Liches Touching Themselves

[Falling Icicle]

It can, but that doesn't mean that it always does. If it did they would have said "Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) heals undead creatures."

Similarly positive energy (such as a cure spell) can heal living creatures, but it need not always do so.

For example, see Bolt of Glory.

Look at it in the context of the previous sentence. It just said undead can't heal normally, so it then mentions that they can be healed by negative energy. It would be like if I said "constructs can't heal on their own, but they can be healed with repair spells."

 

[Falling Icicle]

Inflict spells say 'Since undead are powered by negative energy, this spell cures such a creature of a like amount of damage, rather than harming it.' They heal undead because the specifically say they do.

Actually, take note of the "since undead are powered by negative energy" part of that sentence. Undead are powered by negative energy, and that is why such energy heals them. The text in those spells that state that they heal undead creatures is just a handy reminder of a more general rule. That reminder is not necessary, and the absence of that reminder in a specific spell or ability, IMO, should not be taken to mean that it is an exception. AFAIC, a spell or ability would need to explicitly need to state that it is an exception to that general rule in order to be one, i.e. "even though this spell deals negative energy damage, it doesn't heal undead creatures."

 

[DM_Matt]

I dont see how this is so unbalancing. So he saves some cash on ILW wands. Big deal. This is a high-level creature that can resurrect itself. A little OOC fast healing is no biggie.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Look at it in the context of the previous sentence. It just said undead can't heal normally, so it then mentions that they can be healed by negative energy. It would be like if I said "constructs can't heal on their own, but they can be healed with repair spells."

Yeah, and afflict spells, harm and similar kinds of magic will heal undead. Or anything that references these spells. But chill touch won't. Neither will the negative energy from an evil cleric's Rebuke Undead ability. Positive energy won't always heal living creatures either; look at the ravid. Interpreting "negative energy can heal undead creatures" goes beyond the evidence; at best you can say that "some negative energy heals undead creatures" and look at particular entries to see what a given application of negative energy can do.