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An artistic rendering of the cosmology of the Inner Planes.

The Inner Planes are the innermost planes of existence in the standard cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They are the building blocks of the multiverse, the elements and energies from which all of the material universe (the Prime Material Plane, or, in the 3rd Edition, simply Material Plane) is made.

The Inner Planes, the material building blocks of reality and the realms of energy and matter, stand in contrast to the intangible and esoteric Outer Planes, which include the realms of ideals, philosophies, and gods.

In the first edition there were initially only four Inner Planes, consisting of the four classical elements of fire, earth, air and water. The energy planes were introduced later in the first edition's run.

In Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition, the Inner Planes intersect each other to produce a number of other Planes. Probably the best analogy describing their relationship to each other is that of a globe: the northern pole is the Positive Energy Plane, the southern pole the Negative Energy Plane, and at the equator lie the Elemental Planes (based on the four classical elements): Air opposite Earth, Fire opposite Water.

The four Elemental Planes are the planes of Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

The Para-Elemental Planes are produced where the Elemental Planes come into contact with each other: Smoke (Air and Fire), Ice (Air and Water), Ooze (Earth and Water), and Magma (Fire and Earth). The Quasi-Elemental Planes are produced where the Elemental Planes touch the Energy Planes: At the intersection of the Positive Energy Plane and the planes of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water are Lightning, Minerals, Radiance, and Steam respectively. Around the Negative Energy Planes are Vacuum, Dust,^[1] Ash,^[2] and Salt.^[3]

Note that none of the opposing planes touch one another, as they cancel each other out violently, particularly in the case of Positive and Negative Energy. Thus, Fire and Water do not touch, nor do Air and Earth. There is only one exception to this rule: the Prime Material Plane, which is composed equally of all 6 elements; Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Creation (Positive Energy), and Decay (Negative Energy).

The Energy Planes are unique in that they are not composed of matter but rather a tangible form of creativeness or destructiveness. All life (or unlife) depends on them. Despite this, energy elementals or other forms of native life are not common. The Xag-Ya (positive) and Xeg-Yi energons were the earliest such denizens to be introduced.

Also called the Negative Material Plane (in 1st Edition), this plane is the home of stagnation, entropy, and the undead. Any unprotected living creature exposed to the Negative Energy plane has its life force rapidly drained and will die when they run out. Most Necromantic spells draw on this plane and most undead creatures have an inherent connection to it. Negative Energy may be considered similar to, or even analogous with, the concept of Yin.

Also called the Positive Material Plane (in 1st Edition), this is the plane of creation and energy, and is the total opposite of the Negative Energy plane. Despite the plane's life giving effects, living creatures entering the positive energy plane quickly become overloaded with life energy and may explode. Necromantic spells harming undead and "turn undead" abilities draw on this plane. Positive Energy may be considered similar to, or even analogous with, the concept of Yang.

• Grubb, Jeff. Manual of the Planes (TSR, 1987).
• Grubb, Jeff, David Noonan, and Bruce Cordell. Manual of the Planes (Wizards of the Coast, 2001).