After reading Fred Saberhagen's "Empire Of The East", I felt a need to distinguish between subtypes of elementals. The ones that stuck out in the book were the plains elemental (that stretches perceived distances and travel times) and the desert elemental, but the basic assumption was that there were probably hundreds of elemental types instead of four.
So, here it is, Labyrinth Lord style (adapted from the posts on my blog)
When summoning elementals in the B/X or Labyrinth Lord game, there is a chance of summoning a specific form of elemental suited to the environment in question. The DM determines what the most likely subtype to appear will be. There is a 50% chance that the appropriate subtype appears instead of a standard elemental of the appropriate power. A spellcaster can learn (typically via a quest or magical tome) how to summon a particular subtype of elemental. In this case, if the proper environment is present, the summoning will always bring forth the desired subtype. A spellcaster can learn how to summon a number of subtypes equal to 1/2 his level.
There are 4 basic types of Elementals, typically determined by their summoning source.
Lesser Elemental (Summoned by Staff) – 8 HD, AC 2, 1d8 damage
Greater Elemental (Summoned by Devices) – 12 HD, AC 0, 2d8 damage
True Elemental (Summoned by Spells) – 16 HD, AC -2, 3d8 damage
Legendary Elemental (Summoned by Ritual) – 20 HD, AC -4, 4d8 damage
Elemental subtypes are treated identically to standard elementals, but have one additional power as indicated below. Unless otherwise indicated, any spell-like abilities are treated as being cast by a spellcaster with a level equal to the elemental’s Hit Dice. Some spell effects are from the Advanced Edition Companion.
Air Elemental Subtypes
Standard air elementals take the form of a whirlwind 2′ tall per and 2′ diameter per hit die. They fly at a movement rate of 360′ (120′). Creatures of (1/4 elemental’s hit dice) or fewer hit dice are carried away if they are within the area of the elemental if they fail a save versus death. Damage from air elementals is increased by 1d8 points against aerial targets.
Blizzard - 1d6 cold damage / round in a 2′ radius / HD
Zephyr - doubles or halves flight speeds in a 20′ radiums / HD
Storm - call lightning once per day
South Wind - ends all hostile air effects (storms, cloudkill, wall of fog, etc) within 5′ / HD
Pestilence - cause disease to all touched
Fog - fog cloud 1 / turn
Howling - temporarily deafens all within 2′ / HD, fear to those under 4 HD
Gust - gust of wind 1 / turn
Earth Elemental Subtypes
Standard earth elementals take the form of a humanoid, 1′ tall per hit die. They move at a rate of 60′ (20′), cannot cross water wider than 1′ / HD, but ca move through earth or stone unimpeded. Damage from earth elementals is increased by 1d8 points against targets standing on the ground.
Plains – reduce enemy ground-based movement to 1/3 within 20′ / HD
Dirt - lesser move earth at will
Desert - 1d6 heat and abrasion damage / round in a 2′ radius / HD
Mud - transmute rock to mud 1 / turn
Graveyard - animate dead 1 / turn
Dungeon - melee targets must save versus paralysis or be chained to the elemental and must move with it
Sand - blur 1 / turn
Mountain - can attack (without the normal damage bonus for target type) at a range of 5′ / HD by hurling boulders
Crystal - mirror image 1 / turn, colour spray 1 / turn
Metal - attacks are wounding, dealing 1 point of damage per round until bound.
Fire Elemental Subtypes
Standard fire elementals take the form of a pillar of flames 1′ tall and 1′ diameter per hit die. They move at a movement rate of 120′ (40′) and cannot cross water wider than 1′ / HD. Damage from fire elementals is increased by 1d8 points against targets with cold attacks.
Cinder – incendiary cloud 1 / turn
Lava - 1d6 heat damage / round to all within 1′ radius / HD, form is that of an earth elemental instead of a fire elemental.
Forge - heat metal on all weapons that strike it and all armour struck by it.
Pyre - +1d8 damage versus undead and magic users
Tinder - flashfire 1 / round
Hearth - resist cold 10′ radius / HD
Flare - Hits cause blindness unless a save vs death is made; casts pyrotechnics 1 / turn
Water Elemental Subtypes
Standard water elementals take the form of a mass of waves 1/2′ tall per and 2′ diameter per hit die. They move at a rate of 60′ (20′) and swim at a rate of 180′ (60′), although they cannot travel more than 60 feet from a source of water. Targets standing in or submerged in water suffer an additional 1d8 damage from the attacks of a water elemental.
Ice – ice storm 1 / turn
Bog - attacks warp wood on target and possessions
River - part water or lower water 1 / turn
Sweetwater - purify food and water 2′ radius / HD
Blood - bane (reverse of bless) on all living opponents in 2′ radius / HD
Whirlpool - struck opponents must save versus paralysis or be stuck to the elemental
Sewer - creatures within 2′ / HD must save versus poison or suffer -2 to hit in combat from nausea
Geyser - 8d6 damage blast of boiling water 5′ wide by 5′ / HD long 1 / turn
Bile - attack destroys leather and cloth if save versus magic is failed
Wood Elemental Subtypes
Standard wood elementals take the form of a treant-shaped humanoid 1 1/2′ tall per hit die. They move at a rate of 90′ (30′) and are never slowed by vegetation. Targets standing on grass, plants or wood suffer +1d8 damage from wood elemental attacks.
Thorn – can attack at a range of 5′ / HD (base damage only)
Forest - entangle 1 / turn
Fungal - stinking cloud 1 / turn
Rose - allure (towards the controller) all within 5′ radius / HD
Gallows - +1d8 damage to any creature with less than 1/2 hit points remaining
Moss - attack as a rust monster 1 / turn
Vine - ranged attack (2′/HD) draws target into contact with the elemental, further attacks don’t roll to hit.
Rot - attacks warp wood on target and possessions