been encountered, at least on this plane of existence.

 

References

↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1012

This page is based on a spoiler by J. Ali Harlow.