Class Requirement. Cleric, Druid, or Magic-user only.

This rod acts as a magnet and draws magic spells of any nature (cleric, druid, magic-user, or illusionist) into itself, nullifying their effects but storing their potential within until the wielder chooses to release this energy in the form of spells of his or her own casting. 

The magic absorbed must have been directed at the character possessing the rod. (Cf. ring of spell turning). The wielder can instantly detect the spell level and decide on whether to react or not when the rod absorbs it. 

The wielder can use the energy to cast any spell he or she has memorized, in but 1 segment, without loss of spell memory, as long as the spell so cast is of equal or lesser level than the one absorbed. Excess levels are stored as potential, and can be cast in like manner (in 1 segment with no spell memory loss) as any level of spell so long as the wielder knows the spell and has it memorized.

The rod of absorption can never be recharged. It absorbs 50 spell levels and can thereafter only discharge any remaining potential it might have within. The wielder will know this upon grasping the item. If it has charges used, this indicates that it has already absorbed that many spell levels and they have been used.

Example. A cleric has a rod of absorption and uses it to nullify the effect of a hold person spell cast at him by a magic-user. The rod now has absorbed 3 spell levels, can absorb 47 more, and the cleric can, in 1 segment, cast any first, second, or third level spell he or she has memorized, without memory loss of that spell, by using the stored potential of the rod. Assume the cleric casts a hold person back. This spell is only second level to him or her, so the rod then holds 1 spell level of potential, and can absorb 47 more still, with 2 charges permanently disposed of.