Hi folks!

This particular power has been annoying me for decades: Kinetic Absorption. On the Black King's (Sebastian Shaw) character sheet, it specifically to slugfest, missile weapons, and concussive rays as potential sources of energy. However, it never discusses Edged damage (or Hack n' Slash, if you prefer). Obviously, for Edged attacks to be effective, there needs to be kinetic energy behind it, but the nature of the attack is such that it is trying to separate a whole into pieces in the case of a slashing attack, or pierce the target in the case of a thrusting weapon. His listing on the Marvel Wikia page indicates that he can be cut, but that wounds would be superficial. That would lead me to believe that even Edged attacks would be absorbed.

That being said, I don't recall any instance of Wolverine slashing Shaw to give me a better idea... so how do you choose to rule on this particular scenario?

I would rule that the kinetic absobtion would stop the edged attack at rank level. Just like body armour

It does say he absorbs the kinetic energy from bullets, which are a piercing-type attack, so that suggests to me that he'd absorb the kinetic energy from edged weapons. One might argue, however, that a 'slow knife' approach might actually injure him where a typical slash or thrust with a blade might not. Of course, the trick is having him hold still for you to slowly press the blade in.

Heh, the slow blade penetrates the shield!

Didn't something like this get covered in Punisher 2099? Punisher had a foe with a force field that absorbed kinetic energy, so after he had him helpless, he punished him with a slow push of the knife. I'm a little post-surgery drugged right now, so maybe my memory is fooling with me.