I’m also assuming that the cool down timer begins after the field fails and this in turn allows for fluctuating Damage Absorption potential. This is primarily caused by the fact that they are last in defensive ordering – and this is also what makes them powerful in defensive terms as a character build will have many other forms of defense employed first.
Very, very true. If you’d like to understand the mechanics on CD better - http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68791&page=3
one might assume that the potential Damage Absorption is simply summed prior to any deduction being made.
And no, unless fields work on a distinctly different damage absorption mechanism than say procs like blast shield does (which I find highly unlikely, if not they wouldn’t last 1 second), you’re right in stating that they occur last in the defensive order which makes them quite valuable. Hence, my personal predilection for crab. 2260 ele/chaos/aether dmg abspn every 3 seconds? Fuck yes, mate. Fuck yes.
But yes - overall, I concede to your point. I’m sorry I can’t help more. I lack the knowhow needed to test these things.