I have this idea in magic that when people get hurt, they can use magic to heal themselves. What I need to know is if this is a good idea. Before you answer, think about it. There are a bunch of wizards fighting, they get hurt, and they simply heal themselves. Wouldn't that create an endless loop? I need to think of a limitation. I have thought of a limitation, which is that they need to take the energy from another living thing to heal themselves. But still, there could be many living things, and they could just take the energy from each other! Please help.

It wouldn't necessarily make a loop, because fighting doesn't last forever and there are injuries that can't be healed.

But remember, this is magic, most of it will heal.

Death doesn't heal. Psychological damage isn't really healed either.

Well, you have a point. But I am still going to leave this question here so that I can hear other people's opinions as well.

One way to keep wizards from just healing themselves in the middle of a fight is to make magical healing be a slow process that takes a lot of concentration. Maybe if you try a quick heal, not everything heals properly. Yeah, it's magic, but that doesn't mean it has to be quick, easy, and/or simple.

Wow...that is a very good idea! Thank you so much! I will most definitely be using this in my book! If you don't mind, of course.

Heh, of course I don't mind. It's not really an original idea of mine, honestly; I've seen it before.

Well I haven't so it is a great idea for me!

I use magic for healing. But it's only a special type of white magic that only certain people can do, and they can only use it on others, not themselves.

That is also a good idea, but I need my character to be able to heal themselves.

I don't have a magic in my stories that is specifically for healing. But the elves heal more quickly than other races.

It sounds like you've already got a good idea from Leandra, but here's another one. In the real world, healing takes a lot of energy. Your body has to put out a lot of power to heal a wound. That's why people recovering from surgery rest so much.

Well, magically healing should take the same amount of energy that healing naturally would take. And healing all at once in the middle of a battle would end in extreme energy depletion. (not a great thing when you're fighting for your life)

Also a good idea, but it is similar to Leandra's.

It could be more dangerous than not healing.

ALSO a good idea! But why would it be dangerous?

You'd be completely healed, but have no energy. Most soldiers won't worry too much about a badly injured soldier, but when you heal yourself, you're a target again with no energy to fight back.

ALSO a good idea! So...many...good ideas!

That makes a lot of sense, actually.