Magic Absorb was a spell that was intended for inclusion in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain which was used to briefly protect against magical attacks. Ultimately the spell was cut from the final game for unknown reasons and the Repel spell ended up being the only one of such protection spells that remained in the released version of the game.
In the earliest versions of the game the Force Shield was to be gained in the same dungeon as the similarly cut Force Shield spell – a dungeon which ultimately became the Repel Dungeon – with Magic absorb spell gained second after finding the Force shield on the lower level and returning to the higher level where Kain was able to gain the Magic Absorb spell which protected against magical attacks. Like Force Shield it was tested shortly after as Kain was confronted by various magically attacking enemies and obstacles.[Blood Omen][1][2][3][4][5]
Like Force Shield, the icon of the Magic Absorb spell was represented by an image of Kain standing with arms raised (similar to the repel icon) and surrounded by a hexagonal curtain of blue light which raised up to his torso. The effects of the spell were visually similar to the icon with Kain temporarily surrounded by a quickly fading blue hexagonal light which protected against and absorbed the force of each particular attack.[Blood Omen][1][2][3]
Magic Absorb in use
Both Magic Absorb and Force Shield were ultimately removed from the release game and the Repel Spell – which was originally gained from an apparently unfinished dungeon later in the game – was moved into its place: with the Force Shield/Magic Absorb dungeon becoming the Repel Dungeon and the unfinished Repel Dungeon being removed from the game. The reasons for the removal of the spells are ultimately unknown but the similar usage and icons could suggest that there was a perceived clash with the usage of the Repel Spell.[Blood Omen][1][3][4][5]
The dungeon area where Force Shield and Magic Absorb (and later Repel) were found
Notes[]
In the Developers' level select found in the retail version of the game has the Repel Dungeon listed under the somewhat unusual abbreviation "SH" - presumably related to its shield like nature. The discovery of the removed spells and reshuffled dungeons in the alpha somewhat explained the designation, with the the Force Shield/Magic Absorb dungeon originally listed under the abbreviation "SHAB" - referencing the spells found within (with the separate original Repel Dungeon listed as "REPL"). In the final version the new moved spell simply inherited a modified version of the designation for the previous spells.[Blood Omen][2][4][5][6]
A second level select found in the alpha hints that in builds prior to the alpha Force Shield and Magic Absorb had separate dungeons, with the presence of an extra "SHLD" doorway prior to the "LUPO" doorway. In this version the "REPL" door for Repel appears in the same position as the regular alpha level select and the "SHAB" door is labelled as "SA?".
Although the spells themselves were removed from post-alpha versions of Blood Omen, some beta versions still contain graphical assets relating to the Force Shield and Magic Absorb spells.[Blood Omen][1][3]
Magic Absorb at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln).
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
