Is it just me, or are high level elementals arguably less useful than the lower level type? Seems to me that 20%-30% of the time, my friendly major elemental or elemental lord will choose to cast an utterly ineffective pwr 3 fireball, whirlwind, or the like, rather than engaging in melee. Plus, they are S L O W for fairly high level creatures.

Ah well, they do serve as hit point shields and missile/spell magnets...

... or to screen opponents and absorb your missiles... :D

I simply use them as shields more than anything. Because they will often march forward, and get the attention of whatever I am fighting - so they focus on it - cast Guardian Angel and Magic Screen on it - so it lives as long as possible. In the mean time I have my mage go to town with spells like fireball, nuclear blast, firestorm, asphixiation (sp) - then whatever is left alive comes at my warriors and gets sliced to pieces. :D