I can verify that the staff does indeed absorb magic now. I've been playing around with it recently on Xbox and it does absorb magic but not health.

Do you have the latest patch?

Yeah and that's most likely why it works now.

Hmm... I wonder why they didn't fix absorb health if they were working on the staff.

Half their "fixes" are questionable to say the least. 

First off, I LOVE this build. Second, is there an easy way to get the Poison Rune? Neloth's apprentice almost NEVER has it.

You have to have around 40-50 skill in restoration for it to be available, like other leveled spells.

Thanks!

how do you do the perk stuff?

also, +1