Fire Form. The elemental can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. A creature that touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 ft. of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. In addition, the elemental can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature's space on a turn, that creature takes 5 (1d10) fire damage and catches fire; until someone takes an action to douse the fire, the creature takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
Illumination. The elemental sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light in an additional 30 ft..
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 ft. the elemental moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two touch attacks.
Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
How many fire elementals for a fight?
A fire elemental is worth 1,800 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many fire elementals fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
4th
—
—
1
5th
1
1
2
6th
1
2
3
7th
1
2
3
8th
2
3
4
9th
2
4
5
10th
3
5
6
11th
4
6
9
12th
4
8
10
13th
5
9
12
14th
6
10
12+
15th
7
12
12+
16th
8
12+
12+
17th
10
12+
12+
18th
11
12+
12+
19th
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the fire elemental compares at CR 5
Against the 26 other challenge 5 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the fire elemental has more hit points than 13 of them, which makes it tougher than most at its CR. See every CR 5 monster.
Statistic
Fire Elemental
CR 5 average
Armor Class
13
14.6
Hit points
102
102
Best attack bonus
+6
+7
Fire Elemental 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the fire elemental, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Fire Aura. At the end of each of the elemental’s turns, each creature in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the elemental takes 5 (1d10) Fire damage. Creatures and flammable objects in the Emanation start burning.
Fire Form. The elemental can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without expending extra movement to do so, and it can enter a creature’s space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 5 (1d10) Fire damage.
Illumination. The elemental sheds Bright Light in a 30-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet.
Water Susceptibility. The elemental takes 3 (1d6) Cold damage for every 5 feet the elemental moves in water or for every gallon of water splashed on it.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two Burn attacks.
Burn. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it starts burning.
