(all 3) - I like the dynamic sizes, for reasons I think I've explained already. But basically, I can imagine wanting to exceed some of those limits. Perhaps force bitwise flags if using more than 32 in a given chunk? I could live with that tradeoff. Or perhaps a mix of some bytes and some bits, up to a maximum size (which can be done via script anyway, not a problem). See my reasons below...
regarding elementals specifically: I used to always wonder why FF6 had separate bytes for each of the 4 elemental persuasions that it supports (in order of evaluation, they go absorb, nullify, 1/2 damage, weak, normal). I thought to myself, why not just have it store a multiplier per elemental (-2, 0, 1, 4, 2 in terms of halves)? But then I finally realized the answer: FF6 has the Debilitator, which has the effect of setting a random weakness to its target. If the target is already weak to everything, it misses. Otherwise, it will always pick an element at random, make the target weak to it, and clear any absorb, resist, or nullify that it may have. So, there is some monster which has all weaknesses already--but it also has all absorbs. Since the "weak to everything" check occurs first, this makes the monster invulnerable to Debilitator's effect.
Am I saying it can't be done with byte-per-element multipliers? Absolutely not. It would take more logic, but it certainly can be done. I'm just saying that sometimes there is a reason to do a bitwise elemental scheme. Also, if each element gets a multiplier, the multiiplier either needs to be a float, or expressed in some integral number of a fraction (like eighths). And it would also have to be signed (to account for absorb; i.e. negative damage).
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A similar argument could be made for statuses, but I can see the flexibility that would be brought by having bytes to express a continuum rather than on/off. You could have Haste and Really Really Hasted with bytes. :) But I can't imagine Toad and Kinda Sort Toad. Some things lend themselves to binary quite well.
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EDIT: Another pair of design dilemmas:
1. The order of priority for elemental 'persuasions' (to use my word) is not always the same across games. If a game has a bitwise elemental scheme as above, then there is a priority (I mentioned FF6's system whereby Absorb is first and Weakness is last as an example). If there's a byte-scale to it, then it's conceivable to just add up the multipliers and get an aggregate (if that is desired), but typically the first 'match' wins in FF games so that would be a major change from norm.
2. Multi-elemental attacks: Again, noting the 'first match wins' standard, if a theoretical attack were to be flagged with fire and ice, and it hits a target with fire absorb and ice weakness, what should happen? In FF6, the full spell power would be absorbed by the target, as absorb has priority. It's conceivable to have it grant (2+(-4))/2 = 1/2 spell damage to the target by using multiples of 0.5 for each element involved. How do we handle multi-elementals, that is the question.
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