The elemental walls are interesting and the flame walls in particular look great too. However, I don't find them very practical. There is nothing tactical about the combat in TES games. An archer, for example, will just back up into a corner and once you set an elemental wall down on them, they'll stay in it and burn away without moving. If you are facing a two-handed melee barbarian, you can just set some flames down and run in figure 8's and run them in and out of the fire. The AI is next level stupid in this game. I would like to think of a more practical use for the elemental walls.

The Firebolt spell with dual casting and impact is over powering because you can impact lock a single foe easily. The fireball spell is really awesome, and the area effect (splash damage) makes it more interesting as a tactical choice. When attacking a group, it is nice, but if you have a companion or there are non-hostile/friendly NPCs who are in the fight as well, you will inflict damage which will anger them at the very least causing them to attack, or even kill them outright giving you a bounty. Instead, you have to hold back that spell in many situations. The same is somewhat true of the elemental walls. The AI isn't aware and nor do they care about the elemental walls and will walk right into them, stand in them and so on and you get the same results.

I guess here is part of my problem with the elemental walls... I can just cast runes and get a one time effect without all the draw back... so what's the point? What am I doing wrong?