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And not just in a "Counter attack" fashion but literally, react to different rings differently.

I had this idea a long time ago, dunno why I didn't post it earlier... Gonna keep it simple to get the idea accross rather than make a huge post about it.

Imagine that certain monsters just hated or abused (is this word taboo) the effects of certain rings and did something nastier when you used them. Or even picture using certain rings as actually turning the game easier to your side.

Say, a monster with an hypothetical "shield". And the shield is full of hypothetical "spikes". While it raises its shield, it can't attack, but if you attack it, you end up hurting yourself more than if it normally attacked you.

Also, ring specific monsters. Let's picture a scare crow. it scratches you like a common animated, no special features to it.
If you however, try to use Fire Rain, Hot Foot, Solar Rays (or any fire element attack) on it, it would burst into flames and both start attacking faster, with AoE centered on itself, and running around players like a madman as its health burns away over time.

And then the opposite. A candle that you can throw a water balloon at or use dervish to blow away the fire. It doesn't die, but remain inactive and unable to be killed. Gives the player a breather period. Other animated could keep them lit by lighting them on fire.

And even then, coding this recognition of attacks being used on them would open the chance for the creation of enemies like those... Can you picture it already? Playing "Simon Says" with animated?

1st part is the classic "environmental hazards" suggestion we've seen several times and that usually also include environmental puzzles or gates (you can pass trough vines only if you cut or burn them - You can only go trough the upper path if you water a plant for it to grow - the animated rock just sitting there won't let you pass unless you scare it so it rolls away away). Yes, I like it too, I even incorporated this with the alien eggs in the Gilroy thread. But ;_; I guess the devs believe "FIRE BAD" is enough.

As for the second part, that is something new entirely. "Smart animated" that generate extra or less hate points towards certain ring types.
I'd even add one that has no direct functional bearing to the ones you've stated, but the idea is the same: Foes that target player with or without certain buffs first. Specially if they can "destroy" buffs.