Antimagic

Contrary to its name, Antimagic is still a classification of magic. Experts in Antimagic learn how to counter magic spells and even cancel them within their area of effect. The success of each spell is direction proportional to the strength of the Antimagic spell when compared to the spell being canceled, with more powerful mages able to cast spells even despite the presence of Antimagic.   For this reason, Antimagic is typically only useful when cast by a powerful mage.  

Absorption

Absorption Antimagic allows for the direct nullification of any spell by absorbing the Imperium used to cast it, through an equal expenditure of power to the spell being nullified. These spells can either be live channeled, where the casting mage determines how long to maintain the spell while allowing it to draw directly from their own magic reserves, or cast as a static spell with a set strength supplied either during the casting or through the use of additional power such as a runic capacitor.   The ability to code the spells in Runework with an external power source has allowed the incorporation of these spells within the Antimagic protocols used by many organizations to create special Antimagic rooms, either to disable mages within them or to render dangerous magic items as inert. These Runes require frequent maintenance and even replacement to maintain the Antimagic effects, particularly in areas which see heavy usage.   Absorption spells will never draw more Imperium than the spells they are canceling, meaning an absorption spell costs nothing when not countering magic, but can be overwhelmed easily by many spells cast at once from multiple sources due to the power required to cancel each one separately. Once the source powering the spell is used up or otherwise disrupted, the spell itself ends. Any magic cast within its former area of effect, whether caused by a still-active channeled spell or a freshly cast new spell, will proceed as expected with no effects on the results from the now-spent Antimagic.  

Cancelation

By comparison, cancelation magic is always a channeled effect, immediately canceling all spells weaker than the strength of the cancelation spell. For stronger spells, only the remaining strength of the magic will resolve. The cancelation channel will only work on new spells and magic effects which began before the channeled cancelation spell, even if the prior spell is also a channel, making cancelation Antimagic a powerful preventative skill but a poor reactive response.   Cancelation spells cannot be overwhelmed by multiple castings at once, allowing for a more economical use of magic when facing many magic sources at once, but the channel requires a constant expenditure of Imperium for the full duration of the spell, regardless of whether or not magic is cast within its area of effect. The cancelation of more powerful spells requires the casting of a more powerful cancelation spell, limiting its most effective use to only the most powerful mages. Additionally, in cases where absorption and cancelation Antimagic both exist, the Absorption spell will be used up first.   Its ability to counter multiple spells at once for the same cost, coupled with a lower Imperium cost when compared to the spells to be countered, still see cancelation spells used often in cases where frequent magic is anticipated.

Antimagic Shielding

Antimagic Shielding instead defines an Antimagic boundary, blocking spells from crossing the Antimagic Shield. These spells can be set to operate in a single direction, or completely block magic attempting to cross the barrier from both directions, and can be cast as either a one-time absorption of magic or a channeled cancelation.   These spells can also be applied through Runework, although this requires an extremely talented Runemage and a strict Rune maintenance schedule to maintain the full effects. The most expensive but effective Antimagic protocols incorporate Antimagic Shielding, often alongside tyrellium shielding as a mechanical backup, when configuration allows.   Antimagic Shielding has no effect on magic which does not attempt to cross the barrier, including spells such as Illusion Magic whose effects will remain visible through the Antimagic Shield. It is also a costlier spell than more traditional Shielding Magic, limiting its use cases.