Absorb Health does not actually appear in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as a spell that may be cast by name; instead, the Dragonborn and Vampire characters use Vampiric Drain with a virtually identical effect. Absorb Health is, however, an enchantment found on some weapons and may be learned so it may be used to enchant other weapons.
Usefulness
- If the player's inventory includes a weapon enchanted with Absorb Health, the player may use an arcane enchanter to learn the enchantment for future use.
- Subsequent to learning the Absorb Health enchantment, the player may enchant as many weapons as desired with the enchantment. Then, when an enemy is hit with that enchanted weapon, the indicated amount of damage is transferred as health points to the player.
Weapon enchantment
As a weapon enchantment, Absorb Health steals a set amount of health per hit. This amount is determined by the magnitude of the soul gem used when the enchantment was originally applied. As the health absorption does not scale with weapon damage, Absorb Health is best utilized on faster weapons such as daggers.
There are two different versions of the Absorb Stamina as well as Absorb Magicka enchantments with base absorption/damage value of 8 and 10.
The fastest way to obtain this enchantment, along with Absorb Magicka and Absorb Stamina, is by doing the College of Winterhold quest Staff of Magnus. Note that the Absorb Stamina and Absorb Magicka enchantments from these weapons are different than those obtained from regular weapons.
There is a small chance to obtain this early in the game by going through Brittleshin Pass and obtaining the enchanted iron dagger on the table next to the Necromanter. There is also a small chance the Axe of Whiterun will contain this enchantment.
When General Tullius wants you to kill Ulfric Stormcloak during the Imperial Legion questline, you will get a leveled sword with an Absorbs 15 Health enchantment to do the job, or as a reward should you refuse to do it.