Material Absorption



Material absorption is the ability to transform either a portion of the body or the whole body into an element that was touched by the user at the time of the transformation.

The most notable user of this ability is Carl "Crusher" Creel, better known as the Absorbing Man, who can use this ability to transform not only himself, but also the iron ball and chain attached to his ankle at the time that he was first empowered. Theoretically the user could achieve a high magnitude of strength if the right material is absorbed, such as a high-grade steel.

Limits
The user must be in constant contact with the element used to transform, otherwise he/she will revert back to human form. Another weakness is that the user could be tricked into absorbing a brittle element like glass and thus be easily beaten.

Similarities with Power Absorption
Those who have this ability, like Rogue and Parasite, both require physical contact with others to gain their abilities, but unlike material absorption, they don't have to be in constant contact with the subject and will retain their abilities for a number of hours, depending on how long the subject was touched.