Overview#
Natural Absorption is a utility mod that fundamentally changes how the Absorption effect works in Minecraft. In the vanilla game, absorption is a temporary buff typically granted by Golden Apples that provides extra health which does not regenerate once lost. This mod transforms that mechanic into a permanent "shield" system similar to those found in RPGs or sci-fi shooters.
With this mod installed, players gain a dedicated absorption bar that sits above their health. This bar represents a pool of points that take damage before the player's actual health is affected. Unlike vanilla absorption, these points will automatically regenerate over time after the player avoids taking damage for a short duration. The mod is highly configurable, allowing server owners and players to define starting absorption, maximum capacity, and regeneration speeds.
Core Mechanics#
The mod introduces several key mechanics that govern how the new absorption system functions:
The Shield System
Absorption acts as a buffer for the player's health. When a player takes damage, the absorption pool is depleted first. Only after the absorption pool is empty will the player's actual health hearts begin to drop.
Regeneration and Delay
Absorption points are not lost forever once depleted. They will begin to recover automatically if the player manages to stay out of combat.
- Recovery Delay: The amount of time (measured in ticks) a player must go without taking damage before the absorption starts to refill.
- Recovery Rate: The speed at which absorption points return once the delay has passed.
Armor Interaction
By default, absorption points benefit from the player's armor. Damage is first reduced by the player's armor value and enchantments (like Protection) before being applied to the absorption pool. This makes high-tier armor significantly more effective at preserving the shield.
Death and Persistence
Depending on configuration, absorption capacity can be set to persist through death or be reset. By default, players retain their maximum absorption capacity upgrades even after dying, though they may respawn with the pool empty.
Items#
The mod adds specific items to help players manage and upgrade their absorption capacity.
Absorption Book
The Absorption Book is the primary method for permanently increasing a player's maximum absorption capacity. Using the book (Right-Click) consumes the item and grants the player additional absorption hearts.
| Item | Description | Crafting Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption Book | Increases Max Absorption by 2 points (1 heart) per use. | 1x Book, 4x Gold Ingot, 4x Apple |
Crafting Recipe:
- Top Row: Gold Ingot, Apple, Gold Ingot
- Middle Row: Apple, Book, Apple
- Bottom Row: Gold Ingot, Apple, Gold Ingot
Enchantments#
Natural Absorption adds a new enchantment to further bolster the player's defensive capabilities.
Absorption Enchantment
This enchantment can be applied to any piece of armor (Helmet, Chestplate, Leggings, or Boots). It provides a flat increase to the player's maximum absorption capacity while the armor is equipped.
| Enchantment | Max Level | Effect per Level |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | V | +2 Max Absorption (1 Heart) per level. |
If a player wears a full set of Armor with Absorption V on every piece, they can gain up to 40 extra absorption points (20 hearts) in addition to their base capacity.
Configuration#
The mod is famous for its extensive configuration file, allowing for complete customization of the survival experience. Below are the primary settings found in the config file:
General Settings
| Option | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
starting_absorption |
0.0 | The amount of absorption a player starts with on a new world. |
max_absorption |
20.0 | The maximum absorption a player can reach through books. |
death_reset |
false | If true, max absorption resets to the starting value upon death. |
replace_health |
false | If true, players start with only 1 health heart and must rely on absorption. |
Regeneration Settings
| Option | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
recovery_delay |
200 | Ticks (20 ticks = 1 second) of no damage required to start regen. |
recovery_rate |
20 | Ticks per half-heart (1 point) of absorption recovered. |
hunger_required |
true | If true, absorption will not regenerate if the player is starving. |
Damage Settings
| Option | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
armor_protection |
true | Whether armor reduces damage dealt to absorption. |
enchantment_protection |
true | Whether enchantments reduce damage dealt to absorption. |
Advanced Usage#
Integration with Potions
Vanilla potions of Absorption still work with this mod. When a player consumes a Potion of Absorption or a Golden Apple, the temporary hearts are added to the current absorption pool. However, these temporary hearts will not regenerate once lost, unlike the "Natural" absorption provided by the mod.
Hardcore Mode Setup
For a more challenging experience, players can enable the replace_health config option. This forces the player to rely almost entirely on their regenerating shield, as their physical health is reduced to a single heart. In this mode, the recovery delay and rate become the most critical stats for survival, encouraging a "hit and run" playstyle.
Gallery#
