Elementals spawn at set positions in an area when the weather matches the Elemental's type. A weather effect's duration is not affected by killing elementals. Elementals respawn if the weather continues long enough. If an elemental is unclaimed when the weather ends, it will despawn. Elementals are normally passive, but they react aggressively to players who cast near them, unless that player's level is significantly stronger than the elemental's level. Elemental are often a high level for the area they're in, and they are made even more difficult by the fact that physical attacks are mostly ineffective against them. Entire adventuring parties are sometimes taken down because the careless casting of a single mage.