Brimstone Man with Hammerhead

[Paul 1602]

I just got a non-surge of power artifact for the second time (!) and it's the same artifact as the first time (!!!), Hammerhead.

Anyway, it happened on the second level of the ToEF while trying the Brimstone Man challenge. Since I'm not very good at this game so far I've just tried to survive as long as possible with no real expectation of being able to complete the challenge. This is the third or fourth attempt where I've gotten far enough to not take fire damage anymore.

With this artifact I feel like I have a reasonable chance to beat the challenge so I thought I'd ask for some advice here before I screw it up. Besides Hammerhead I have blue dragon scale mail, a 7s stone amulet (death-ray resistance?), a ring of fire restistance and a ring of minor elemental mastery.

[fitzpa88]

I've never gotten a brimstone man past about level 9, so I can't give much advice. In case it effects advice from others, are you the classic gnome elementalist or something else?