The Damage Absorption skill allows you to block an amount of damage equal to your skill bonus. It is mainly available as shield type spell effects with a temporary duration but certain rare items do exist with it as a bonus effect.
Skill Use
This skill itself is used automatically in combat, at the start of combat your damage absorption skill is loaded into the fight system and then checked throughout the fight and used to deduced damage from any attack made against you.
Example:
If you have 50 damage absorption skill and someone hits you for 30 damage, you will actually take 0 damage but your fight damage absorption will be reduced to 20 so then the next round if you are hit for 30 damage again you will only be able to absorb 20 so you will take 10 damage. After the fight ends your actual damage absorption skill will be unchanged so will remain at 50.
It is an extremely useful skill and one that can only be gained through rare items and magic spells.
Shield Spells
Damage absorption is available temporarily from shield spells. There are shield spells in the following magic lines:
If you cast the shield spell outside of combat the shield will have an effect that lasts up to three rounds in combat.
If you cast the spell in combat it will last until all damage has been absorbed or it reaches its round limit.