This rod acts as a magnet, drawing magic spells into itself. Roughly 60% of rods are tuned to sorcery and the remainder are tuned to divine spells. Only mages (those with Spell Energy skill) can use sorcery rods while only clerics can use divine rods.
Once absorbed, the rod nullifies the effects of the spell and stores their potential until the wielder releases this energy in the form of spells of his own casting. The magic absorbed must have been directed at the character possessing the rod. The wielder can instantly detect a spell's type, if sorcery (GK, SK or Arcane), or spell level, if divine as the rod absorbs the spell's magical energy.
Sorcerous Rods
A running total of absorbed (and used) spell points should be kept (1 point for GK, 2 for SK and 3 for Arcane). For example, a rod that absorbs a GK spell and an SK spell has a total of three points. The wielder of the rod can use captured spell energy to cast any spell he has memorized, at a casting time of 1. The only restriction is that the points available in the rod must be sufficient to cast the spell (i.e., if the rod only has 1 spell point stored, it cannot be used to cast an SK spell, which requires 2 spell points).
Divine Rods
A running total of absorbed (and used) spell levels should be kept. For example, a rod that absorbs a 4th-level spell and a 3rd-level spell has a total of seven absorbed levels. The wielder of the rod can use captured spell energy to cast any spell he has prayed for, at a casting time of 1, without loss of spell memory. The only restriction is that the levels of spell energy stored in the rod must be equal to or greater than the level of the spell the wielder wants to cast. Continuing the example above, the rod-wielder could cast a maximum of one 7th-level spell, one 6th-level and one 1st-level, and so on.
The rod of absorption can never be recharged. It absorbs 50 spell points or levels and can thereafter only discharge any remaining potential it might have. The attuned wielder will know that the rod's limit has been reached upon grasping the item. Used charges indicate that it has already absorbed some of its maximum of 50 spell energy and that some of those have been used. |