damage absorption

[Muhandes]

I remember noticing this some time ago, but I don't see me reporting it. Crystallizer of Dreams has an effect "10% physical damage absorption". Is this different than the usual "damage absorption", or is it the same? And how is damage absorption different from defense anyway?

[Satan]

Damage absorption is direct damage reduction... It means you'll get 90% of the damage you would have originally gotten. Whether that 90% is applied before or after defense is applied, dunno. But defense reduces damage via an unknown formula, along with other factors.

EDIT: To clarify, the 10% physical reduction is only on regular attacks (not sure about criticals), not elemental attacks.

[Cristiona]

3) Don't confuse damage absorption with defense. Damage absorption is almost always more beneficial--if a shield has +1 damage absorption, it means it always reduces the damage you take by 1, whereas +1 defense on that shield only fractionally reduces damage when compared to the opponent's offense.

[Muhandes]

Thank you both for clarifying the byway question, but this leave my main question.
Crystallizer of Dreams has an effect "10% physical damage absorption". Is this different than the usual "damage absorption", or is it the same?
What preliminary tests show is that damage absorption is always physical only anyway, so it the preliminary tests wrong (they can be, that's why they are preliminary), making this a unique modifier, or is just a non-standard wording of the same old modifier?

[Ryme]

they're the same