What happens to all that positive energy?

[DMH]

With all the healing spells being used in a typical setting, the amount of positive energy being drawn into that plane must be enormous. Since energy can't be destroyed, what happens to it?

I like the idea that both the positive and negative energy sticks around and has an effect upon the world. Since too much of either can mean the end of life in that location* or even destruction of the planet, characters will have to charge about and fix such excesses or risk losing everything.

*Too much positive will cause plants and animals to have cancer because their tissues can't handle all the growth.

 

[Ry]

I have positive energy good-guy zombies, called "Miracle Men"

They smell bad, but they do good.

 

[LightPhoenix]

It balances out all the undead!

I'm not a huge fan of applying science to D&D, however I would say that positive and negative energy is converted to some sort of work when you use it. For example, when you cast CLW, that positive energy is transferred to the body, to be used to accelerate healing. Natural healing takes energy too... the spell just channels energy to allow it to go faster without using up all the person's resources.

Though, that does give me a cool idea for a healing spell that basically uses the body's energy instead of positive energy for healing, leaving them fatigued and starving. In fact, if I were to give any sort of arcane healing, I think that's how I'd do it.

 

[Arkhandus]

If nothing else, the positive energy flows back into the Plane of Positive Energy after passing through the Material Plane. And negative energy back into the Plane of Negative Energy.

Besides, I figure there are probably enough people channeling negative energy and raising armies of zombies, and enough individuals becoming vampires or liches, to balance out whatever positive energy influx may exist.

 

[Heathansson]

I have positive energy good-guy zombies, called "Miracle Men"

They smell bad, but they do good.

I saw one. On t.v. crying.

 

[DMH]

So what happens when positive and negative energy meet?

 

[hong]

So what happens when positive and negative energy meet?

They mutually annihilate, releasing a photon and a neutrino.

 

[Heathansson]

They mutually annihilate, releasing a photon and a neutrino.

Isn't it two 511 keV gamma rays?

 

[Glyfair]

Since energy can't be destroyed, what happens to it?

Who says energy can't be destroyed?

All the rules of physics don't apply in a fantasy world, especially at this level of subtlety. In fact, I'd recommend that anything that isn't directly noticeable to an average person NOT follow our physics.

 

[DragonLancer]

I'm inclined to say that any residual energy that remains after a turn/rebuke, cure/cause...etc, is drawn back to the relevant energy plane.