why not enlarge yourself, improving your chances of fleeing and letting your elemental take the blows.

why not shockwave/incinerate to start the fight so your elemental takes the blows?

Wrong elemental to do these things? Then change your tactics accordingly. (ie consider not fighting on his terms.)

You walked in on him? Perhaps you should have let him come to you.

Controlling lag is, in my opinion, a lot more important tactically than controlling damage, especially where survival is concerned.